Bringing his aesthetic and experimental eye to his design projects, Brian employs unexpected materials - glass, stone, leather, fur, fabric - to complement his metal structural foundations. These measured juxtapositions play out in spaces textured by weight and weightlessness, opacity and luminosity.
Background
Artist and carpenter, Brian Harrison spent much of his childhood in Colorado before moving with his family to the Southwest. In 1991, he returned to his home state, settling in Longmont where he still lives with his wife and two daughters.
Style and Influences
- Integrating his local surroundings into his distinctive designs, Brian often works with materials and shapes that reflect the natural resources and cultural history of Colorado.
- For previous artworks and functional objects, he has incorporated Art Deco steel work from Denver's Union Station, mid-century stadium bleachers from the University of Colorado's Folsom Field, and cast-off lamp posts from Boulder's Leanin' Tree Museum of Western Art.
- Brian has reconstituted scrap metal from antique farming and mining equipment, working its surface into distinct finishes while exploring unique metallic properties like the tonal range of rust and the reflectivity of polished aluminum.
- He has created large-scale outdoor sculptures ranging from abstracted figures and animals to understated modernist forms. These works are unified by Brian's crafted ability to transform everyday materials into surprising and sophisticated artworks.
Commissioned Work
In 2005, Brian was commissioned to produce decorative furniture and fixtures for Slim 7 Bar located in Denver's hip Larimer Square in LoDo. The furniture is minimalist, benches and low tables with specially designed features to accommodate Slim 7's signature bottle service. He has since been commissioned to work on two new bar and lounges in the Larimer Square area, set to open summer 2007.
About the Artist
- Brian works both on-site and in his home studio/workshop located in Longmont.
- He is a self-taught artisan that also operates his own fence building company, Harrison Fence.
- Although his sculptural works have been installed primarily in private residences and businesses, he also entertains municipal art and design commissions.
Brian brings his enthusiasm and eleven years of experience to all his endeavors. It is his aesthetic goal and personal desire to construct innovative contemporary objects that resonate with the past.
- Bio by Catherine Taft
Writings by Catherine Taft: Artforum Articles, Hammer, Saatchi Gallery
