We recently had the chance to connect with Anne Harkness and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Anne, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
When I first understood that I am an artist, a painter, I was thrilled that this could be my life. The thrill came just imagining that I could get to paint on a regular basis. One of the things unexpected things that goes along with being a painter is connecting with the public in a bigger way than I had ever imagined. I was surprised and a little shocked and maybe a little scared because I hadn’t been much of a showman growing up. As my career unfolded, I learned that even though I am dyslexic and never thought of myself as a good student, or as a speaker, or writer, I could write and speak about myself and my artwork and people seemed interested. My journey now included learning more about the computer, photography, websites and relationships with those whom I depended on to represent me. It included connecting with people, patrons, students, anyone interested. But this had been something I had hidden away due to the fear of having my weaknesses exposed. My painting career lead me into learning to teach and speak to others about my artwork. When I was younger, I never saw myself developing any of these qualities and skills, but here I am doing all of these things. I’m showing my artwork around the country, speaking and teaching. It was an unexpected area of growth that I am so glad I have gotten to develop.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
After having studied Graphic Design, getting married and raising children, I was delighted that it was finally my turn. The result is more than I could have ever dreamed of or hoped for. Now it is something I would fight very hard for. What is “it”? Oil painting. The brand is, in simple terms, an image which emphasizes lines and ordinary recognizable scenes or subjects. In other terms, I am a contemporary painter. The subject matter might be chairs, telephone poles, town scenes, or any local view that I may have gleaned from my travels. Hopefully, I bring to each painting a passion and excitement that ignites it with interest for the viewer. As I am deciding what to paint I look for passion in an image. Without it, I won’t paint it. Some say they have never seen this subject with such energy. Some say, they wish they could get into my head. Some merely start to cry.
For me, the purpose of painting has been to breathe joy and life back into me and to try and share it with the world. I am so thankful.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I have two photos of my mom, one from when she was a young girl and one from when she was about 70. The joyful expressions are the same. I keep them in my studio because they remind me that the person she was. I often thought of her as someone entirely different. Over time I saw her with much different eyes. The essence of who she was, was always inside her. The life in between those two photos was hard and challenging, one fraught with alcoholism and abuse, the kind of abuse, in those days, that women did not speak of. There were reasons she drank and we blamed her 100%, but she was a victim.
Looking back I know that my mom saw me and, of course, God sees me. They know the dirty and broken parts AND the cherished parts of me. Mom saw my potential, all that was packed into the seed of who I was when I was born. After she died, I got to step into my life as a painter. My husband often reminds me of how proud Mom would be if she were still here. It is a tremendous encouragement and gift to have folks in my corner rooting me on, both now and in my past.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes! Like many, poor choices, circumstances, and unhealed traumas took the lowest point in my life. While at the bottom of my barrel, I knew God was with me. I remember thinking, if he wanted to turn this story around, he was going to have to do it without much help from me. Manipulation and control were part of my life before my crash, but they were not going to help me now. I was going to stay down until God pulled me out. Even in the midst of the despair I did realize that it was important to suck all the life out of this very painful season.
This season took a few years and finally my brother suggested I take an oil painting class with him. I agreed to do it, and was blown away by the love of painting that blossomed. Oil painting became a new and surprising joy in my life. I didn’t know why or how painting could be so absolutely thrilling to me, or what value it contained. But I knew God was in it with me, painting with me. I was excited, surprised and amazed.
This was how my resurrection looked. I had never dreamed of oil painting. Oil painting has led to a career that is still a joy and a place where I get to meet God every day. I owe it all to my savior. It is still hard to believe that I GET TO PAINT. Thank you Lord. Hallelujah!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I used to believe that if I did all the right things, God would love me. If I did all the things, then I was a good person. That is what God was looking for. The problem is, I was faced with my inability to be that idealized person. I had blinders on. I knew, if there was only one rule to keep, I couldn’t keep it.
What to do next. I took a chance and messed up badly. Once I had done that, I saw that it didn’t change how God saw me. He loved me before and always would. He knew I could not keep the rules. He knew I would hurt others and myself, and that I could not love perfectly. But for some reason, he stood in the gap between me and a holy God, and loved me.
So, when this truth started to sink in and I realized he loved me even though I am destined to mess up, dang, that was good news. He sees me clearly and loves me fully. Ok, yeah, I know I am preaching, but you asked the question. I’m just answering. What does it have to do with my art, well, everything. Whatever your mindset is, that is what you pour into your art. Sometimes it’s peace. Sometimes it’s turmoil, or anger etc. No matter what I feel, I invite God into it with me. Somehow that makes a difference in me and in my paintings.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
I think I live out of my depth most of the time. I know and understand some things about a few subjects, but there is so much more to learn. There are so many lifetimes of knowledge, and true knowing, that I would like to absorb.
Also, there is head knowledge and heart knowledge. Some things I understand but my whole being hasn’t embraced them yet. For example, I can read a book about boundaries but that doesn’t mean my inner child is willing to trust my adult yet, regarding boundaries. I am looking forward to that kind of knowing, the heart knowledge, seeing the deeper truths on every subject.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.anneharkness.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annephark/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annepharkness?ref=tn_tnmn
Image Credits
All photos taken by
Anne Harkness
