Description
The papers document the life and work of married couple Helen Mayer Harrison and Newton Harrison, leading pioneers of the
eco-art movement, whose collaborative career began in the late sixties. Throughout their career, the Harrisons worked with
biologists, ecologists, architects, urban planners and other artists, creating works that support biodiversity and community
development. The collection contains personal papers; project files pertaining to art projects; correspondence; performance,
exhibition, and presentation material; business records; research; interview transcripts; writings; material pertaining to
the Harrisons' time at both the University of California, San Diego and the University of California, Santa Cruz; photographic
material; public relations material; audiovisual material; and computer media relating to the Harrisons' professional career.
Background
Helen Mayer Harrison, born in 1927 in New York City, New York, graduated from Queens College in Flushing, New York, in 1948
with a BA in English. Prior to attending Queens College, Helen matriculated at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and
majored in Psychology (1943-1945). In 1948, she enrolled as a Doctoral Candidate at New York University but later withdrew
from the PhD program. Helen received an MA in the Philosophy of Education from NYU in 1952. Helen was enrolled in the Human
Behavior PhD program at United States International University (1968-1970) in San Diego, California, but withdrew from the
program before the completion of her PhD. Helen studied art and painting in the late 1950s while living in Florence, Italy,
with Newton Harrison, as well as additional graduate studies in anthropology, sociology, and social psychology at the New
School for Social Research and the University of Pennsylvania and English literature at Brooklyn College.
Extent
258 Linear Feet
549 containers (275 manuscript boxes, 3 half boxes, 2 cartons, 38 flat boxes, 9 card boxes, 7 audio cassette boxes, 184 map
folders, 32 map tubes, 1 hard drive, 618 GB)
Restrictions
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.
Availability
The collection is open for research except restricted material which are closed until the date noted at folder lever. The
majority of audiovisual material in the collection has been digitally reformatted and is available to view in the Special
Collections Reading Room; audiovisual materials not already reformatted are not available in original format, and must be
reformatted to a digital use copy. Born-digital materials are available to view in the Special Collections Reading Room. Note
that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.