HARRISON, Peter William, MSIAD.*

Peter Harrison was born in Bristol on the 16th November 1935. His father Celic Harrison was an artist at the studio of Mardon, Son and Hall. His grandfather, W. Harrison was also a fine illustrator and at the turn of the century toured the country as an artist to illustrate a Wild West Show whose stars included Buffalo Bill and Sitting Bull, he of the battle of Little Bighorn fame. All his life Peter proudly kept some of the souvenirs that his grandfather brought back from that trip. Peter also carried on the family tradition. He began his art studies at the West of England College of Art, winning a prize in the Academic year of 1951/2. In 1953 he became apprenticed to the Savage artist R. B. Hooper-Jones at the studio of E. S. and A. Robinson. Then came national service, he was called up and joined the Gloster Regiment becoming a member of the intelligence section. He was sent to Kenya at the time of the Mau-Mau uprising and in order to do his job he learned to speak the local language. On leaving the army he returned to the Robinson studio until 1968 when he moved to the studio of Ford’s Advertising. In 1972 he was elected an artist member of the Bristol Savages and exhibited in the Annual Exhibition until 1988. He was an accomplished illustrator and in 1976 went freelance. His reputation soon grew and he was never short of work. At about this time he had a one man exhibition of his paintings at the Clare Street Gallery of Frost and Reed. He was also a part time lecturer, teaching illustration and figure drawing at the Brunel Technical College, Ashley Down. He was one of the characters of the Savages, everyone who knew him will tell you their own stories about him. Always an enthusiastic Savage, he was elected President on three occasions, in 1977, 1984 and in 1986. Peter’s other great passion was jazz , this began in his student days and continued for the rest of his life. He was a talented musician and played the clarinet with his band, “The Severn Jazzmen”, with many of the country`s leading jazz musicians. On one occasion he sketched Duke Ellington who signed the sketch for him. He played with his band at the Savages on many Wednesday evenings and at the Summer Soiree for many years. Peter died unexpectedly in 1988 at the age of 53. At the funeral, which was conducted by his old friend and Red Feather, Rev. Louis Ward, his band played at the side of his coffin. This was Peter’s wish as he had witnessed just such a scene at a funeral in New Orleans some years before. After his death he was sorely missed in the Studio. (R.S.B)