LOVE Wins HeART Painting Commission

November 24, 2022

This was a commission piece designed for a client here in Bend. We met at one of my First Friday art shows. I worked with her to create a personal piece of art that would be meaningful for her and her husband. I looked at the other art and design in her home to co-ordinate with her interior decor and taste. We consulted via phone and text during the process. The final painting measured 30"x40" and was mixed media acrylic on canvas. I installed the painting in her home. The turn around time was less than a month. I really enjoy commission pieces because they are so personal for the client. If you have an interest in working with me to create a unique and custom piece of art for your home or office, please do not hesitate to reach out.

West + Main Homes First Friday Show!

June 23, 2022

I’m SO excited to be showing my work for the first time at the brand new WEST + MAIN downtown Bend, Oregon location for July’s First Friday Art Walk. Some of my newest artwork will be on display there and available for sale throughout the month of July. Come out for First Friday and meet me, have some wine, and check out my art on July 1, 2022, 5-9pm.

They wrote a whole blog post about me and it’s so nice. Check it out here!

MaryLea Harris in her Bend Oregon Studio

Happy To Be Back In the Studio

April 2, 2018

After many weeks off my feet following my February foot surgery, it’s really nice to be back in the studio painting again. Even if I do have to take breaks to sit down, perch on my stool and wear my awesome striped compression stocking. I’ll take it! I feel like a part of me is missing when I’m not making art!

MaryLea Harris signing Jubelale Posters at the Tower Theater in Bend, Oregon. December 2017

Poster Signing at Tower Theater

December 20, 2017

I had a great night signing Jubelale posters at the Tower theater tonight. Thank you to everyone who came out in the cold to say hello, it was so nice meeting all of you. Special thank yous go out to Deschutes Brewery for making my night easy with posters and rubberbands, ready to go and thank you to Tower Theater for being such great hosts for the evening. My husband and I enjoyed the night out!

Poster Signing at Deschutes Brewery

October 16, 2017

What a great turn out! I had SO much fun meeting each and every person who came out in the cold so graciously to wait in line at the pub house this evening. It was so fun hearing about your Jubelale stories, family traditions, what you do with your posters, etc. Thank you for the kind words, warm smiles and hugs. I had so much fun! And, an extra big thank you to my dear friend, Kimberly Teichrow for taking this great photo and documenting the evening for me.

MaryLea Harris First Friday Booth at Deschutes Brewery October 2017, Bend Oregon

First Friday at Deschutes Brewery Pub House - October 2017

October 9, 2017

I loved hanging out at Deschutes Brewery Public House this past First Friday in downtown Bend. It was so great to see so many friends and supporters that stopped by my booth. I'm showing a few new pieces at the pub for the month of October as their artist this month. It's the preview leading up to the launch/reveal of my artwork on October 16th for this year's Jubelale Beer Label.

Adorable happy customer with one of my NEW LOVE Wins Tote bags!

It was such an honor to create a piece of artwork for the permanent gallery collection at Deschutes Brewery. It was also really neat because it's the 30th anniversary of Jubelale this year and I'm the first artist that has been asked to create more than one piece of artwork for the label - Hooray! I actually painted 4 different snowflake paintings from the same series for the commission this year!

I brought a batch of my new original art tote bags to the show - they're perfect holiday gifts!

If you're in town, stop by the downtown pub house next Monday (October 16th) I'll be there signing posters and we'll have a free tasting of this year's beer!

MaryLea Harris    Photo by Julia Duke — MaryLea Harris Photo by Julia Duke

Why paint Happy Little Trees and Happy Little Leaves?

September 19, 2017

My Happy Little Trees and Happy Little Leaves series is meant to be whimsical and colorful. I'm exploring color, texture, and line. I'm focusing on the interplay of "positive" and "negative" space as I reflect on my own positive and negative growth experiences from the past few years. I'm using these trees as a form of art therapy to explore living more simply while celebrating nature, color, texture, and line. I want the viewer to feel happy and playful. I want them to be in the moment and feel joy. Life is short and meant to be celebrated. The title is a small tribute to Bob Ross and his "Happy Little Tree"s he would add to his landscapes, I thought his paintings were magical when I was a little girl.

