We were lucky to catch up with Kitty Harvill recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kitty, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

As a Signature member since 2009 of AFC – Artists for Conservation (https://www.artistsforconservation.org/artists/1364), I find that painting with purpose adds a level of passion to the work. In 2014 I began a Facebook group – ’52 WEEKS – Nature Painting Challenge’. I was unable to find a weekly painting challenge group, so I started my own. Living in Brazil at the time and making the most of my photography possibilities, I posted images for our members to use. In August of that year, a Biologist friend of mine asked if I would post photos of the endangered species that she worked with. I was a little hesitant as I didn’t want to push my activist agenda on the group, but our members loved it and the images were used in an article by the IUCN as a way that art can raise awareness for conservation.

Two years later, in 2016, I transitioned the group to ‘ABUN – Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature’. This group collaborates with Biologists and organizations to produce artwork that can be used in their marketing and educational efforts. We have just launched our 47th Project for World Albatross Day, June 19, 2024. From what started as a small weekly painting challenge group, we now have member Artists worldwide and have had Projects on every continent. Here is the link to our website, in need of an update, but we’re too busy painting !! https://abun4nature.org/

Kitty, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As previously mentioned regarding meaningful work, raising awareness for endangered species and ecosystems through art and creating a group of like-minded Artists worldwide to share my vision is something that I’m proud to be contributing to our world. In 2022, I was the recipient of the Simon Combes Conservation Art Award, the most prestigious international conservation award for a visual artist.

I was academically trained with a BFA in painting from Southern Methodist University, a MA in Art Therapy from the University of Illinois in Chicago and an AA in illustration from Ray College, Chicago. I have worked in the field of advertising as both Art Director and Creative Director and for 12 years was the founder and owner of a commercial art firm, Harvill Ross Studios, Ltd., in Little Rock, Arkansas. I work in watercolor, pastel, oil and acrylic and have recently begun focusing more consistently on Plein Air painting as it puts me directly in touch with the Nature that I love, while my studio work continues to focus on portraits or scenes of wildlife primarily. But, I’m flexible enough to carry my passion for painting into Still Life, Portrait and Interior paintings as well.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Plein air painting is one of my focuses at present. But, it wasn’t easy in the beginning. As a studio painter, it can be quite overwhelming to suddenly have the expanse of Nature spread out in front of you to paint. I took a Plein air workshop from a Master in the field in 2008. The workshop was in France and I dreamed of fields of lavender dancing across my canvas. What I found was myself wrestling with the problem of fitting such a great expanse of beauty onto an 8″ x 10″ canvas. At one point I even picked up my easel and ran with it and my painting attached down a row in the vineyard where we were painting, just to avoid the instructor. But, I took that as a challenge and was determined to figure out this thing called ‘Plein air’. Is it fun ? Yes, it can be. Is it challenging, frustrating, inspiring and exciting ? Yes, it’s all of that and I find myself excited about the possibility of what I might find to inspire me each time I set out to paint ‘en plein air’ now. I found books, articles, videos and, of course, practice, practice, practice to help me with this journey. The point is to keep striving, keep pushing yourself to grow as an artist.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I don’t know if this is a lesson to unlearn, it’s more a way of seeing, learning to see in new ways. I’ve heard many talented Artists say – “I can’t paint trees”…or “I can’t paint people”. What I teach in my workshops is that visually we need to disassociate ourselves from ‘things’. That is, everything is a shape. And these shapes fit together like puzzle pieces. These shapes have value, light to dark. A successful representational painting consists of fitting together these light and dark shapes into a composition that is visually appealing and gives a sense of movement or energy. Color is important, of course, but if you have your values correct and are seeing the shapes correctly, you’re well on your way to a successful piece.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artistsforconservation.org/artists/1364, https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/kitty-harvill, https://abun4nature.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KittyHarvill
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kharvillart

Image Credits
Christoph Hrdina and Mirian Lovera Silva