Art Chowder July | August 2018, Issue 16 | Page 21

I
stopped in to see Chuck and Alice
Harmon at their home on a Tuesday
afternoon. They are what my mom
used to call a “cute couple.” The
conversation was punctuated by
Chuck saying he was going to let
Alice talk and then interrupting to
complete her sentences or to remind
her to tell a particular story. They
laugh easily and warmly. They are
both artists. They met on the phone
over 20 years ago when Chuck was
working in Spokane and Alice was
in Missoula. They became friends,
eventually married, and both share a
passion for painting and exhibiting
— sometimes together as they did
at the New Moon Art Gallery last
month and sometimes independently.
They have been members of River
Ridge Association of Fine Arts for
about five years. Their work will
be included in the RRAFA show at
Barrister Winery in July.
They both have studios in their light-
filled home on the north hill above
the Spokane River. They were
emphatic in saying that they each
have their own workspace and the
other needs to be invited in. Chuck
is gregarious and would be happy to
have people talking with him about
his work as he makes it. Alice wants
to work without interruption.
Alice said, “I don’t think I had an
option. I was born into a creative
family. My dad was a newspaper
owner. He was always reading
and writing and telling stories. My
mom did everything else. With five
siblings there was never a lot of
money but we always had crayons
and paper and glue and clay and we
were encouraged to “sit down and be
quiet.”
July | August 2018
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