Page 14 - Harnett Life Summer 2018

Shining a Light on the Art of Harry Eubanks

By Alison Minard

Harnett County portrait artist, Harry Eubanks, wields a to in order to capture all of the fine little details, he said.
drawing pencil with the same precision of a laser tool. He “When someone commissions me to do a drawing, I ask for
depends on perspective, proper proportions and shading to pictures that show emotion,” he said. “I look for emotion
create a likeness of his subjects. What is remarkable about that shows feeling and I try to capture that feeling in my
his undeniable talent, is that he taught himself how to do it. drawings. There are so many different facial expressions.
“My mother used to tell me that I had a gift for drawing,” A person can be happy, sad or angry. The face, body and
said Eubanks. “I thought I was just good at figuring out hands tell a story. Portraits are personal to me.”
proportions, not art. I couldn’t accept it, and I quit draw-
ing for 15-20 years. I never considered that I could make a Since 2015, Eubanks has completed close to 500 drawings.
living at it.” Each piece generally takes about five hours to complete, he
said. His subjects are often family members or friends, and
About three years ago he started drawing again. The First sometimes animals. He meets a lot of people on the Inter-
drawing that he completed came out amazing, he said. “It net, he said. His drawings feature celebrities, too. “They
was better than I remembered, and I realized that my moth- don’t sell as well,” he said, “but I do it so people who see
er was right.” my work will have someone recognizable to compare it to.
People have to really like the celebrity I draw in order for
He prefers to work from photographs and enlarges a pho- them to want to buy it,” he said.
Page 14 Harnett Life ~ Summer 2018