Bill Harrison’s photo-realistic drawings on display at Paderewski Fine Art in Beaver Creek

BEAVER CREEK — Bill Harrison’s disclaimer reads, “Yes, these are drawings, not photographs.” Harrison has spent the past 40 years mastering the ability to create photo-realistic drawings that are so incredibly detailed and lifelike you believe you are looking at a black-and-white photograph.

Before computers and digital photography, newspapers could not print photographs; pictures had to be rendered in stipple (tiny dots) by artists in order to be reproduced in print. Harrison spent the first 20 years of his career as an illustration artist translating color photographs into stipple drawings for companies such as McDonalds and Citibank. For many years, Harrison had a hugely successful career, with artists’ representatives in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and Paris.

Transition to Fine-Art World

In the ’90s, the advent of computerized scanning and printing techniques eliminated the demand for stipple artists, and Harrison decided to transition into the fine-art world. Since then, he has tackled a variety of subject matters, from bikers to mountain lions.

“I consider everything I draw to be a portrait,” he said. “Whether it’s a human being or an animal, I want to freeze the subject in time, and bring it up close to the viewer. I want people to stop and look at the detail, at what it is that makes this creature unique.”

Support Local Journalism

Donate

Harrison’s newest work will be on view at Paderewski Fine Art from Friday to Jan. 18. The Paderewski gallery is located in Beaver Creek, on the plaza level of the Hyatt, across from the ice rink. Call 970-949-6036 or visit http://www.paderewskifineart.com for more information.