Sunriver Library Show - September - October 2017

September 10, 2017

I have a small show of older work up for September and October over at the Sunriver Library. My 2-dimensional painting and mixed-media pieces are being shown with husband and wife team, Bob and Sandy Lercari's fused glass work. Their work is very colorful, bright and bold - it is the perfect compliment to my Happy Leaves and abstract Map paintings there. Open during library business hours, free to the public. Please stop by and check it out if you're in the Sunriver area this fall.

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Summer In The High Desert Show at Sunriver Resort Lodge

July 22, 2017

I am so excited to announce our summer show this year. I'm showing at Sunriver Resort Lodge in the Betty Gray Gallery with two of my dear friends, Karen Ruane and JM Brodrick. The exhibit will run from July 22, 2017- September 9, 2017. The Opening reception will be held 4:30-6pm on Saturday July 22. If you'll be in the area this summer, I hope you'll stop by.

I was so happy to have my family in town for the show opening this year! So grateful for their love and support.

COBA Tour of Homes 2017 Show Home

July 15, 2017

This was my third year displaying art for Simplicity Homes as their featured artist in their tour home for the COBA Tour of Homes. This year's model was located in the new Shevlin Landing Neighborhood near Shevlin Park in Bend. This year's designer Karrie Bomstad of Staging Spaces and Design was so amazing to work with. She did such a great job with the house and my paintings went perfectly with her accessories. We got a lot of people through the house this year and it was really fun to see and hear their reactions to the floor plan, artwork and incredible design work.

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I love the big easels at Bend Premier Realty, they're such a bold (and EASY!) way to show work!

First Friday Art Walk Show at Bend Premier Realty - June 2, 2017

June 3, 2017

I'm was excited to show my work at First Friday Art Walk night downtown this month at Bend Premier Realty. My good friend, Bren Menzel, of Living the Bend Life fame is hosting me for this event. We had a great turn out and it was nice to meet so many locals.

TEDxBend 2017

May 14, 2017

I was honored to be asked to participate in the art show for TEDxBend again this year. This year we were each given a wooden post to create a piece of art with for the stage. A totem if you will for this year's theme of "US Humans" I created a milepost marker with a map on it - a part of my Map Series. Below is the statement from the show.

Local contemporary artist, MaryLea Harris, specializes in mixed media and painting.

Her abstract work features brightly colored backgrounds created by layering paint and

scraping it away with plastic gift cards. These cards are wonderful tools not only for

scraping paint but also serve as a reminder of our consumer-driven society and how

quickly we replace nature with man-made materials. Her latest Map Series is meant to

explore our relationships between physical place, connection, belonging, and our

collective personal journeys. Authenticity > Perfection. The layers in her work

analogize the interplay between positives and negatives in space and life. She focuses

on the interplay of space as she reflects on her own positive and negative growth

experiences in the past few years.

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in” – Leonard Cohen

“This Place Called Home” explores what the concept of home means to you.

Is it the structure in which you sleep? Where you grew up? This Town? Our planet?

We are all connected as global citizens with shared experiences.

The maps of our lives are one of the many ways we are joined together as humans.

This post serves as a mile marker. A pause on your map.

A reminder to reflect on your journey, where you’ve been and where you are headed next.

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Artwork up at North Soles in Downtown Bend

March 4, 2017

I'm showing a few pieces at the North Soles shop in downtown Bend March - May 2017. Stop by if you're in the area and check them out. "Art" our local statue was checking his wallet to see if he could support some other local artists.

Bend Fashion Quarterly Launch Party and Spring Magazine

February 25, 2017

Check it out....now I can add Fashion Model to my resume. Just kidding! An extra special thank you to Billye Turner and Pamela Hulse Andrews for arranging for us to make our debut as fashionable artists in the Spring issue of Bend Fashion Quarterly. We had a great time at Immersion Brewing for the launch - I love their stout beer.

