HARLA BISBEY

Harla, a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, grew up between Sedro-Woolley and Monroe, Washington, riding horses, exploring forests and bathing in rivers. Harla found inspiration for her art when she received an advanced digital camera as a gift. The camera allowed her to closely observe and appreciate the beauty of the previously overlooked birds populating her lush backyard. The exquisite and delicate details she discovered and the antics of these new-found friends claimed her heart. It inspired Harla to connect more directly by taking up drawing, hoping that the act of creation would enrich her relationship with greater authenticity and mindfulness.

In her work, she emphasizes hyper-realistic physical details, while incorporating other elements to reveal each bird’s unique spirit and personality. Harla uses a variety of media, including pencils, acrylics and digital tools; her signature style emerged when she started combining her flair for photorealistic renderings with a personal vision for whimsical imagery, iconography and classical compositional elements.