Jump to content

Mark Yale Harris: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
COI
m →‎Discovering stonework: Fixing a run on sentence
Line 21: Line 21:
===Discovering stonework===
===Discovering stonework===


While Harris sold his main business in 1996, he continued with business projects while becoming more deeply involved with learning to carve stone, a passion he discovered after taking an alabaster carving class in Austin.
While Harris sold his main business in 1996, he continued with business projects while becoming more deeply involved with learning to carve stone. This was a passion he discovered after taking an alabaster carving class in Austin.


===Native-American mentors===
===Native-American mentors===

Revision as of 04:52, 17 March 2020

Mark Yale Harris
Mark Yale Harris

Mark Yale Harris (born 1936) is an American sculptor working in stone and bronze. He lives and works in the Roaring Fork Valley region of Colorado.[1] Beginning his professional life in the business sector, in 1972 Harris co-founded and was Executive Vice President of Red Roof Inns.[2] In 1991, he founded AmeriSuites Hotels and was CEO. Harris sold his business interests in the ‘90s and embarked on a career as a sculptor.[3][4] His mentors were Native American sculptors Bill Prokopiof (Aleut) and Doug Hyde (Nez Perce).[1]

Early life and education

Mark Yale Harris was born in Buffalo, New York in 1936. When young, he showed artistic aptitude and envisioned being an artist as an adult. Awards and proffered scholarships validated his early talents. He ended up following the advice and guidance of his parents, who, having lived through the Great Depression, advocated a less risky, conventional career. He supported himself as he attended the business program at Ohio State University, earning a B.S.S. in 1961.

Professional work in business sector

After graduation, he began 30+ years in the field of hospitality/urban development. In 1972, he partnered with Jim Trueman, also an alumnus of Ohio State University, and they co-founded the Red Roof Inn chain in Columbus, Ohio.[2] An economy hotel chain, it was founded with the intention to provide a guest with a clean, comfortable room at an affordable price. The company grew to open over 300 properties primarily in the Midwest, South, and Eastern United States.

In 1991, Harris founded Amerisuites Hotels.[5] The AmeriSuites concept was innovative; it was one of the first ventures to offer affordable suite accommodations. Within a short time, the company opened approximately 100 locations throughout the United States. In the late ‘90s, he sold his Amerisuites business interests to Blackstone.[6]

Based in Austin, Texas at the time, Harris chaired the Urban Land Institute, Austin District council 1998-2000, which led to his Chairmanship of the 2nd Annual Smart Growth Conference, also in Austin, in 1999.[7] [8]

Artistic life

Discovering stonework

While Harris sold his main business in 1996, he continued with business projects while becoming more deeply involved with learning to carve stone. This was a passion he discovered after taking an alabaster carving class in Austin.

Native-American mentors

Harris then sought out a mentor in Aleut sculptor Bill Prokopiof, whose work he had long admired and collected. The artist invited Harris to work alongside him in his studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Nez Perce sculptor Doug Hyde also took him under his wing. Both sculptors had been among the protégés of Native American sculptor Allan Houser (Chiricahua Apache, 1915-1994). Houser was known for his willingness to share his knowledge and Prokopiof and Hyde followed his lead, taking Harris under their wings to teach him their craft.[2] Harris began spending considerable time in his studio in Santa Fe.

Education

While beginning to find a measure of recognition for his work, Harris continued to challenge himself and expand his creative development. Several intensive workshops, including studies with Terry Allen, Jo Harvey, James Surls, Lincoln Fox and John Forno at the Anderson Ranch Arts Institute[9] and the Marble/marble Institute of Colorado,[10] contributed to his process and skill.

Stone work

He began to create an evolving body of work in alabaster, marble, and limestone. Regarding his work, Harris has said: “The motivation for me is to try and interpret an emotion, be it human or animal, within my media. In my case, attempting to blend form, figure, emotion and gesture often result in a figurative abstraction.” Of his intentions, he imparts: “Life has a hard, aggressive side, as does much of my work, represented by rigid, angular lines. However, the soft side is also apparent, visible as curves and soft forms. My evolving body of work evokes this duality.”[11] His choice of stone – alabaster, marble, limestone - and combinations of stones, as well as stone with bronze detail, is an aesthetic and process-oriented decision.

