Robert George Harris

Robert George Harris, nationally known American Illustrator and Portrait Painter passed away peacefully on December 23, 2007. He was born Sept. 9, 1911 in Kansas City, Mo. While still attending high school, he was preparing for a career in Art by attending night and summer school at the Kansas City Art Institute - studying illustration under the noted Monte Crews. He also studied at the Grand Central Art School in N.Y. under illustrator Harvey Dunn and at the Art Students League under George Bridgeman, anatomist, He set up his own art studio in New Rochelle, N.Y. in 1933. Artistic success soon followed with his colorful paintings of western story covers for the Pulp magazines flourishing at the time. In 1935, he married Marjorie Elenora King, also a student at the Kansas City Art Institute. With her help and encouragement, painting story illustrations for the leading women's magazines began in 1939 and continued for the next thirty years. His art was seen on a regular basis in the Saturday Evening Post, McCalls, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Cosmopolitan and Ladies Home Journal. These were interspersed with illustrations for national advertising accounts -- Coco Cola, Cannon Sheets, etc. In 1953, he moved his family to Scottsdale, Az. and continued in the field of illustration until 1961. At that time he was also painting Portraits. He was honored in 1962 with a one-man show of Portraits at the Phoenix Art Museum. In 1970, a new home and studio was built in Carefree, AZ, where he continued in Portraiture. until he retired in 1989. His oil portraits hang in the Department of Justice,Washington, D.C. and in many private collections in the U.S. Bob is a life member of the Society of Illustrators, NYC. He is listed in Who's Who in American Art; Who's Who in the West; Who's Who in Arizona; Illustrator in America 1880 to 1980; Illustrator in America 1900-1960. His hobbies were flying, trail rides, classic cars. His is survived and well beloved by his children, (son) Craig and Susie Harris, and (daughter) Marcia and Terry Sewell, 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley. No services are scheduled at this time.