Frances Harris was born in 1913 and emigrated from England to Canada in 1939. It is the scenery from the Rockies to the Pacific Coast and the Gulf Islands of British Columbia that have been among the greatest sources of her inspiration. The Vancouver School of Art and several well-known British Columbia artists have all contributed to Frances's art education, but Robert Genn and the late Alex Sutherland have had the greatest influence on her work. Frances Harris preferred medium is oil to paint the vast and powerful British Columbia landscape, honouring the great works by the famous Canadian Group of Seven.

Proceeds of Frances Harris's works a few years ago established a Frances Harris Endowment Fund which provides an annual university scholarship to a deserving South Okanagan 3rd year Fine Arts student through the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan (formerly known as the Penticton Community Foundation).

Last year, at age 97, she amazed us with a series of 11 new paintings of the BC landscape and although new supply is a bit slower coming, she still finds the energy to paint new scenes. Frances and her son William Watt share a grand enthusiasm for painting and they encourage each other to continually grow as artists.

Frances Harris has been represented by The Lloyd Gallery in Penticton since the mid 1980’s. Now in her late 90's and legally visually impaired, is still vivacious and a true inspiration to all artists.

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