Kevin “mr.soul” Harp is a visual artist and mentor who has been a member of the artistic world since a very young age. Growing up in Cleveland’s Lee and Harvard community, he learned to not let anything turn him away from his purpose. After moving to Atlanta in the fall of 1996, he has made a name for himself as one of the most sought after graphic artists around. He still adheres to what his childhood taught him, that the only people stopping anyone from achieving anything they want are themselves. Now as an experienced businessman, his life speaks to perseverance, faith in oneself, and proves that the gifts you’re born with never leave you. In his case, his gifts are expanding and changing the art and graphic design world one project at a time.
As a young man, mr.soul was exposed to the familiar influences that have claimed the lives and freedoms of many urban youth. The lure of fast money gained through drug distribution, theft and other criminal activity were the obstacles, but not the intended path for him. He became affiliated and a member of Cleveland’s most elite graffiti crew, D.E.F. (Doin’ Everything Funky), which later evolved into C.S.T. (Cleveland Scribe Tribe) and was headed by the city’s proclaimed “king” Sano.
While in Atlanta as a founding member of the art collective “City Of Ink” along with Miya Bailey, Tuki Carter and several other multi-disciplinary artists, mr.soul helped to build a foundation for underserved creatives in the city. Over the past 11 years through an effective grassroots movement, community and customer support, City Of Ink has become the model and central platform for people to engage in the experience and business of art.
Today mr.soul is back in Cleveland after losing his father in October of 2016. With a strong desire to build off of the successful model that was his experience in Atlanta with City Of Ink, mr.soul has been attracting like minds who also have the same passion and drive to ensure that there’s a more diverse, unified art scene in Cleveland. mr.soul’s story is a testament to the power of a vision and putting in hard work to bring it to life. He has followed the journey mapped out for him, while adding his own style and design along the way.