Community memorializes artist, teacher

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Benicia artist and teacher Bill Harsh died Oct. 27 at age 59. The painter and former Arts Benicia board member touched the lives of many artists and other members of the community, some of whom shared their thoughts on his passing.

“Bill was an … instructor, supporter and general inspiration,” said Larnie Fox, director of Arts Benicia. “He is largely responsible for the high standards and success of our Adult Education program. He was one of the best painters ever to be associated with our organization and a personal friend to me and many of our AB family.”

Mayor Elizabeth Patterson called Harsh “a friend” she’d known for many years, and whom she’d miss very much.

“Many years ago at a reception at the Jefferson Mansion, he saw my 18-year-old daughter a little lost in the crowd and got her talking about literature and authors,” Patterson recalled. “Bill and she shared thoughts for a long time. Bill was a teacher, intuitive about people, and kind.

“I will miss sharing with such a lovely man.”

Benicia Unified School District Trustee and local attorney Dana Dean said she met Harsh and his wife, Marilyn Bardet, about 14 years ago. “The thing I will always remember is his background support in whatever we were doing. A typical night would be Marilyn and I sitting at the kitchen table, meeting, usually on some environmental issue that we had partnered on. Bill was always standing there, scrubbing vegetables or whatever, making tea, and listening to what was happening, helping us with our work, and celebrating with us when we had succeeded in saving the world for the day.

“There was always a high level of passion for whatever you were doing. That is what he and I had in common. He was always very supportive. In that home, it was perfectly normal to be extremely passionate about what you were doing, whatever that might be.”

Benicia’s artists remembered a colleague, supportive friend and great talent.

“He was definitely one of the ‘gang,’ a mover,” sculptor Manuel Neri said. “His presence, his work touched us all. He is still here, his work, it is still here. Thank you, Bill!”

Pam Dixon, founder of Gallery 621, related how she met art critic and writer Dewitt Cheng a couple of months ago and “aired concerns regarding William Harsh, that he was not doing well and the need to ensure and honor Harsh’s place within the arts establishment, with the possibility that the community of Benicia purchase a couple of paintings to award to Bay Area museums.

“This idea took fire with DeWitt, who ‘fleshed it out’ and sent me on to meet with Harsh’s agents, Lonnie and Kent Lee of the Vessel Gallery, Oakland. Manuel Neri accompanied me and between all of us, we put together a campaign for Harsh. Renee Jordan organized and opened the William Harsh Museum Gifting Fund account at Umpqua Bank.”

Carol Dalton, artist and owner of Benicia Frame, shared a studio with Harsh for the last 10 years.

“In a way, we worked side by side (in opposite painting rooms) and I was exposed to his process of working. He was an organized painter, and would mix all his paint ahead of time, and made sure he had a dozen canvases ready.

“When he started painting, he became totally involved, and the painting sounds reflected his intensity. He struggled mightily! He inspired me by his work ethic and tenacity. He was humble and kind, had a great sense of humor, was sincere and generous.”

Fellow Arts Benicia member Joanne Corbaley remembers Harsh as a quiet, “perfectly polite” man who was “never divisive, just helping with decisions.”

“Most of us who do art are not shy about it. ‘I’m a painter’ — or sculptor or whatever — usually comes out early in introductory conversations,” Corbaley said. “But after meeting Bill Harsh, all I knew about him was that he was a member of Arts Benicia. This was back in the day, not long after I’d joined AB and was a new member on the board of directors.

“Over time I became well aware of all that he did for Arts Benicia and the Benicia arts community, and that he devoted not months but long years to the artists of Benicia, and, of course, of how beautiful, strong and important his own art is.

“But the first thing that always enters my mind about Bill is what a kind, unassuming gentleman he always was.”

Harsh was a mentor to artist and Benicia Middle School art teacher Pat Hall, who recalled how he handed her the helm of the Arts Benicia Adult Education program.

“Even though this was a volunteer position, Bill was his usual professional self and wanted to be sure the program retained its high-level status,” she said. “He came to our organizational meetings with notes and strong suggestions. I knew from the start that I needed to work hard to make Bill proud. Bill was the program for years, and he knew he was ready to back away.

“On a completely different note, I loved just talking to Bill about anything. He had the most amazing vocabulary and colorful way to describe things!”

Another member of Arts Benicia, artist Craig Britton, said he admired Harsh’s “dedication” and valued the friendship shared “between two essentially shy people who are enthusiastic about their work, and feel that sharing the experience of art enriches lives.

“I was also impressed by his gentle demeanor, generosity of spirit, and open arms in forming the education portion of Arts Benicia. His welcoming presence and teaching style set the tone in all of AB’s classes.

“Two other things that were remarkable were his puckish humor and near-encyclopedic library of mixed ink colors — literally hundreds of jars of oil colors sealed in jars, filling wall-to-wall shelves in his studio.”

Lee Wilder Snider, artist and member of the Benicia Arts and Culture Commission, will remember how “Bill’s intellectual depth and commitment to the creative process shows in artwork that is honest and true,” and that Harsh was an excellent teacher.

“Bill was an extraordinary teacher — best art instructor I’ve ever had,” she said. “He was encyclopedic in his knowledge while being engaging and encouraging. His teaching reintroduced me to the beauty and power of the visual image.

“As a board member of Arts Benicia, Bill unselfishly worked for the good of the organization.

“I am so saddened not to have more time with Bill.”

Harsh touched lives outside Benicia, as well.

“Bill lived painting. In my opinion he was the best painter around,” said Ruth Santee, co-owner of Transmission Gallery in Oakland. “His command of the medium was powerful, thought-provoking and saturated with energy.

“Bill lived to paint. His dedication and drive propelled him deeper and deeper into his investigations. There will come a time when Bill’s work will get the credit it so richly deserves.”

And like all who saw that side of him, Santee praised Harsh as a “teacher’s teacher.”

“He loved to discuss his pedagogical philosophies and listen to new approaches and ideas. Bill’s knowledge of technique and the history of art was astonishing. His intellect and common sense made him a great art community leader and teacher.

“As a friend Bill was generous, supportive, and honest. He cared deeply for his family and friends. Bill loved people and life. He had a wicked sense of humor, loved strong coffee, amber ale, ice cream cones and cats.

“I will miss him so much.”

“Inside Out, A William Harsh Retrospective” opens today from 6-9 p.m. at the Vessel Gallery, 471 25th St., in Oakland. On Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. art critic and author DeWitt Cheng will give a tour of the exhibit, followed by a discussion about assembling the retrospective, accompanied by Marilyn Bardet, Tom Gardner and Lonnie Lee. There will also be an artist reception and book signing of the new release “Inside Out, Paintings by William Harsh” by Cheng from 4-6 p.m.