Robert Harrison

Site Specific Installations

Granitewood Duplex Houses

Spring 2020 gave me the opportunity to create additions to our Granitewood property just west of Helena, Montana. I had been thinking about a power-coated steel piece, based on others I had made in Denmark, Barcelona and for private collectors here in Helena. Duplex Houses continues my exploration of site-specific architecturally based work. The concept for this piece was to juxtapose and stack small and large iconic house forms. After selecting the appropriate site at Granitewood, I decided on human scale and bright colors. Duplex Houses is installed and await additions of material (brick, stone, porcelain) to fill its interior space. Inquiries about commissioning works of this type are welcome with prices upon request.

  • Spring 2020
  • 78" H x 24" x 24"

Ellensburg Gateway

Commissioned for the City of Ellensburg, Washington, the site for this project was carefully considered. the archway is meant to welcome visitors to the Ellensburg City Hall with visual images of the Ellensburg cultural and physical environment. Clay pipe produced by the Mission Clay Pipe Company anchor the piece to the site. Through a year long research process that included public engagement, visual images and descriptive text important to the Ellenburg area were collected. Gallery One / Visual Arts Center, and the Ellensburg Arts Council were instrumental in the concept of the project and raising the funds for construction. Ceramic transfer decals were produced and fired onto the porcelain tiles along with ceramic china paint for the arch. Vintage Ellensburg brick were incorporated into the design of the piece adding historical context. Wood slabs for the two benches was locally sourced.

  • 2018
  • Ellensburg, Washington
  • 32' L x 10' H

Lime Kiln Houses

After a number of short conversations, Helena collectors Jim and Cindy Utterback invited me to visit their home and property. They had expressed interest in a large-scale piece of outdoor art that would complement their home and property. We walked the property and documented a few potential sites. On the subsequent visit I presented them with some options and after careful consideration they elected to move forward with a permanent installation of my wire-mesh House structures.

  • 2017
  • Utterback Collection, Helena, Montana

Helena Bike Tower

The Helena Bike Tower honors the cycling community of Helena, Montana. The genesis of the idea came about during a conversation with Pat Doyle, a leader of the cycling community in Helena and Judy Merical of the Great Northern Town Center in downtown Helena. The form of the tower is a one-half scale version of Helena’s historic downtown Fire Tower, originally built in the late 19th C. on a prominent hill as a lookout point for fires. The historic Fire Tower has become the iconic visual symbol of downtown Helena. The Great Northern Town Center generously donated a site for the tower along with a commitment to its long-term maintenance.

  • 2016
  • Great Northern Town Center - Helena, MT

WABA Exhibition at the Nau Gaudi Art Museum

In 2015, the members of WABA (World Association of Brick Artists) were invited to exhibit at the Nau Gaudi Art Museum in Mataro, Spain. Founding members include: Ulla Viotti (Sweden), Jacques Kaufmann (France/Switzerland), Gwen Heeney (Wales, UK), Fritz Vehring (Germany) and myself (Robert Harrison (USA/Canada) with recently added member Andrew Burton (UK).

  • 2016
  • Mataro, Spain

Golner Residence

Sculptural Fence, Stack and Lanterns

Commissioned by Midge and Jerry Golner for their Helena, Montana residence. The commission started with a challenge to rework the old chain link fence in the front of the house. Utilizing materials and techniques used in a number of previous sculptural works, the sculptural fence combined with the beautiful annual plants and flowers brought artistic prominence to the residence. The sculptural stack in the rear of the property created a visual connection to the front. In the summer of 2014 the sculptural lanterns added the finishing touch to exterior of the Golner residence.

  • 2012 - 2014
  • Helena, MT

Joe Mazurek Memorial Mural

Commissioned for the Montana State Justice Building, in Helena, Montana and unveiled in July, 2014.

This memorial area commemorates former Montana Attorney General Joe Mazurek, who inspired Department of Justice employees with his deeply held belief in the value of public service.  Joe routinely ended conversations with Department of Justice employees with the phrase memorialized here: “Be happy in your work.”

