R. Patrick Harris

The recent series of paintings consist of abstracted images of clocks, roller coasters and mountains hung behind a distorted Greek flag pattern, which ties the series together and allows you to break down each individual image into abstracted parts. The images behind the Greek flag template can seem photographic or hyper realistic, bending into a surreal description of everyday subjects. His brush marks are practically undetectable, yet these large scale paintings set up interesting juxtapositions of color, form and gesture, while simultaneously asking questions of content, concept and idea. Harris is a painter who has the unwavering conviction to see his ideas through, even when the hours turn into months, and months turn into years of labor. Harris explains, "Art happens when your interior landscape melds with the outer world."

Harris is a veteran Santa Fe based painter and educator, originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He has exhibited widely in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. In 2000, Harris received the prestigious Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant for his efforts.