Harley Burns' Paintings Explore Trans Identity Through Performance and Religious Iconography

Harley Burns creates large-scale oil paintings addressing trans and gender nonconforming experiences in the American South. Their triptych "Buttoning Back Up" (2025) originated from a performance at Penland School of Craft, where classmates bound the artist's chest. Instructor Michael Dixon guided the process, which Burns documented through photographs before translating into paintings. The artist's Catholic upbringing and Peace Corps service in Guatemala influenced their use of religious imagery, blending Christian iconography with pagan elements in works like "The Sanctity of Transness" (2025). Burns holds a Master's in Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill and previously volunteered with the Peace Corps. Their current studio practice in Asheville, North Carolina, focuses on portraying subjects as heroic, sacred figures. Craft schools including Penland and Anderson Ranch have significantly shaped their artistic development, helping transition from a public health career to full-time painting. The artist aims to capture emotional truth and beauty while confronting viewers with the humanity of trans people during a period of political hostility.