Keith Harris

I work mainly en plein air in oils.

My inspiration is man’s effect on the landscape, particularly in industrial and urban settings.  I am attracted to scenes that have a strong form, such as brilliantly lit locations in Spain.  I try to capture the inspiration with a sketch done on the spot, preferably using ink to gain immediacy and avoid the temptation of using an eraser; “mistakes” are part of the excitement and become part of the finished sketch.

In translating the inspiration into a painting I am guided by the need to retain the spontaneity of the original vision.  If necessary I rework the sketches done on the spot, sometimes with the help of a few reference photos, to create a finished oil painting in the studio. Increasingly I now work in oils directly en plein air to produce either a relatively small and finished piece there and then or a near-finished piece that I later complete in the studio.

email: keithharris
website: keithharris.co.uk