Making downtown a Winter Wonderland
Humboldt’s Harper Lee bringing holiday cheer downtown with Christmas art
PAINTING THE TOWN – Humboldt artist Harper Lee puts has been busy for weeks painting downtown storefront windows with Christmas scenes. Many of the businesses are competing in the Chamber Window Display contest, showing off Lee’s masterpieces. Not only is Lee talented as a painter but also plays five musical instruments.
by Danny Wade
A young Humboldt artist is bringing her talents to downtown Humboldt in order to spread some holiday cheer. Harper Lee has painted Christmas scenes on the windows for several downtown businesses.
Lee’s artistry is on full display and each business is participating in the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas Window Display contest. Businesses participating in the contest with Lee’s work include her dad’s office, Lee and Associates, Milano’s Pizza, The Coffee Shop, Creative Accents and ReeseKutz.
“I’ve painted my father’s window several times in the past,” Lee said. “But this is the first time I’ve been commissioned to paint other storefront windows.”
Lee is a student at Lipscomb University in Nashville where she studies animation, both hand animation (frame by frame) and digital, which is the most popular these days, she says.
“The reason I’m painting others (window displays) this year, I’m taking this semester off due to the pandemic,” Lee added. “I elected to take the semester off for safety concerns.”
In these troubling times with COVID on the rise, it’s nice to see something good coming out of it. These Humboldt businesses are benefiting by having their window painted with holiday themed scenes by a local artist.
“I want to stay in Nashville,” Lee said. “I love music and there are a lot of graphics in the industry with concerts and advertisements.”
“I’ve done logos and murals for businesses other than my family and friends,” Lee explained as she working on one of the downtown windows. “I’ve done other work for clients.”
One of Lee’s biggest projects came while working an internship in Nashville where she created a holiday subscription box logo and photography. Her work can be seen at various locations in and around Nashville.
Lee is following in her father Greg’s footsteps but not like some may think. Greg is known as a numbers cruncher being a certified public accountant but this is not the profession she’s taking.
“I’m not suited for it,” she chuckled. I’m not quite the mathematician my dad is.”
The Lee father and daughter duo are both accomplished musicians, both play multiple instruments. Greg plays bluegrass music. As the daughter of a musician, Lee would go to festivals and other venues to hear her dad play. Often times, she would bring her tablet and draw pictures as they played.
“I love music,” Lee noted. “I play five or six instruments—bass, guitar, piano, drums, fiddle. We sit around at home and play all the time. My uncle plays bass too.”
But painting is not the only artistic trait Lee exemplifies. She also enjoys sculpting and building.
Even though her talents are many, performing music and painting are not the professions she wants to pursue. Her goal is to continue as a graphic artist, preferably in the music industry.
Whether is creating images on a computer, painting with a brush or guitar pickin’, there is a ton of talent flowing from her fingers. With big dreams of a Nashville career, Lee is perfectly happy to come home and spread some Christmas cheer, displaying her talents on storefront windows in her hometown.
“Dad loves art,” Lee said. “He is glad I’m following my dreams of what I love.”
