Mark Yale Harris

Beginning his professional life in the business sector, in 1972 Harris co-founded and was executive vice president of Red Roof Inns.

In 1972, he partnered with Jim Trueman, also an OSU alumnus, to co-found Red Roof Inn[1] in Columbus, Ohio.

Harris then sought out a mentor in Aleut sculptor Bill Prokopiof, whose work he had long admired and collected.

[1] While beginning to find a measure of recognition for his work, Harris continued to challenge himself and expand his creative development.

Several intensive workshops contributed to his process and skill, including studies with singer-songwriter and multidisciplinary artist Terry Allen, Jo Harvey Allen, James Surls, Lincoln Fox and John Forno at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center and the Marble Institute of Colorado.

[12] Recent instruction at CREATE Center for the Arts introduced Harris to the use of the virtual reality program Oculus as an adjunct to his existing practice of drawing preliminary sketches before working directly with the stone.

Harris captures the lumbering bear’s walk, the graceful leap of fish from the water, the lazy heaviness of cattle.