What looks to be an ordinary furnace filter has inspired artwork for consultant and adjunct professor Louise Harris. Saying that the art found her, Harris stumbled upon the metal circles in her own furnace filter when she was changing it 10 years ago.
Her masterpieces begin in the form of a square metal sheet typically used to make bottle caps. The scrap metal is sent to Chicago where it’s used to make furnace filters. Then it’s recycled a third time and transformed into abstract pieces of art Harris calls Relief Circles.
“People interpret Relief Circles in many different ways,” Harris says. Rightfully so, since sales of the artwork provide relief to others. One hundred percent of the profits from Harris’s art are donated to approximately 15 charitable causes each year. “So far, we’ve helped train six service dogs, assisted 500 teens as they’ve gone through a self-esteem program and we’ve worked with the Minnesota Justice Association to help battered women,” Harris says. “Oh, and we’ve built three houses in Africa, along with wells and a latrine.”
Harris lives in two worlds, corporate and artistic. And the dichotomy of these realms fit her perfectly. “The art helps me process whatever it is I’m thinking about,” she says. “If I’m stuck trying to solve a problem I’ll go work in the studio. And then, ironically, I’ll find the solution to my problem.”
Artist statement
I truly stumbled into the art world by accident. Having no formal training, education or background, I often say the art actually found me. The experience of sharing my work with others and being part of something bigger is also why I have chosen to donate 100% of my profits. Therefore, anyone who purchases an LH Original is bringing a little bit of hope and joy in the lives of others.
My intention when designing each one-of-a-kind piece is to inspire one’s imagination to see the endless possibilities and images that exist amongst the shadows. And when a piece is purchased, the endless possibilities extend even further.
