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“In the work of Harry Breen, we see an interesting and unusual combination. Here is an artist with a strong sense of material reality, with technical resources which allow him to create convincing expressions of the physical environment who at the same time is blessed with imaginative powers which transcend representational forms and endow them with a highly personal element, often with unexpected results.”

“A constant element in Breen’s work, whether it be painting or ceramic, is his impeccable craftsmanship. He is an artist who respects himself, his public, the content of his work, and the materials with which he works. In a period where many artists increasingly resort to intuition and a certain amount of chance, it is invigorating to see work which—while fresh and essentially original—is the product of the artist’s conscious thought and will.”

—Allen S. Weller
Dean, College of Fine & Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1954–1971.
Director, Krannert Art Museum, Champaign, Illinois, 1964–1975
Introduction to “Harry Breen: Retrospective XXV”

“Harry is a consummate artist who does liturgical art. I have always called him a ‘minister of art’ and he is a ‘minister’ to people through art. He gives form to the deity and that’s a function of art. Harry is one of the most complete artists I know and he is not intimidated by any material or technique: ceramics, glass, marble, wood—none of it fazes him. I’m always overwhelmed by what he does. He’s inventive, imaginative, and extraordinarily creative—and he works very hard.”

—A. Doyle Moore
Professor Emeritus of Art
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

About The Artist | About The Work | Permanent Gallery