Today we’d like to introduce you to Dare Harcourt.
Hi Dare, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always been creative. Growing up, I had an active imagination combined with a desire to explore and create. My grandfather loved to paint, and I remember as a young child being fascinated with his painting tools and how he used each of those tools for certain results. My family fostered my creativity and encouraged my exploration.
Yet, as much as I loved that side of me, I didn’t consider art as a career until later in life. I attended Ole Miss and graduated with a BS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders. After graduation, I went through some serious health issues and began to paint as a way of coping. I quickly fell in love with painting and that love grew into a passion. My art started from a place of healing and blossomed into a love that brings me immense joy. After realizing the power of art, I decided to go back to school and received my Master’s in Art Education at Memphis College of Art.
I was very fortunate to have mentors like my aunt, artist Betsy Woodyard, Amy Hutcheson, Dr. Shannon Elliott, and the rest of my professors to help build my confidence and push me to put myself out there. Although my classes were based on teaching art, having professionals validate my abilities really boosted my confidence and gave me the courage to show others my work. One of the first times I exhibited my artwork was also one of the busiest weekends I can remember. That Friday night was my thesis exhibition where I showcased my personal health journey and the struggles I had been through the last couple of years.
It was my very first time to truly be vulnerable in art. I am typically a positive and upbeat person, so to show a vulnerable, “ugly” side was particularly scary for me. The very next morning I was in Oxford, Mississippi for the Double Decker Arts Festival. Having attended Ole Miss, Double Decker was one of my favorite events. I remember being so nervous that I wasn’t going to sell a single thing! I ended up having an incredible show and was hooked from that moment on.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I consider myself extremely lucky to have such an amazing support system behind me. It is incredible to have people continuously encourage and push you to pursue your dream. I also have been fortunate to connect with other artists in Memphis who have welcomed me into their community. Having said that, it has not always been easy.
One of the main struggles for me has been managing the hustle of being an artist while continuing to fight health issues. There have been times when I was unable to keep my desired pace because health needed to be my focus. Another struggle has been figuring out the business and marketing side of things as I was never formally trained in this aspect. I am a fairly private person and not very active on social media, so maintaining a healthy balance of sharing my life while still feeling like I can step away has always been important to me. I once received an email from a social media platform stating that I was being temporarily banned for taking too much time away from it.
At the time, no one knew the extent of my health issues or that I was at Mayo Clinic during that time, and this app was now proclaiming I was “in trouble” for not telling everyone where I was. Not only was I frustrated, but I had absolutely no idea what to do about it! I’ve learned a lot and am especially grateful to Mayo for its diagnosis and treatment. I can happily report that my health has never been better. I’m excited to see what the future holds for my art.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am happiest when I am painting. I’ve always loved the world’s abstract designs, whether in fashion, photography, paintings, or people. When I paint, it lets me interpret that design and transfer it to a canvas. Using various mediums adds new elements that help bring life to what I am creating. I love to explore with as many different textures as I can. While I’m creating, I look at the canvas, get a sense of space, and my mind is drawn to color.
Small marks help me create a pattern, and tension is added with the intensity of color. It’s always a process with me: Painting, sanding, layering, rearranging and painting again. I absolutely adore the color! My hope is to bring joy through each painting I create. Every painting has different elements, all open to interpretation by the varying eyes of viewers. I hope to make people stop, think, feel, dream, remember…all without being limited to any specific detail of the painting itself. I’ve gone through my life being moved by the world around me, and I hope to give that experience back to others through my art.
I am probably best known for my colorful animals or non-objective abstracts. I have always been passionate about animals and try to give back to various animal rights organizations as often as I can. I think the joy and passion I have for animals and the planet really shows through in my art. I have a 7-year-old lab named Finn, and to say I love him is an understatement! I wanted to do a painting that really captured his fun-loving, joyful personality, so I made a painting of him in these bold, vibrant colors.
It captured him well, and the painting was bought by a veterinarian here in Memphis. I feel like that painting of Finn really started the Animals Series and opened so many other doors for me. An author, Candace Echols, actually saw the painting at the Vet’s office and reached out asking me to illustrate her book about a girl who gets a puppy during the pandemic, “Josephine and the Quarantine”. It was such an incredible opportunity and project that all started because she was moved by this painting. Finn is definitely my muse.
With my non-objective abstracts, I love exploring intensity through color and texture. To mix things up, one day I’ll pair thick texture with bold strokes and vibrant colors to make almost sculptural abstracts, and the next I might pair muted colors with soft, silky textures. I also love gold; I feel that you can never go wrong adding a little sparkle to something!
I believe one thing that sets me apart is that I am constantly evolving and exploring. That exploration feeds my passion and makes me want to create art for everyone. I never have stuck to just one thing; I can constantly surprise people with either the color scheme, texture, or theme. I am inspired by so many things in this world, and I try to use that inspiration to feed all sides of my creativity.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I think my main piece of advice would be to always remember why you wanted to do this in the first place. For me, art brings an inexplicable joy and I want to share that joy with others. If I allowed myself to get swept up in what everyone else wants or expects, then it would take away from the reason I wanted to do this in the first place.
One of the most incredible ways I’ve been blessed is being involved with people who have created a community where we can all succeed. It’s important for new artists to remember that they do not have to fit a certain mold or time frame. Someone once told me that there will never be another you, and no one can ever do something exactly like you. There’s plenty of space for us all, and your dream is waiting patiently for you.
Contact Info:
- Email: dareharcourtart@gmail.com
- Website: dareharcourtart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dareharcourtart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dareharcourtart
Image Credits
Emma Clayton (@emmareecephoto)
