The work of Michael B. Harris places his subjects in the center of strong lines which dive headlong into soft forms, vivid swaths of color burning out in natural light and lighter washes of texture teetering on an impasto edge. These dramatic techniques represent the furor of the human experience, the renewing cycle of nature and the artist’s own ever-evolving style of painting as he slips between realism and expressionism. His use of both traditional and modern painting techniques speaks to his varied inspirations: memories of his father’s work in the timber industry; his grandfather’s scenic artwork for MGM Studios; and the folk art he enjoyed during several mission trips to Haiti. Inspired in part by Fauvism, The Ashcan School and Lucien Freud, Harris vacillates between deliberate and spontaneous techniques for putting oil on canvas, employing the brush, knife and his own fingers to create the mix of texture that each particular inch of canvas calls for.
Michael B. Harris currently resides and works in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Palm Beach, Florida.