  • 2014
  • Montana State Justice Building, Helena, Montana
  • 6’ Wide x 2’ High x 1” Depth

Energy Silo

Referencing the physicality of modern steel grain silos that dot the landscape in Montana and the west, this is a reinterpreted resurrection of the silo element that I used in the Architecture of Space: Montana Vernacular at the Holter Museum of Art in 2009. The wooden structure of the piece was utilized and indigenous granite was procured from Granitewood, our property west of Helena.

  • 2013
  • Granitewood, Helena, Montana
  • 12' Wide diameter at base x 20' High

NicStack

Commissioned and installed in April, 2013, this site-specific architectural sculpture uses local/regional construction materials (galvanized steel horse fencing and culvert pipe, aluminum tubing, brick) along with ceramic shards gathered from the Casper community. Installed over a 3 day work period with generous assistance from the Nicolaysen and Casper College.

Sentinal Lanterns at Cesis Castle

In July of 2013 I was invited to a brick symposium in Latvia with a group of like minded artists, including some of my WABA (World Association of Brick Artists) brick mates. Titled Meditation Light, the concept of the symposium was to incorporate some aspect of light into the brick sculptures. Arrangements had been made for us to stay in a wonderful old country house / castle in eastern Latvia, and travel to and from a Soviet era brick factory to create sculptural works from brick. The pieces we made were to be installed in the Latvian town of  Cesis, with the famous 12th Century Cesis Castle at it’s heart and the birthplace of the red and white Latvian flag. Cesis Castle is a fantastic historic ruin, with an amazing history of medieval battles and romantic tales of valor. What an amazing opportunity to make, install and exhibit sculptural brick pieces.

  • 2013
  • Cesis, Latvia
  • Each Lantern 15" Square at base x 48" High

Goldner Fence and Stack

I was challenged by M&G Golner to replace an existing nondescript fence with one that would compliment the residence. My solution was to employ my palette of familiar re-purposed materials (ABF brick, and ceramic objects and shards) and galvanized steel woven-wire fencing accented with re-claimed aluminum tubing. The flower and grass accented beds are stunning, and compliment the installed art work.

  • 2012
  • Helena, Montana
  • Stack: 3' Wide diameter at base x 8 ' High; Fence: 4' High with 12" Diameter columns

Dos Compadres Stacks

Commissioned for the Barbara and Joseph Brinig collection in Sunsites, Arizona, this pair of stacks were sited on the property to welcome visitors to the Brinig residence and ranch. Using materials indicative of western ranches (galvanized steel culvert pipe and horse fencing, edged with aluminum tubing) Dos Compadres Stacks are filled with stone and found objects gathered from the property. The stacks have enough visual space between them to suggest independence, yet are close enough together to indicate an established relationship.

  • 2012
  • Sunsites, Arizona
  • Each stack: 4' Daimeter at base x 9.5' High

Satre Echart Arch

Commissioned for the garden patio of the Satre Echart residence, this site-specific architectural installation is meant to frame the eastern edge of the patio and function as an entry/exit point for visitors. The piece is shoe-horned into an existing space between an indigenous shale stone wall and a portion of the garden.

  • 2011
  • Helena, Montana
  • 6.5' Wide x 1.5' Depth at base x 9' High

Sonderborg House

Sonderborg House was designed and built during the first World Association of Brick Artists (WABA) symposium held at Petersen TEGL (brick factory) in Broager, Denmark in 2011. Sonderborg Municipality in southern Denmark along with Petersen TEGL sponsored the symposium. This part of southern Denmark (close to the northern German border) has tremendous natural clay deposits and during it’s nineteenth century heyday had over 120 brick factories lining its fjords. Today only a few factories remain in production. Brick beaches line the edges of some of the local fjords, and hundred year old brick jewels of every color, shape and description await discovery.

  • 2011
  • Broager, Denmark
  • 3' Square at base x 4' High

Exploration Arches

Designed and built over a three year period (2007-1010), Exploration Arches are meant to intrigue and entice the viewer to enter Exploration Works: A Museum of Science and Culture in Helena, Montana. Each arch has a theme (the human body, nature and technology) that relates to educational programs run by the museum. The arches are site-specific, built on site and taper in size from the largest welcoming human body arch to the smallest technology arch just before you enter the museum.

