about

Seth Harris was born in 1983 in Annapolis Maryland. In 2005 he received a bachelor’s degree in Naval Architecture from New York Maritime and began working mostly on oil tankers. He eventually gained the license of Chief Engineer while he also developed his skills as an illustrator and painter. In 2010 he stopped shipping and came to work on land full time. That year he co-authored and illustrated the children’s picture book Wings of Glory. His latest book, “Jurassic Brunch”, is available in paperback and digital versions. The Mermaids of North America is a series of watercolor paintings that have shown at several art houses and galleries in New York City. He has won several awards for his most recent oil paintings of dancers. He is an exhibiting artist member at the The National Art League and is the Chairman of the Admissions Committee at the Salmagundi Club, where he is also an artist member. He co-organizes the award winning Findyhoppers, a swing dance performance group. His artwork and woodwork has been the focus of several viral reels on instagram where he is known as @brooklynseth.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

I have had a lifelong fascination with science, mathematics, and engineering. It’s how I view the world and it’s what informs my art. On the surface, that doesn’t make sense as the products of these concepts tend to be the opposite of aesthetically pleasing. I feel that bringing beauty into the world is important. There is a reason that people are passionate about historic buildings and classical art. Artists were able to create beautiful things through observation and a careful control of proportion. I think we can take this even further today. When I see something that I like, I try to understand what makes it so satisfying. My artwork is a series of experiments that test my theories of beauty. 

Where I differ from many artists of the past, is that I am not trying to show idealized conventional beauty. I believe it’s important to tell a human story that is relatable. I accomplish this by regularly portraying friends and relatives who I know well enough to highlight their strengths and vulnerabilities. The process of painting feels like a conversation. I find that I often prefer to paint people who are kind. They are the most beautiful people and welcome presence in my studio. 

For many years, I avoided oil painting because I’m red/green colorblind. At that time, I worked with charcoal or watercolors because I could have some level of assurance in what color was going where. With oils, the opacity of the paint would cover over the pigment already on the canvas and I could never be certain how it would look to a non-colorblind person. Then in 2005, I developed a technique that would only use half of the color spectrum. Essentially, I limited my palette to black, white, yellow, red and most people didn’t notice. My oil paintings have no green, blue, or purple and most viewers do not notice their absence. In fact, it helps give my paintings a dreamlike quality.

I draw on techniques that have centuries of practice but with a strong focus on thorough preparation. I tend to spend weeks or even months composing a piece before I start painting or drawing. I will take thousands of photographs, create elaborate drawings and mock-ups, and then meticulously revise everything. This preparation is what gives me confidence in my work.

My focus on engineering, math, and science guides my practice structurally but I believe that the best art speaks to the moments of beauty in the human experience. My goal is to show these moments in a way that is relatable and timeless.