Monumental bronze work

In 2006, the artist challenged himself to enlarge a tabletop-sized maquette into monumental proportions. He realized that some pieces speak best on an intimate scale, while others require a monumental voice.[12] Thus began his foray into very large works that lent themselves more to bronze. He continues to work in both stone and bronze.[13]

Animal sculptures

Though known for his figurative works, Harris also has a significant body of work comprising animal sculptures.[14] The psychological overtones of his figurative works give way to moments in time and the whimsy of nature. Harris captures the lumbering bear’s walk, the graceful leap of fish from the water, the lazy heaviness of cattle.[3]

Selected exhibitions

Harris' sculpture is represented by over twenty galleries in the US and UK. He has also been in numerous solo, museum and international exhibitions, including the Royal Academy of London, Marin MOCA, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, the Royal Scottish Academy, National Sculpture Society, Millicent Rodgers Museum, The Wildlife Experience Museum, Peace Arch Park International, Museum of the Southwest, Palm Springs Art Museum, and the Austin Museum of Art.

Collections

Current works can be found in many permanent public collections, including:

State of New Mexico - Western New Mexico University - Silver City, New Mexico; Hilton Hotels[15]; Permanent Collection: Brooklyn Art Library - Brooklyn, New York; State of New Mexico - Ruidoso, New Mexico[16]; the Open Air Museum - Ube, Japan[17] [18]; Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art - Biloxi, Mississippi; The Village Green Sculpture Park - Cashiers, North Carolina; The City of Roanoke - Roanoke, Virginia [19]; Four Seasons Hotel - Chicago, Illinois [17]; La Posada Hotel and Resort, Santa Fe, New Mexico[20]; Booth Western Art Museum - Cartersville, Georgia[17] [21]; Herman Memorial Hospital - Houston, Texas[22][13]; Thompson Crossing Sculpture Park - Fort Collins, Colorado[19]; Hester Capital Management - Austin, Texas[20]; Resort Condominiums International - Mexico City, Mexico; Sage Land Company - Austin, Texas; American Apartment Communities - San Francisco, California Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody - Austin, Texas[23]; Ressig Designs - Houston, Texas; ART Collections - West Hills, California; Group Plans Inc. - Phoenix, Arizona.

Recognition

2015 Selected for the Columbus Museum of Art’s Decorator Show House - Columbus, Ohio; 2013 Honorable Mention, Juror Peter Selz, internationally renowned art critic - Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas National - Nacogdoches, Texas; 2009 Significant Sigma Chi nomination - National; 2009 Second Place, Sculpture - Museum of the Southwest, Group Exhibition - Midland, Texas;2007 Best of Show: Second Place, 3D Mixed Media Division - Museum of the Southwest, Spring Juried Art Exhibition - Midland, Texas; 2007 Honorable Mention - Beaumont Art League, BAL National Competition - Beaumont, Texas; 2002 Roswell Museum, Sculpture - sponsor, Roswell Chamber of Commerce - Roswell, New Mexico;1996 First Place, Elisabeth Ney Museum Sculpture Show - Austin, Texas

Member organizations

International Sculpture Center; Carbondale Public Arts Commission (Colorado), former Chair; New Mexico Sculptors Guild, former Vice-Chair; National Sculpture Society Texas Society of Sculptors; Texas Fine Arts Association; Friends of Contemporary Art Santa Fe; Austin Visual Artist’s Association; and Society of Animal Artists

Further reading

1. “Constructing A Sculptor," Artists On Art, 2017

2. “National Hotelier Pivots to Life as a Successful Sculptor,” http://healthyaging.net/?s=Mark+Yale+Harris, 2017

3. O’Hern, John, “Advocacy for the Arts,” American Art Collector, June 2016

4. “The Shape of Things,” Southwest Art, July 2003, http://markyaleharris.com/interview-sculptor-mark-yale-harris/