 

Snow Catcher Arch

Snow Catcher Arch was installed at Red Deer College, in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada in 2010. The project occurred in 2 phases. The first phase was to assemble and carve 1500 wet clay brick obtained from a brick factory in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The arch was assembled in 3 parts; two tapering columns and the arch itself. Once the bricks had been stacked into the appropriate shape and size, the bricks were faceted with sharp steel palette knives. An iron oxide wash was applied to the surface and the cut and carved brick were left to set for a number of days. When the bricks were stiff enough to handle without distorting the edges, the columns and arch were disassembled for the drying period. Each brick was incised with a number as the bricks came off, and a map of the brick layers were recorded to assist in re-assembly.

  • 2010
  • Red Deer, Alberta
  • 8' Wide x 2' Deep x 9.5' High

Gimhae Arch

I was invited to Gimhae, Korea to participate in an exhibition titled Architectural Ceramics Now & New at the Gimhae ClayArch Museum in 2009. The museum is relatively new and beautifully sited on a hillside with an agricultural below in southern Korea. The dozen + artists invited included half from Korea and the other half internationals, with some who had not or did not normally work with ceramic materials. I chose to work with fired industrially produced materials; brick and densely fired, glazed ceramic electrical insulators. An ideal site was chosen on an entry/exit path of the museum.

Eucalyptical Arch

Eucalyptical Arch was installed on the campus of Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. Sited in a courtyard of eucalyptus trees and using locally produced brick that were carved, dried and fired at the ceramics department at ANU. The arch incorporates a wide variety of ceramic objects made by students and staff. Ceramics Professors Janet DeBoos and Greg Daly made generous contributions of their work to the arch project.

  • 2009
  • Canberra, Australia
  • 8' Wide x 2' Depth x 9' High

Fuping Arch

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, mortar, rebar steel, concrete, ceramic roof tile elements

  • 2008
  • FULE International Ceramic Art Museums, Fuping, China
  • 15’ High x 10' Wide x 4' Deep

Nicholson Arch

Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand altered brick; brick, stone, ceramic elements, mortar, concrete, rebar steel, powder-coated steel culvert pipe

  • 2008
  • Nicholson collection, Helena, Montana
  • 15’ Long x 9’ High x 6’ Deep

Exploration Arches

Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand altered brick, brick, stone, ceramic elements, mortar, concrete, rebar steel, powder-coated steel culvert pipe, water-jet cut ceramic tile, grout

  • 2007 - 2008
  • Exploration Works: Museum of Science and Culture, Helena, Montana
  • 11’(H)x8’(w)x2’(D)

Luna y Sola

Site-specific architectural sculpture; ceramic elements, stone, mortar, rebar steel, cement

  • 2007
  • Arta Park, Alassio, Italy
  • 10’ High x 12’ Long x 6’ Wide

Shuli Stack

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, ceramic elements, stone, steel wire mesh, galvanized steel pipe, copper tubing; stainless steel banding

  • 2007
  • Snake Kiln Sculpture Park, Shuli, Taiwan
  • 16’ High x 6’ Diameter at base

MBCI Arch

Site-specific architectural sculpture; historic cupola, brick, galvanized steel culvert pipe, mortar, concrete, rebar steel, limestone

  • 2006
  • Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • 20’ Long x 15' High x 8’ Deep

Hungarian Arch

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, ceramic elements, steel, concrete

  • 2006
  • International Ceramic Studio, Kecskemet, Hungary
  • 10’ High x 10’ Wide x 3’ Deep

Quarry Tile Gateway

Site-specific architectural sculpture; concrete, rebar steel, powder-coated steel culvert pipe, water-jet cut ceramic tile, grout

  • 2004 - 2006
  • Quarry Tile Company, Spokane, Washington
  • 16’ Long x 9’ High x 6’ Deep

Eucalyptical Stacks

Site-specific architectural sculpture; 1500 hand-altered wet clay brick and iron oxide

  • 2004
  • Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T., Australia
  • 8' Wide x 4’ Deep x 10’ High

Kentucky Stack

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, ceramic elements, galvanized steel culvert pipe, galvanized mesh fencing, aluminum tubing

  • 2004
  • University of Kentucky, Lexington
  • 10’ High x 3’ Diameter at base

Red Deer Colonnade

Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand altered brick, galvanized steel culvert pipe, concrete, powder-coated culvert pipe, ceramic tile

  • 2002 - 2003
  • Red Deer College, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
  • 50' Long x 13' High x 7' Wide

