Pencil, 16×20”
Artist comment: “This portrait of Dr. Richard Harris was a gift to him, as a thank you for being there at a difficult time in my life. He was instrumental in my healing and recovery, and I am forever grateful for the hours and hours he spent patiently listening to me in his office. I wanted to give something back, so I created a portrait of him that he could share with his family, children, and grandchildren. There was a certain expression I wanted to capture, and I photographed him on several occasions until I got the perfect photo of him standing in front of his paintings. The only thing that was missing was his North Carolina accent, which was unforgettable when he read his poetry. I was very sad when I heard that Dr. Harris passed away in April 2012, a year after I gave him his portrait. I will miss his jokes, his stories, his smile, and his southern drawl. He made the world a better place, and he will be missed very much.”