Peter Harris, painter and art teacher, graduated from the West of England College of Art with a National Diploma in Design and Art Teacher's Diploma and began his career at Swindon College of Art in 1947. His work has been shown in both joint and solo exhibitions in Britain, Malaysia and Singapore.
He came to Malaya in 1951 to take up the post of Supervisor of Art for Schools, a position which enabled him, for the following nine years, to contribute his expertise, encouragement and enthusiasm throughout the Malaysian school system. Then, from 1962 to 1966, he served as Art Supervisor of
Sabah
and as a lecturer in Gaya College, Kota Kinabalu.
Peter Harris made perhaps his most enduring contribution to the future of Malaysian art and artists when he formed the Wednesday Art Group in 1952 "...to provide members with the opportunity to draw, paint, express and relax into art..."
To promising young artists of the time, this was a unique opportunity for both technical and inspirational development and members of the Group have gone on to become prominent figures in Malaysia.
For his outstanding contribution to art in Malaysia through both teaching and example, Peter Harris was honoured with a retrospective exhibition at the National Art Gallery in 1963, and awarded the M.B.E.
