Jeffrey Harris - Artist

Jeffrey Harris, born 1932 Leeds, United Kingdom is a British/Australian artist. He studied at Leeds College of Art. In the 1950s and 60s he lived and worked in St Ives Cornwall and was part of the West Penwith as a younger member of the ‘middle generation’ of British abstract painters based in St Ives. Since 1972 Jeff has lived and worked in Adelaide, Australia.

Early life

Jeff was born in Chapel Allerton - his father was a tailor and his mother was a machinist. He studied Fine Art at the Leeds College of Art majoring in painting, printmaking and drawing. Victor Pasmore, a lecturer at Leeds College of Art, was a key early influence. Jeff was awarded a Leeds College of Art Travelling Scholarship in 1953 to study in Paris. In 1954 he undertook a Bachelor of Education.

St Ives, Cornwall and Australia

While living and working in St Ives, Cornwall Jeff met and later married the Tasmanian born painter Gwen Leitch. They shared an Arts Council Porthmeor Studio for fifteen years and were active members of the Penwith Society of Artists and regular exhibitors at the Penwith and other UK galleries.

Jeff emigrated to Australia in 1970 with Gwen and their four children. He taught at the Tasmanian School of Art for two years and then the South Australian School of Art. He paints each day in his home studio and exhibits in solo and group shows in Adelaide, Sydney and in the UK.

Jeffrey Harris - CV

1932   Born Leeds, Yorkshire, UK

1948-52 Bachelor Fine Arts (Painting and Printmaking) Leeds College of Art, UK

1953       Travelling scholarship: 12 months painting and study in Paris

1954        Bachelor Education, Leeds University

1955        Moved to St Ives, Cornwall. Shared No 7 Porthmeor Arts Council Studio, which was awarded to Gwen Leitch in 1956.

1956        First work exhibited with Penwith Society of Arts, Cornwall and regularly exhibited until 1970.

1956-70 Member of the Penwith Society of Arts Gallery curatorial and exhibition committee.

1967 Studied icon painting at Russian Orthodox Monastery St Elias, Devon, UK

1966        Lecturer Falmouth School of Art, Cornwall p/t position that supported arts practice.

1970         Emigrated to Australia with artist & partner Gwen Leitch Harris and 4 children

1970-72    Lecturer, Tasmanian School of Art

1973-90    Moved to Adelaide. Lecturer, South Australian School of Art

1980         Study Leave in UK with six-month studio residence in Oxford.

2014         Performed narration of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood, for composer and musician Derek Pascoe. Concert at Elder Hall,

University of Adelaide, Recorded and released on Fine Poets CD.

1973- now Continuous arts practice studio based in Adelaide, South Australia.

Exhibitions (selected group shows)

2020 - 22        Belgrave Gallery St Ives 2020 Summer Show, Cornwall, UK

2020                Arts Council Collection National Partners Programme Digital Project: Art Crush

2020               The Gathering Place SALA outdoor ceramic sculpture installation Eastwood Community Centre

2018                London Art Fair: Katherine House Gallery, work included in exhibition stand

2003, 4, 5       Heysen Prize for Landscape

2002               Fleurieu Peninsula Biennale

                        Kedumba Drawing Award Exhibition

2000               Kedumba Drawing Award

1998                Fleurieu Peninsula Biennale

1999                Prouds Art Gallery, Sydney

1998-99           Kensington Gallery, Adelaide

1997                Blake Prize Exhibition

1997                Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney

1985                Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney

1984                Sydenham Gallery, Adelaide

1983                Sir Samuel Way Law Courts Building, Adelaide

1982                Montrichard Gallery, Adelaide

1979                Australian Print Gallery, Melbourne

1966                Structure ’66, Arts Council UK

1966                Axiom Gallery, London,

1965                Falmouth School of Art Gallery

1962-63           City Art Gallery, Plymouth

1962                Eight painters, Three Potters Penwith Gallery with Bernard Leach, Hamada and Janet Leach

1962                Five Young British Artists Rowan Gallery, London

1962                Selected Artists 1957-1962, Arts Council Gallery London

1960                Painters in Cornwall City Art Gallery, Plymouth

1960s              Newlyn Gallery, Cornwall: regular exhibitor in group exhibitions

1957-70           Penwith Gallery, St Ives, Cornwall: regular exhibitor in group members shows

Solo Exhibitions (selected)

2012               My Father’s Table, Light Square Gallery, Adelaide

2006              On a Summer’s Day, Adelaide Central Gallery

2000              Testament St Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide

1997               Works on Paper Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney

1990               New Painting -Jeff Harris  Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney

1990               Portraits of Places Greenhill Gallery, Adelaide

1994                Kensington Gallery, Adelaide

1986               Montrichard Gallery Adelaide Festival of Arts exhibition

1981                Montrichard Gallery, Adelaide

1976               Gallery de Graphic, Adelaide

1971                Lombard Street Gallery, Adelaide

1971                Lidums Gallery, Adelaide

1970               New Arts Centre, Hobart

1965               Mowan Gallery, Manchester

1963               Rowan Gallery, London

1962               Peterloo Gallery, Manchester

Awards and Acquisitions

2012                ArtsSA Project Grant for ‘My Father’s Table’ exhibition

2003               Drawing Prize, Hysen Prize for Landscape

2002               The Mandorla Art Award, WA

2002               Kedumba Drawing Prize, acquisition for collection

1997                People’s Choice Award, Blake Prize

1989                Whyalla City Art Prize: painting

1988                Burnside Bicentennial Art Prize

1980                Residency Oxford Print Union, Oxford University

1965                British Council Acquisition Award

1953                Leeds College of Art 12 month Travelling Scholarship, Paris

Collections

Artbank, Australia

Allen & Allen Hemsley, Sydney

Arts Council of Great Britain

Cornwall County Council, UK

Education Department. Preston, Lancashire, UK

Parliament House Canberra, Australia

The Kedumba Collection of Australian Drawing

Leeds Art Gallery, UK

Manchester Art Gallery UK

New Norcia Monastery, WA

Whitworth Art Collection Manchester University, UK

Private collections Australia, Italy, UK and USA.

Bibliography: books, essays, reviews, features (selected)

My Fathers Table catalogue essay, Walker Wendy, Light Square Gallery, 2012

St Ives Revisited. Peter Davies, Bakehouse Publications, 1994

St Ives 1883-1993 Portrait of an Art Colony. Whybrow, P. Art Collectors Publications, 1994

100 Years in Newlyn: Diary of a Gallery. Hardie, M. Patten Press, UK. 1995.

Sights for Sore Eyes, Giles Auty, The Australian, Review section, March 22-23, 1997

New Painting 58-61 Alan Bowness, (Tate Gallery director) catalogue essay. Arts Council of Great Britain

Britain’s Art Colony by the Sea Denis Val Baker, Denis. 1959. London: George Ronald Publishing

ABC TV This Day Tonight interview: Tasmania, ABC 891 interview Peter Goers.

ABC Radio National Arts Program interview Fiona Croall.