HeART of the Matter - February 2017 First Friday Art Walk

February 4, 2017

First Friday was another chilly whirlwind this month with a great political first friday art show at Franklin Crossing curated and hosted by Billye Turner. Local artists expressed our heartfelt concerns about the United States and it was a very powerful evening. I also got a chance to make it over the see my friend Valerie Winterholler's new show at the Peterson Roth Gallery downtown.

L-R MaryLea Harris, Valerie Winterholler, Karen Ruane

Was also super excited to see the February issue of Cascade A&E magazine with my Love Wins hearts on the cover! What a night!

Photo Shoot with Bend Fashion Quarterly

January 14, 2017

So this is something that isn't a part of my regular routine. Billye Turner, my amazing art consultant friend arranged for us to do a fashion photo shoot for the spring issue of the Bend Fashion Quarterly magazine. My fellow artists, Kelly Theil and JM Brodrick and myself met at Faveur store downtown to be dressed and styled by the owner. Then we met at Franklin Crossing for a photo shoot with our artwork and Ryder Redfield, a local photographer. It was fun and we froze our buns off but we did get some fun photos in the end! What a day!

New Year, New Art.

January 8, 2017

Very excited to be showing my work with JM Brodrick and Kelly Thiel at Franklin Crossing for the January First Friday Art Walk hosted by Billye Turner. It was icy, snowy and chilly but we had a great turnout and really apprecaited everyone who braved the cold weather and stopped by to support our show. I even sold two of my paintings "A Beautiful Mess" went to a collector here in Bend and my painting "The Color of Joy" went to a collector in Georgia.

L-R MaryLea Harris, JM Brodrick, Kelly Thiel, Billye Turner

Speak Your Truth. Always.

November 25, 2016

This is part of my Map Series. I titled this painting, "Speak Your Truth. Always." My abstract maps are meant to explore our relationships between physical place, connection, belonging, and our collective personal journeys. I'm exploring color, texture, and line. I'm focusing on the interplay of "positive" and "negative" space as I reflect on my own positive and negative growth experiences from the past few years. The cracks are how the light gets in. I'm using these maps as a form of art therapy to explore living more simply while celebrating nature, color, texture, and line. This particular map was painted in the days leading up to the election while I was filled with optimism and excitement for my daughters and the generations of women that came before me, to see our first woman President elected. I finished this map on election night, heartbroken, angry and numb. I turned off the television as the election results started coming in; filling a televised map with red. I escaped to my studio to paint and sort through my feelings. I cried. My tears are in this painting.

Please do not numb out. Now is the time to speak up for those who do not have a voice. Speaking the truth, and speaking up for others can be scary but silence is more frightening. We must speak our truth and defy the ignorant voice in the White House. He is not my President. He does not stand for what I believe in. I believe in human rights. I believe in climate science. I am a citizen of the planet. I believe the World needs more LOVE, LIGHT and TRUTH right now. Do not accept alternative facts. Do not give in.

Resist and speak your Truth.

“Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you. Never apologize for being correct, or for being years ahead of your time. If you’re right and you know it, speak your mind. Speak your mind even if you are a minority of one. The truth is still the truth.” – Mohatma Gandhi

Election Musings....

November 23, 2016

I've spent November working on two new Maps while reflecting on our greatly divided country. It breaks my heart to see the news. The hear the hate in our President elect's heart, if he even has one. I think it may be two sizes two small. In a nation divided, I'm painting my own maps. Trying to process what is happening around me. While I heal my broken heart, I will finish my own maps and work on more of my LOVE Wins paintings so I can spread more love in this broken corner of the world.

Love Wins

November 18, 2016

These hearts are from my LOVE Wins Series. As many of you know, I find a lot of inspiration in the teachings and writings of Brene Brown. It was a rough couple of weeks with the election and a rude woman who came to my last art show and made a game of insulting my work, my titles, and encouraged her young daughter to do the same. It was so sad to watch and my heart broke for her as I wondered who had done so much damage to her to make her so broken as a human being.

I've taken comfort more than ever lately in Brene's words and hope they help you too.

“We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness and affection.

Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them – we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.

Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can only survive these injuries if they are acknowledged, healed and rare.”
― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

This little green heart is the last one left in my shop. You can find it for sale here.

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