Arizona's accomplished and award-winning artist, Carole Andreen Harris,has been designated as the judge for the Grand Count Art Guild's 31st Annual Purchase Prize Show and Exhibit.
Carole Andreen-Harris was driven initially to put pencil to paper by a love of horses and animals, with a deeply ingrained appreciation of the horse in all its breeds and disciplines. Raised in Minnesota and later Arizona, she experienced travels all across the USA, soaking in the dramatic and varied scenery, including many summers spent in western states. Hours spent sketching and painting in these years would help prepare for a future as a professional artist.
Carole's paintings have strong visual appeal - both up close and from afar. She has a deep understanding and appreciation for her subjects that she exhibits through paint. Finding a common ground between accuracy and artistic integrity in her work is her hallmark. The equine subject in particular is one of lifelong fascination, and is tackled with the eye of a horse person, which is why her horse paintings are so well received among those who live and work with horses.
An Associate Member of the American Academy of Equine Art, Carole is also a Master Signature member of the Institute of Equine Artists and a member of Women Artists of the West (WAOW). Del Mar Racetrack commissioned her to paint the winner of the prestigious 2012 $1 Million Pacific Classic, the signature race run during the summer meet at beautiful beach side track in San Diego, California, and Woodford Reserve Bourbon, the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, commissioned a painting from for the label of their 2015 Commemorative Derby bottle.
Carole has had solo shows in Tucson and Nashville, and her work has been accepted into prestigious art shows and institutions such as the Cattleman's Western Art Show, The Phippen Western Art Show & Sale, Mountain Oyster Club Western Art Show & Sale, Empire 100 Western Art Show & Sale, and the American Academy of Equine Art Open and Invitational shows.You can learn more about the artist and her work online at www.andreenharris.com.
The 2016 Purchase Prize Award Exhibit entry forms (www.gcag.org) are due August 2 and the show will open at the Pinos Altos Gallery with a reception at 5:30 on September 20, 2016. This juried show is open to all New Mexico artists and in addition to other cash prizes, the "Best of Show" entry will be purchased for $1500. The show judge, Carole Andreen Harris will teach a three-day workshop on September 21-23. The workshop is open to the public and information on the show and classes can be found on the Guild's website, www.gcag.org or by calling 575-538-9462.