CityView Magazine - Fayetteville, NC
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1446972
CityViewNC.com | 11 E rika Gee Harris admits that a stray star or a sparkly sequin may have littered someone's floor aer having been le accidentally behind here and there. But like Tinkerbell's pixie dust, those little shiny bits are the makings of the magic. "Anytime I go places," she said, "Everything I see – fabric scraps, thread, cording, beads – I think 'How can I put this on a card?'" Harris takes things that others may regard as remnants and turns them into handmade greeting cards. e result is her line of Gracefull Greetings and Gis, handmade cards for every occasion. Each is a unique creation, nothing less than a work of art on sturdy folded cardstock. One might be trimmed in lace; another might have a line of fine gold thread sewn through. Others include beads, ribbons, feathers, mica powders and sprays or gel paints. "e way her cards integrate the use of specialty papers, fabrics, shimmering threads and what I call notions is masterful," said Harris' cousin and fellow artist Beth Pryor. "I've been the lucky recipient of some of her greeting cards, some of which I've actually framed. As an artist myself, I admire what she does and can truly see what goes in the making of each piece." Most of Harris' cards are le blank inside, allowing the sender to pen a sentiment more original and heartfelt than those printed on store-bought, mass-produced cards. In fact, Harris was inspired, in part, by learning the history of how Valentine's Day cards became popular in the Victorian era, when sweethearts would painstakingly cra words of love for each other. "e reason I started making cards was so that we could get back to handwritten notes," she said. "We are in an age of immediate gratification and electronics. We've got to get back to personalization. I think it means something when you get something other than a store-bought card." Harris, who is 53, earned a degree in architectural engineering from North Carolina A&T. While in school, she took a part-time job that required her to wear skirts. She had never learned to sew. "But I thought, 'How hard could it be?''' she said. Love FayFIXit.com Submit and follow requests Stay updated on local informaaon and events