Sydney Harry
Pioneering colour theorist and artist, Sydney Harry, lectured at Bradford College of Art.
Sydney was born in Leeds in 1912 and studied
fine art, photography and woven textile design
at the College of Art there, before opening a
design and colour services studio. He then came
to Bradford College of Art as a Senior Lecturer
teaching Woven Textile Design, Colour and
Photography.
In the early 1960s as his professional practice of
art and textiles progressed he developed theories
about colour which he tested by experimenting
with weaving and gouache media. His reputation
spread and he was invited by WD Wright,
Professor of Applied Optics at Imperial College,
London to join The Colour Group of Great Britain
in 1968.
Sydney rarely exhibited as his interest was
theoretical rather than commercial but he was in
great demand as a speaker.
Over a 15 year period from 1969 he lectured at
Goldsmiths College, London, Royal College of
Art, Leicester College of Art, Leicester Polytechnic,
Bath Academy of Art, Barry Summer Schools,
Nottingham College of Art, St. Martin’s School of
Art, Portsmouth College of Art, Maidstone College
of Art, University College, Cardiff, Leeds University,
Canterbury College of Art, Hornsey College of Art,
West Surrey College of Art, Central School of Art,
ICI Paints Division, Manchester, Embroiderers
Guild, Design Council Colour Conferences
(Carpets), University of Stockholm, Design
Council (Architects & Designers), International
Wallpaper Manufacturers’ Association, British
Colour Education Institute, London (British Colour
Council) and Byam Shaw School of Drawing and
Painting, London.
Failing health slowed him down in 1984, though
he kept working until his death in 1991.
The Society of Dyers and Colourists gave the
first major exhibition of Sydney’s paintings from
1920s to the 1980s at their Bradford Colour
Experience in October 2006. When the SDC
opened their new Perkin Suite (to celebrate the achievements of Sir William Henry Perkin, the man
who discovered the first synthetic dye) at their
Bradford HQ in January 2008, Sydney’s daughter,
Brigid delivered one of his original lectures, The
Magic of Colour complete with his props and
original materials.
Photograph courtesy of the Society of Dyers and Colourists.