Harrison began his study of painting as a mode of communication. He developed as a realist painter first, building a foundation to best convey his thoughts and dreams. While his focus at the Rhode Island School of Design from which he graduated in 2008 was the allegorical medium of illustration, the kinds of art that have always interested him are conceptual and abstract -- less about communicating narratively and more about communicating actually. While working in Tokyo and in China, Harrison discovered a connection to calligraphy and the action of painting in one breath. He believes this visual language, imbedded with information, has a narrative action in itself and has been exploring this visual language in his own paintings in both form and color. These simplified forms of communication fostered Harrison’s investigation of semiotics and primitive forms of story telling in aboriginal and indigenous tribal artwork and in 2008 traveled to the Peruvian Amazon to conduct his research. For the past two years, Harrison has been writing and illustrating a novel on the subject of Amazonian tribal art and myths. In this work he utilizes the full potential of digital media to create interactive, informative and engaging narratives for a new generation of readers. Additionally, Harrison has been exploring the capabilities of the digital medium this past year after publishing his art magazine online, Vandal Magazine. Harrison’s work has been exhibited both in the US and abroad and can be found in numerous private collections.
