Abie Harris

The visually rich Bolyan Heights neighborhood was the starting point of these pastel drawings of Raleigh buildings.  First I drew those things that attracted me – the bridge, the orange wall, and arrangements of houses and landscapes.  Then, guided by Catherine Bishir’s and Michael Southern’s A Guide to the Historic Architecture of Piedmont North Carolina, I ventured beyond Boylan Heights and began drawing special Raleigh places and landmarks.  Our amazing legacy of historic architecture became my primary subject.  As I drew these buildings it was obvious how so much of Raleigh’s history is marked with its buildings and landscapes.  The drawings were exhibited at the Miriam Block Gallery in 2007.