Peter Harris’ works on paper and canvas have a very ‘80s feel.

The vibrating palette of Elizabeth Murray quickly comes to mind. But so does Frank Stella of the same era. Maybe even a little Charles Arnoldi thrown in there. But that’s just Harris’ color.

The mark is a different story. I’m going to go out on a limb here… Harris’ line is really connected to Chuck Jones. Yup, that animated billow of crayon or pastel that Harris lays down, to me, feels related to the nebula of dust left in the wake of the Roadrunner. Or the tiny poof when the Coyote finally hits the canyon floor. Or, quite possibly, the gyrations of the Tasmanian Devil.

Action painting indeed.

// Peter’s available work // 

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recent exhibition history

Be Heard. Speak Up. // organized by Fenwick & West NIAD Windows Exhibition NIAD Art Center 2020  

Good On Paper: Erin McCluskey Wheeler x NIAD // NIAD Art Center 2020

Have/Hold // organized by Julia Schwartz NIAD Art Center 2019

Ether Here Nor There: Anthony Grant x NIAD // NIAD Art Center 2019

Hailing From Parts Unknown // organized By Curtis Turner May 2019 

Forests And Clearings // organized By Wayne Smith NIAD Art Center 2019

Books, Man // organized by Mike Monteiro NIAD Art Center 2019

Redefining Contemporary Art // organized by Courtney Eldridge Depot Steamboat Springs 2019

Where They Want To Go // organized by Erin McCluskey Wheeler NIAD Art Center 2019

Talking Heads: Figuration From Northern California Ceramicists // Curated organized by Susan Alexander and NIAD Art Center Museum of Northern California Art (monca) Chico 2018

It’s Complicated // organized by Kathleen King NIAD Art Center 2018

The Genre Leaps // organized by Margaret Tedesco NIAD Art Center 2018

Can Did // organized By Julio Rodriguez NIAD Art Center 2018

Thread Heads // Berkeley Art Center 2017

Peter Harris x Eddie Braught // NIAD Art Center 2017

Affinity // organized by Tim Buckwalter Museum of Northern California Art Chico 2017

The Fourth Dimension, organized by Marja Galpin van der Loo // NIAD Art Center 2017

Spring/ Summer Exhibition // organized by Arianne Gelardin PARLOR San Francisco 2017

Shapeshifting Superheavies // organized by Jessica Snow NIAD Art Center 2017

Mayor Tom Butt Selects The Art Of NIAD// Richmond Mayor’s Suite Richmond 2017

Curious Weave // organized by Ramekon O’Arwisters NIAD Art Center 2016

Abstract Preferences // organized by Anthony Pinata NIAD Art Center 2016

Assemble: A NIAD Art Center Project With Nina Zurier // organized by Nina Zurier NIAD Art Center 2015

Ebony + Ivory // organized by Katie Johnson NIAD Art Center 2014

Mud, Honey // NIAD Art Center 2013

Championship Vinyl // NIAD Art Center 2013

A Light That Never Goes Out: Continuing Traditions In Abstraction // NIAD Art Center 2013

recent press

San Francisco Arts Quarterly: The Art Circus Comes To Town (2013, May)