Nicholas Harding sketching in the Secret Garden of "The Swan With Two Necks." Painting

Paul Harris is an artist who lives and works in Brisbane, Australia. His main interest is portraiture and figurative painting. He has studied for several years at the Institute of Art at Windsor in Queensland. He has had several group exhibitions and is represented by The Norbertellen Art Gallery in Los Angeles. At present he is working out of The Cabin studio at Tarragindi, Brisbane, which is run by Jugglers Art Space. His aim is to give a sensual and tactile impression on the surface of the linen. The portraits draw upon a range of cultural influence such as Late Baroque, mid 20th century and contemporary style and horror. The artist wants the reader to be both enchanted and repelled by his work. He primarily works in oils and pastels and finds portraiture fascinating as a means of artistic expression. It is one of the oldest forms of art, the creation of life like images from coloured pigment. The contours and features of the face, and the skin tone and texture always present a compelling challenge to the artist. He likes to experiment with colour in his portraits and particularly with flesh colour which can provide a sensual element to the portrait. His aim is to project an image to the viewer of the painting and hope an exchange takes place between the viewer and the work. He wants the viewer’s imagination and thoughts to meet the work of art halfway.