Skaelskor Stack

Site-specific architectural sculpture; Danish brick, Royal Copenhagen Porcelain shards, Danish flint stone, Viking galvanized steel mesh, fabricated galvanized steel pipe

  • 2003
  • 17'(H)x6'(Dia.) at base
  • 17' High x 6' Diameter at base

Aberystwyth Stack

Site-specific architectural sculpture; British brick, galvanized steel sheep fencing, aluminum cable tubing, galvanized steel pipe

  • 2003
  • International Ceramics Festival, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK
  • 17' High x 6' Diameter at base

Emporiarch

Site-specific architectural sculpture; indigenous Kansas stone, galvanized culvert pipe, concrete, ceramic tile

  • 2002
  • Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas
  • 9' High x 11' Wide x 4' Deep

Manhattan Stacks

Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand altered Kansas brick, galvanized steel culvert pipe, concrete

  • 2002
  • Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
  • 11' High x 15' Wide x 4' Deep

Installation of Squeezed SIUE Stack

November, 2001 with the assistance of Ceramics Professor Dan Anderson and ceramics students enrolled in the ceramics program at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

  • November 2001
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Edwardsville, IL
  • 16’ High x 7’ Wide x 5’ Deep

Squeezed SIUE Stack Installation

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, galvanized steel culvert pipe, galvanized steel fencing, aluminum tubing, stainless steel banding

  • 2001
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Edwardsville, IL
  • 16’ High x 7’ Wide x 5’ Deep

Cassiopeia and Cephius

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, concrete, galvanized steel culvert pipe, glazed ceramic tile

  • 2001
  • Jundt Art Museum, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington
  • 10’ High x 14’ Wide x 3' Deep

Odyssey Stack

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, galvanized steel culvert
pipe, galvanized steel fencing, aluminum tubing, glazed ceramic tile

  • 2001
  • Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, Montana
  • 16’ High x 6’ Diameter at base

Husbot

Site-specific architectural sculpture; 1000 hand-altered wet clay brick

  • September 2000
  • National Academy of Art and Design, Oslo, Norway
  • 6' Wide x 3' Deep x 9' High

Continuum

Site-specific architectural sculpture commission; 1600 hand-altered wet clay brick with hand-altered wet clay pipe sections.  Built in conjunction with the Northern Potters Associated Ceramic Festival.

  • September 2000
  • University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK
  • 10' Wide x 6' Deep x 10' High

Sculptural Elements for Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the Shrew’

24 sculptural elements; Styrofoam, fiberglass mesh, thin-cement with acrylic compounds, color, gold leaf

  • September 2000
  • Montana Shakespeare Company Production, Carroll Courtyard Theatre, Helena, Montana
  • size range from 2' square, to 8' Long x 1' Wide x 1' Deep to arch at 6' Wide x 2' Deep x 9' High

Bray Stacks: Narley and Pearl

Site-specific architectural sculpture; mortared brick and pipe, some dating to 1900

  • 2000
  • Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
  • 6' Wide x 3' Deep x 9' High

Chimney Stack Pair

Site-specific architectural sculpture; unfired clay brick, stabilized cast adobe (colored with oxides)

  • 2000
  • BIG MUD Project during the 34th annual NCECA conference, Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, Colorado
  • each stack 5' Long x 2.5' Wide x 8' High

Millennium Fire Spiral and Ice Arch

Site-specific architectural installation; presto-log briquettes, ice

  • 1999 - 2000
  • Millennium Celebration Event, Granitewood, Helena, Montana
  • 25' Diameter at base x 9' High

Ironbridge Archway with Chimney Stacks

Site-specific architectural sculpture; hand-altered brick and pipe products, cement; built during “Creating the Yellow Brick Road” Symposium and Conference

  • 1999 - 2000
  • Rufford Craft Centre, Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire, UK
  • 40' Long x 2' Deep x 9' High

Ironbridge Archway with Chimney Stacks

Hand built elements from 8 tons of wet brick and pipe clay products, unfired and unassembled

  • 1999
  • Creating the Yellow Brick Road Symposium, Shrewsbury College of Art and Technology Campus, Shropshire, UK

Medaltarch

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, concrete, ceramic pipe

  • 1999
  • Medalta International Artists-in-Residence Program, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
  • 22' Long x 6' Wide x 9' High

