Denver photographer Howard Harris blends design, tech and layered prints

Denver fine-art photographer Howard Harris is spotlighting a practice that mixes photography, industrial design and technology through abstract and representational work. His selected pieces use a patented layered construction that changes how images appear under different light and viewing angles.

Why it matters: - Howard Harris’s work sits at the intersection of photography, industrial design and technology, giving collectors and viewers multiple ways to experience a single image. - His patented layered format changes the visual experience of selected works without using moving parts. - The portfolio spans abstract and representational photography, which broadens its reach across contemporary art and collector markets.

What happened: - Denver-based fine-art photographer Howard Harris presented a body of work centered on light, color, motion, space and visual perception. - Harris’s portfolio includes abstract compositions, architecture, landscapes, animals and portraits. - The work includes selected dimensional pieces built with a patented layered artwork method. - Harris is based in Denver, Colorado, and his work has been represented and exhibited internationally.

The details: - Harris holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute and a Master of Industrial Design from Pratt Institute. - His additional studies include economics and computer science at the University of Missouri and sublimation color research at the Rochester Institute of Technology. - His layered construction is associated with U.S. Patent No. 9,753,295, titled “Apparatus and Method of Manufacture for a Layered Artwork,” awarded in 2017. - Selected works use a dye-sublimation photographic print on an aluminum base with a single acrylic layer suspended above it by standoffs. - Some overlays include a subtle grid or related visual treatment. - The spacing between the two surfaces creates a separate visual plane that changes with lighting and viewing position. - The artwork itself does not move. - The patented construction applies only to selected works, not the full portfolio. - Other formats include aluminum prints without the overlay and framed Giclée prints. - Harris’s Giclée prints use archival, acid-free paper mounted on board, a solid wood frame, clear acrylic protection, a kraft-paper dust cover and a hanging wire. - His abstract collection includes Columbine Dance, Forest Wave, Midcentury Modern, Mind Storm, Cosmic Inflation, Sunflower and Skylight.

Between the lines: - Harris’s practice reflects a Techspressionist approach, where technology is used to express ideas, emotions and visual concepts. - The layered works emphasize presentation as much as subject matter, since materials and structure affect how the image is perceived. - The format differences matter for collectors, because the same artist can offer multiple physical interpretations of photography across the portfolio. - International gallery representation in New York, London, Lisbon, Paris and Florence suggests broader market visibility beyond Denver.

What's next: - Harris is continuing to develop photography that connects design, materials and technology across different print formats. - Collectors and researchers evaluating his work will need to consider subject, construction and presentation for each individual piece. - More information is available on Howard Harris Photography and his social media page.

The bottom line: - Harris is positioning photography as both image and object, with selective use of a patented layered process to make the viewing experience part of the artwork.