Self-taught Plant City painter behind this year’s featured image at Gasparilla Festival of the Arts
Self-taught Plant City painter behind this year’s featured image at Gasparilla Festival of the Arts
This year’s featured image for the 55th annual Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, "The Fight", has an uplifting story behind it.
TAMPA, Fla. - This year’s featured image for the 55th annual Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, "The Fight", has an uplifting story behind it.
The backstory:
The artist behind the image, Plant City’s Ashli Harper, began painting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The commercial pilot was grounded.
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"What can I do to keep my mind active?" Harper thought. "I got my first acrylic set, and it just went from there."
Harper’s work features mosaic-like subjects, using large, dense strokes of paint. The self-taught artist’s signature style may have been an accident.
"Honestly, I don't know what it is about the texture. It just excites me. It makes it feel more alive for me," Harper said. "With the first big stroke, I was like, ‘man, I like this,' and then it started just piling on from then, and it just became my thing."
Big picture view:
As for "The Fight", Harper was also grounded when the inspiration took hold of her. Health issues forced the pilot to take a leave of absence from her dream job.
"I was so down. I didn't know what was next for me, how I was going to overcome such a health battle," Harper said. "After sitting for a while, dwelling on it a bit, I said, man whatever is coming my way, I'm going to fight this head on. Literally, I got up and started painting that in it. That was really the turning point I feel like for me."
"The Fight" features a woman boxing, a fitting subject for the message it hopefully sends.
"The greatest part for me is the people that have seen it around already have told me what it means to them as well, other women, because we all have different battles, different struggles," Harper said.
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Dig deeper:
The original piece of art has been sold, but visitors to the festival will have a chance to see it at Harper’s booth. The new owner is lending it back to Harper for this weekend.
"Having it chosen amongst so many different artists is a dream come true, and I feel connected to so many different people," Harper said.
The festival, which features around 250 artists, will be at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park on March 1-2. For more information, visit gasparillaarts.com/artist-gallery.
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