Biography

 

Leon Harrison was born and raised in Washington DC. He began to show artistic talents in drawing and painting at age five after watching his mother paint pictures. At age thirteen, Harrison took a correspondence art course with the Art Instruction School in Minnesota where he excelled in art knowledge and skills. Later he was accepted in Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC. During his sophomore year at Duke, Harrison’s drawing was used and shown to upper classmen as an example of good artwork. He spent only one year at Duke and soon attended McKinley Senior High to also play sports. In 1981, before graduation from High School, Maryland Institute College of Art offered a scholarship which Harrison later declined. He enrolled and studied graphic design at Howard University. After sophomore year, Harrison joined the military and married his long time fiancé’. He made extra income by drawing portraits. After serving a military tour of duty, Harrison went back college. Although unable to remain in school he spent years pursuing his dream of finishing school. During periods of educational laps, he has worked in various capacities, as a designer and the other as a gallery artist. As a designer, he has illustrated real-estate renditions for public display, created business documents and newsletters for clients and published some of his of his own works. As a gallery artist, some artworks were shown and represented by NorthStar Art Company of Washington DC and FoxHall Gallery in Washington DC.
The works that he portrays have a religious-spiritual context that invites one “to do the right thing.” Harrison wants people to remember their spiritual roots as a way to overcome many personal and social problems.
Harrison is presently attending graduate school at Howard University studying art graphics, web, animation, and multimedia. He shares his skills and knowledge teaching art, computer graphics and desktop publishing in DC Public Schools and continues to pursue freelance opportunities.