Lela Harris

Lela Harris is a self-taught artist who lives and works in the English Lake District. Most of her time is either spent daydreaming about art or making art in her small home studio. A key component of her work is experimenting with materials, discovering new techniques and exploring different subject matters, resulting in an eclectic mix of work. Folio's edition of A Color Purple was Lela’s first professional illustration commission. This was followed by the commission of Folio's edition of Giovanni's Room (2024). Lela is also a graphic designer and the owner of Doodlelove, a company specialising in limited-edition prints and stationery.

Illustrated by Lela Harris

The Color Purple

One of the greatest works of modern fiction, Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple is presented in a beautifully crafted new Folio edition, illustrated by British artist Lela Harris.

Giovanni's Room

James Baldwin's 20th Century classic gets the Folio treatment with beautiful illustrations from artist Lela Harris.

IN THE STUDIO

The opportunity to illustrate the Folio book of Alice Walker's The Colour Purple felt like winning the lottery, says artist Lele Harris

‘I like a space I can make a mess in, and I’ve made the kitchen alcove all mine. There’s a lovely light from the big windows and I ignore the recycling bins and the washing machine behind me. My sketches are pinned to the wall in place of family photos, and I have pads of paper to hand, stacks of art books, jars of brushes, boxes of charcoal and plants cascading down onto the tiny space where I draw, perched on a stool – and most often in my slippers. My daughter and husband are really understanding and give me space to draw when I’m busy. It’s chaos but it works.

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Lela Harris