Vivian Harder

Biography

Vivian’s life-long joy has been sharing her art with others and she is known for her unique style of painting, which combines realism with the creativity of vibrant, sensual, flowing strokes of color in oils and watercolors. A love of animals and nature, combined with a compelling desire to draw and paint have been the artistic driving forces in Vivian’s life since she was a young child. Her talent was evident very early on and she sold her first painting at age 14. As an adult, Vivian studied fine arts at the University of the Fraser Valley, and she is a graduate of the Graphic Design and Communication Program. She made the Dean’s list while raising her 2 small children. She has been enriched by many other continuing education experiences, most recently by visits to the Louvre in Paris and London’s National Gallery.

The heart of Vivian’s work is her dramatic equestrian art, complemented by her popular natural scenes of BC series. She also paints a distinctively different collection of whimsical “funky cats" in a bold graphic style. She is often asked to do private commissions and by working collaboratively with her clients, is able to provide artwork they are truly thrilled with. Much of Vivian’s inspiration comes from her working farm and outdoor lifestyle–from rearing lambs, training horses and planting Christmas trees, to her backcountry adventures as a Certified Horsemanship Association trail guide.

She says, “Creating paintings is something I’ve always had to do; I have to share my sense of the pristine beauty of the west coast forests and waters. I am also captivated by details as fine as the long silky mane of my horse and her expressive eyes. I can look out at my back fields on a rainy day and where other people might just see a dull grey scene, I see deep cool blues, warm glowing yellows and glorious mauve-shaded clouds set against a slightly shimmering sky. I feel compelled to paint what I so vividly see in my imagination, playing off what is real and then dramatizing it with brilliant color, swaying movement, and impressionistic lighting." 

Vivian lives on a small farm in rural Langley with her husband and many beloved animals. She belongs to the Backcountry Horsemen of BC and the Vintage Riders Equestrian Club. She is an enthusiastic member of the Fort Langley Artist’s Group, as well as being Co-founder and organizer of the popular Langley Art Studio Tour. Her work has been featured in many gallery shows and festivals and her paintings are enjoyed in private and corporate collections in Canada, the United States and the U.K. 

Vivian joined FLAG Spring 2011.

Maple Light (oil)- more landscapes

Buckskin (oil) more Horses

Cats - more Funky Cats

Vivian offers drawing and painting lessons for all levels at her south Langley farm studio.

Thunderfoot Studio Gallery

FLAGstop Gallery in the historic CN Station,
at the corner of Mavis and Glover Road
Fort Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Open weekends May to September noon to 4:00 pm or by appointment

Contact Vivian
Phone - 604-856-4433