Robert Harrison
Robert Harrison Artist statement
I began my professional career working in ceramics over forty years ago. My initial work was through the vessel format, focusing on form and Oriental traditions in clay. After several years of exploring the vessel the work took a decidedly sculptural bent. The next few years brought an increase in scale and a focus on site, with the ideas drawing heavily on influences in architecture, land art and the introduction of additional sculptural materials.
I have been exploring architectural concepts in both the larger site-specific outdoor and museum installation realm, as well as a body of smaller scale studio works during the past three plus decades, attempting to play one body of work off the other. The studio works are more intimate, have included a variety of materials and allow for intensified exploration. In recent years I have intentionally focused my studio practice in a strictly ceramics orientation, in essence bringing my studio work full circle, and back to my ceramic roots.
Space is a primary component of my work and the consideration of interior or exterior space is elemental to the challenges of working in any scale, be it monumental projects or the intimacy of a hand held studio object. The Architecture of Space has defined itself as the focus of my artistic exploration.
Over the past decade I have had several opportunities to work with national and international brick and tile factories. The challenge I have set for myself is to explore the potential of these industrial opportunities and utilize the resources and tools they offer to further my creative pursuits in both large and small scales.
Regardless of the opportunity or application, my continued effort is to respond to the environment (site), utilize the given space and create work that resonates with a ceramic echo.