Nik Harron calls for collaboration
For this installation of the Make it Kitchener blog, we posed some questions to Nik Harron, an Irish born, Kitchener-committed painter and interactive artist. While many have encountered Harron’s art through the festival scene, the community-minded motivations behind his work aren’t always on display. Harron shares about what fuels his art (and much of Kitchener’s creative culture) in conversation:
By Nik Harron
MIK: First, tell me a bit about yourself. Background, education, whatever you think is relevant!
NH: Originally born in Belfast, Ireland, I immigrated to Canada in 1981, and currently make my home in Kitchener. I’ve been running two parallel careers in fine arts and graphic design for over 25 years, committing full-time to art since moving to the region six years ago. I’m self-taught in both disciplines because I honestly believe that the best way to learn is by doing, and that’s a spirit that I see reflected in the history of Kitchener’s maker culture.
MIK: Can you give me some details about your artwork? What do you make, how do you make it?
NH: I am primarily a landscape painter, but I also dabble in interactive festival-style art, including video-projection work. I have an abiding interest in creating work that is relatable and touches on creating or referencing shared experiences. The landscape painting is based on a novel approach that separates colour from form. Each painting begins with an initial white surface sculpted from heavy acrylic mediums, which is then stained and coated with many layers of colour.
When I paint, it’s as much about removing paint as it is about applying it. Although the steps in creating the work are planned out, the process is often prone to accidents that can change the final product. Art is a process. Knowing how to pivot when circumstances change, I love how that mirrors living life in general.
My festival-focused artwork is more sculptural in nature, and incorporates sound and light to create experiences, more than artifacts. I have an abiding interest in kaleidoscopic imagery, and it’s reflected in projects like The InfiniScope, an oversized kaleidoscope that lets two people see each other transformed into repeating patterns, the recent Infinity Tunnel which I made in collaboration with Bernie Rohde and headlined at Night/Shift last year, or the ongoing VRLENS project that pairs handheld mirror boxes with video animation.
Infinity Tunnel by Nik Harron and Bernie Rohde
And of course there’s King Pong, the world’s largest Atari Paddle controller that pairs with video projection to let festival-goers throw down at PONG.
By Nik Harron
MIK: How has your art been a part of the cultural scene in Kitchener? Where does your art appear and how do people interact with your work? How are they affected by it?
NH: I am involved with the Art District Gallery co-operative, which, until recently was located in downtown Kitchener, but now (hopefully temporarily) in St. Jacobs. It’s an anchor project that brings together 14 regional artists to mount exhibitions every six weeks in an artist-run commercial gallery. This entrepreneurial approach allows us, as members, to take more control over how our work is displayed, support each other in our professional growth, and engage directly with patrons.
At the Rotunda in City Hall, I have also been involved in several festivals, exhibited at Night\Shift, Summer Lights and FUNtario Fridays, done video-projection/exhibited VRLENS with CAFKA, and VJ’ed Craftoberfest.
My show at the Rotunda was an exploration of how industrial spaces become our recreational and nature experiences as history moves on. I wasn’t familiar with the local geography or history when I moved, and it was my way of learning about my new home. It was personally reflective of the Region’s willingness to reinvent itself, to stay innovative.
In addition, I participate in a lot of pop-up style shows, like the BOX Art series. Collective Identity and Minds Eye Studio Art. Collaborating is so important to grow as an artist – the best opportunities are self-made and helping to raise the tide locally benefits everyone.
Oh, and did I mention I’m a regular at THEMUSEUM’s Brush Off? Finally, I managed to win this year!
By Nik Harron
MIK: What's your motivation for making your art?
NH: It’s two-fold. On the one hand, I love creating interactive pieces that give people the chance to experience something novel. There’s a sense of wonder that seems to get lost, and art is a way of bringing that back, by reimagining the spaces that we pass through everyday.
On the other hand, I grew up on the sea as a young child, and on the shores of Lake Huron as a teenager. Given that Kitchener is landlocked, I have a deep nostalgia for large open skies and empty horizons and I create paintings that reflect that. Art is very much an escape hatch from living in a city, a way to reconnect with simpler times and nature.
I also love to make people smile, and laugh, and seeing people have a genuine connection to work of art is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have.
By Nik Harron
MIK: Do you think there's anything specific about Kitchener that helps you as an artist (or artists more generally) to flourish?
NH: Honestly, the people. Only being here for six years, I’ve found that the local art scene was very open and welcoming to a newcomer. There are so many fantastic local artists and festivals – there are always new opportunities to collaborate.
The City has been a big part of that. Compared to other regions, I think that the sprit of the City is to engage. City Hall here is always full of art and activity, it feels more like a shared community centre than a place of governance, and that is special.
Groups and festivals like Kwartzlab, Art$Pay, Globe Studios, THEMUSEUM, The Art District Gallery, Night\Shift, Summer Lights, CAFKA, KWAG, and so many more, make Kitchener a rich and vibrant place to live. Being open to collaboration, and helping other artists realize their goals is such an important part of flourishing as an artist. A willingness to explore new experiences and share them with others is a wonderful way to live.
MIK: Anything else about Kitchener’s art scene that should be highlighted?
NH: I think it’s important to note that there has been lot of advocacy regarding the right of artists to be fairly compensated in the region. The City, alongside other groups have helped the region come a long way, even in the last six years, to change the culture around donation and structuring calls for participation. I have a sense of optimism that the region’s art scene can grow alongside the tech culture. Art has a place at the heart of any vibrant city, and I’m optimistic we can put “A” back into “STEM” and rediscover how powerful a STEAM-powered economy can be.
By Nik Harron