Harriet Kaufman Levi

Shadows of Self: Into the Fire   
Acrylic and Mixed Media on canvas
30in x 40in,  2009

I started my artistic career in the 1960’s at the Boston University School of Theatre. During that period I designed costumes for the Tufts University Theatre, the Kennebunkport Opera Theatre, and the Charles Playhouse. After attempting to do the costumes for Doctor Faustus at the University of Oregon while parenting two toddlers, I postponed my “artistic life”. For the next 35 years I taught preschool, worked for Headstart, and then worked in higher education in parenting, early childhood ed, and eventually found my calling in coordinating and teaching Women’s Studies. After retiring from 21 years at Clark College, I was then free to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. I work primarily in acrylics and wood, but also explore pastels, inks, watercolors, and multimedia. I have been influenced by the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, combined with my love of the old “masters”, like Renoir and Matisse. My current passion is making wooden shadow boxes with paintings in them, that include three dimensional elements.
I live in SW Portland with my writer husband, Charles Deemer, and my dog Sketch. (He came to us with that name!)