5. "Mark Yale Harris,” Wildlife Art, September/October 2004

6. "Mark Yale Harris," Aji Magazine, Issue 9, Nov 2018

7. Magazine 43. Mark Harris. Magazine43.com, Issue 3: Spring 2018. www.blurb.com/b/8635430-magazine43-issue-3-spring-2018

8. Kracun, Danijela and Charles McFadden. Contemporary Sculptors: 84 International Artists. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2012

9. Townsend, Jen & Renée Zettle-Sterling. Cast: Art and Objects Made Using Humanity’s Most Transformational Process. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2017

10. Peacearchpark (2010, Jan. 23). 12th Annual Exhibition Peace Arch Park International Sculpture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPbOSfYnie8

11. Samfurgason (2012, May 4). Mark Yale Harris, Booth Western Art Museum lecture 2008 - with speaker James Burns. 21st Century Regionalists - Art of the New West, exhibition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwRP53Q0uwE

12. Douglas Jackson (2008, October 21). On-AIR Interview with Mark Yale Harris. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU8ngdQfdiM

References

  1. ^ a b Johnson, Michelle. "In His Element: Sculptor Mark Yale Harris". coloradohomesmag.com. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "A Risky Change: Spotlight on Mark Yale Harris". fineartconnoisseur.com. Fine Art Connoisseur. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  3. ^ a b Herchenroeder, Karl. Businessman turned artist brings emotion to form.https://www.aspentimes.com/entertainment/activities-events/businessman-turned-artist-brings-emotion-to-form/ The Aspen Times
  4. ^ Campbell, Virginia (July 2005). "Second Bloom". Southwest Art. Vol. 35, No. 2. {{cite journal}}: |volume= has extra text (help)
  5. ^ "My Second Act: The Journey from Hotel Entrepreneur to Artist". Businessnewsdaily.com. Business News Daily. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  6. ^ Who Owns Vegas. "Global Hyatt Corporation". Whoownsvegas.com. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Urban Land Institute". autin.uli.com. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  8. ^ "About Us/Our History". smartgrowthamerica.org. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  9. ^ http://andersonranchalumni.org/2000s/
  10. ^ http://www.marbleinst.org/
  11. ^ Love, Stephanie. "Must-Know Artists". Santa Fean Magazine. Bruce Adams. Retrieved November 26, 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  12. ^ "Sculptor Mark Yale Harris Info - Sculpture.org - Sculpture.org". www.sculpture.org. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  13. ^ a b Art Daily. "Sculptor Mark Yale Harris celebrates his 80th year with solo-exhibitions across the country". artdaily.com. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  14. ^ Burns, James (January 2008). "21st Century Regionalists". Western Art Collector. AAC Issue 5: 76.
  15. ^ "Local artists represented in the Hilton art collection". dispatch.com. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  16. ^ Art Speak. "Bearable" (PDF). nmarts.org. Art Speak, a division of the NM Department of Cultural Affairs, Spring 2008. p. 5. Retrieved 6 November 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  17. ^ a b c . Official Publication of the State Bar of New Mexico, September 20, 2017. "About Cover Image and Artist" (PDF). nmbar.org. State Bar of New Mexico. Retrieved 6 November 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "Nature Lover". foliateoak.com. Foliate Oak Literary Magazine. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  19. ^ a b Art Daily. "Monumental Sculptor: Mark Yale Harris Honored by the City of Roanoke, Virginia". artdaily.com. Art Daily. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  20. ^ a b Schaefer, Jill (2004). The Sourcebook of Architectural & Interior Art, Volume 19. Guild, LLC. ISBN 9781880140543.
  21. ^ The Booth Museum. "Artist List". The Booth Museum. Retrieved 6 November 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  22. ^ Sculptor Mark Yale Harris celebrates his 80th year with solo-exhibitions across the country. National Museum of Wildlife. "Western Visions Catalog 2014 Mark Yale Harris". issuu.com.
  23. ^ Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody. "Success Stories: The Renaissance Man". books.google.com. Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mark_Yale_Harris&oldid=945958315"