The Visual Arts Society of Texas welcomes Harlan W. Butt as our guest artist on March 6th, from 6:45 – 9:00 pm, at the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center in Denton, TX. Harlan is an artist with over 40 years of experience working in metal and enamel who specializes in making vessels inspired by the human relationship to wilderness and the natural environment.
Harlan will discuss the historical connection between artists and our National Parks. Harlan says, “The historical connection between artists and our National Parks has existed since their inception. In fact, artists were fundamental in the establishment of many of the parks including the first National Park, Yellowstone, in 1872. For the past fifteen years, I have been traveling to various National Parks and collecting imagery and data, which I then use to create vessels in metal and enamel that reflect my observations of the geography, flora, fauna and essence of those locations.” He will also discuss the Artist-in-Residence programs at the National Parks and what they offer for creative people.
Harlan was a Regents Professor of Art at the University of North Texas where he taught from 1976 to 2017. He is past President of the Enamelist Society, past President of the Society of North American Goldsmiths and a Fellow of the American Crafts Council.
His work has been exhibited internationally and is represented in the permanent collections of the Enamel Arts Foundation in Los Angeles, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute, the Museum of Art & Design in New York City , the Mint Museum of Art & Craft in Charlotte, NC, the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Denali National Park Visitor Center in Alaska, the National Gallery of Australia, the Cloisonné Enamelware Fureai Museum in Ama City, Japan and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Harlan lives with his wife Robin in Denton, Texas. He also maintains a studio in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, where he spends the summer months.
To find out more about Harlan’s art see: https://harlanwbutt.com/home.html
Harlan’s presentation is sponsored by the Visual Arts Society of Texas (VAST), and is free for VAST members, and $5 for guests. For more about VAST, see the website VastArts.org
