A panellist profile from our Crafting Conversation series.
Crafting Conversation is a panel series for makers in business, hosted by Make Good Things Happen. We unpack the creative process and the real business stuff with Australian artists, designers, and do-ers.
From murals that tower over city streets to intimate experiments in colour on paper, Spencer Harrison’s practice refuses to remain still. Working across painting, drawing, sculpture, video and installation, his art plays with the push and pull between order and chaos, minimalism and maximalism. What ties it all together is his fascination with colour, not just as pigment, but as a force loaded with perception, symbolism, emotion and cultural meaning.
Spencer Harrison has taken on major public commissions with organisations like the Melbourne Immigration Museum, White Night and the City of Melbourne, all while nurturing a deeply personal studio practice. Now based in Ballarat, he balances the freedom of creating in his home studio with the challenge of large-scale public works that test his skills, stamina and imagination.
In this MGTH Chats post, Spencer Harrison opens up about his process, his love of colour, the influence of place, and why conversation with fellow creatives is such a vital part of sustaining an artistic life.
Meet Spencer Harrison at our upcoming Crafting Conversation : Artists Edition at the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute on Wednesday 12th November 2025. Book your seat here.
Your work spans painting, drawing, sculpture, murals, video and installation. How do you decide which medium to use for a particular idea, and do they influence each other in your process?
I enjoy working across a variety of mediums because they allow me to explore ideas from different angles and in different dimensions. For instance, drawing tends to slow me down and encourage careful consideration, while painting is often more immediate. Sculpture allows me to work in three dimensions, murals let me explore large scales, video introduces a time-based element, and installations allow me to engage with space and architecture. It also keeps things interesting for me with each medium presenting new challenges and opportunities to learn new skills. I find that each of the mediums influence and complement one another in unique ways and moving between them can be a good way to resolve problems that arise in the process.
Colour plays such a central role in your practice. Can you tell us about your relationship with colour : is it instinctive, carefully planned, or a mix of both?
My approach to colour is rooted in extensive research into colour theories and learning from the practices of other artists. I’m very interested not only in art-based theories of colour but also the sociological, psychological and symbolic meaning of colour. When it comes to actually applying colour in my work, my approach is much more instinctive with all of these theories and ideas acting more upon my subconscious. Working with colour is a constant learning process and I regularly produce little experiments in colour in the studio to push my own understanding of it.
You’ve taken on some incredible public commissions and collaborations from the Melbourne Immigration Museum to White Night. How does creating work for a public or commercial context differ from the work you do in your studio?
Creating work for public or commercial contexts comes with different constraints compared to my studio practice but I find the process both challenging and rewarding. In the studio, my work is driven purely by my own interests and research, allowing for more freedom and exploration. In contrast, public and commercial commissions build on the foundation of my studio work but must adhere to specific guidelines, fabrication constraints and the needs of the client or audience. I enjoy working across both streams of work with both informing one another in different ways. On a practical side working on public artwork and commercial commissions is essential for making my practice sustainable and supporting the research undertaken in the studio.
Murals are such a big, physical form of art. What do you love most about working at that scale, and what challenges come with it?
I love creating murals because they allow me to work at an architectural scale, which makes the art feel more immersive and connected to the human body. When you’re standing in front of a mural, you feel almost enveloped by the artwork which can be a powerful experience. Murals often give me the opportunity to create more permanent public works that are often up for several years, allowing more people to experience the work. Working at large scale can be challenging and is quite a physical process that often leaves me quite sore at the end of the day. Additionally, if I’m working outdoors, it can mean dealing with unpredictable weather conditions, and challenging painting surfaces that can add complexity to a project.
How does living and working in Ballarat influence your practice? Do you feel the local environment or creative community shapes your work in particular ways?
Living and working in Ballarat has definitely shaped my practice in a few important ways. Practically, it’s made my work more financially sustainable, since I can have a home studio without the high rents of the city. I also love gardening and being surrounded by nature, so having space for a garden plus Ballarat’s beautiful natural landscape around me has been a dream. Early on, my art drew most of its inspiration from the city, but now, living in a place with so much nature, I find that influence gradually creeping into my work more and more.
You’re joining us for Crafting Conversation: Artists Edition! Why do you feel it’s important to be part of a real life conversation event like this, and what would you say to encourage people to come along?
I’m really looking forward to the Crafting Conversation event because, as the name suggests, it’s all about conversation. I’m excited to interact with attendees, answer their questions about the realities and challenges of being an artist, and share my experiences. I encourage everyone to come along, be curious, and feel free to ask anything they’d like. I’m here to be an open book!
Links
Spencer Harrison Website
Spencer Harrison Instagram
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