Constantin Arch

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, concrete, ceramic tile, steel

  • 1998
  • University of Dallas, Dallas, Texas
  • 10' Long x 10' Wide x 9' High

Celestial Archway

Site-specific architectural sculpture; styrofoam, fiberglass mesh, thin-cement with acrylic compounds, color, gold leaf

  • 1998
  • 1998 Outdoor Monumental Sculpture Exhibition, Redmond, Washington
  • 9' Long x 9' High x 3' Deep

Tournament Players Club Bridge

City of Scottsdale Percent-for-Art Commission site-specific design elements for the multi-lane vehicular and pedestrian TPC bridge; reinforced cast concrete, copper, ceramic tile, powder-coated steel

  • 1997
  • Scottsdale, Arizona

Queen City Gateway

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, concrete, steel, ceramic tile, redwood

  • 1997
  • City of Helena Public Art Commission, Helena, Montana
  • 25' Long x 25' Wide x 9' High

Architectonic Forms

Site-specific architectural installation, in collaboration with Bruce Anderson (Adelaide, Australia); styrofoam, thin-cement, polymer, color

  • 1996
  • Granitewood, Helena, Montana
  • 25' Diameter at base x 8' High

Zephyrus Ignis Cratera

Site-specific architectural sculpture; historic granite column sections, concrete, firebrick, steel, ceramic, indigenous slate

  • 1996
  • Taunt Collection Commission, Helena, Montana
  • 20' Diameter at base x 9' High

Earth Archway

Site-specific architectural sculpture; copper tubing, copper elements, powder-coated steel, wood, earth, plants

  • 1996
  • Bellevue Downtown Park, Bellevue, Washington
  • 9' High x 9' Wide x 3' Deep

Red River Passage

  • 1995
  • University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • 28' Long x 12' Wide x 9' High

Black Mountain Colonnade

Site-specific architectural sculpture; century old coopered redwood water pipe, brick, mortar, concrete, lava rock

  • 1994
  • Granitewood, Helena, Montana
  • 28' Long x 14' High x 7' Deep

Gibson Gateway

Site-specific architectural sculpture; brick, mortar, concrete, steel, wood, ceramic elements

  • 1993
  • Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art Commission, Great Falls, Montana
  • 50' Long x 25' Deep x 18' High

Legacy Archway

Site-specific architectural sculpture; cast stabilized adobe, stucco, ceramic elements, powder-coated steel, cast concrete

  • 1993
  • Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, Washington
  • 9' High x 9' Wide x 3' Deep

Tucsonarch

Site-specific architectural sculpture; cast stabilized adobe, stucco, powder-coated steel, ceramic shards

  • 1991
  • University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
  • 9' High x 9' Wide x 1' Deep

Shedway

Site-specific architectural sculpture; mortared Watershed brickpots

  • 1989
  • Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, North Edgecomb, Maine
  • 12' High x 6' Wide x 2' Deep each side

Columned Spiral

Site-specific architectural sculpture; glazed porcelain shards, concrete, marble

  • 1989
  • Kohler Sculpture Park and Arboretum, Kohler, Wisconsin
  • 25' Diameter at base x 9' High

Earth Spiral

Site-specific installation; earth, sod, indigenous ground-cover, trees

  • 1989
  • Sheboygan, Wisconsin
  • 35' Diameter at base x 2' Deep

Aruina

Site-specific architectural sculpture; assembled brick and tile, some material dating to 1900

  • 1988
  • Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
  • 30' Long x 12' High x 12" Deep

Potter’s Shrine

Site-specific architectural sculpture; assembled brick and tile, some material dating to 1900

  • 1985-1987
  • Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
  • 25' Diameter x 11' High

Texasx

Site-specific architectural sculpture; ram-pressed stabilized adobe, indigenous limestone

  • 1986
  • University of Texas, San Antonio, Texas
  • 20' Diameter x 4.5' High

Xisle

Site-specific architectural sculpture; wood and stone

  • 1986
  • The Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Alberta, Canada
  • 25' Diameter x 10' High

Tilex

Site-specific architectural sculpture; assembled extruded drain pipe, manufactured in the 1950’s

  • 1985
  • Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
  • 22' Wide x 22' Long x 25' High