UTICA, NY.- Stephen Harrison of Cleveland, Ohio, has been named deputy director of the Museum of Art at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY. He is currently curator of decorative art and design at the Cleveland Museum of Art and is a member of the Landmarks Commission of the City of Cleveland. He has previously held curatorial positions at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; the Dallas Museum of Art; and the Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans. He has served on the faculty of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, and the University of North Texas.

Harrison took his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, where he was a Jefferson Scholar, and holds graduate degrees in historic preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and in American material culture from the Winterthur Museum Program at the University of Delaware.




In his new role, Harrison will be an integral member of the Munson-Williams senior management team, working closely with the president on all strategic planning and day-to-day operations for the Museum, including supervision and management of education, curatorial, and registrar/exhibition departments. He will help to oversee the annual budget and develop, coordinate, and implement the Museum’s exhibitions and public programs, which account for more than 50% of Munson-Williams’ general participation. Additionally, Harrison will work closely with all development efforts while developing plans that will continue enhancing the Museum’s presence in the region and nationally.

Munson-Williams President Anna D’Ambrosio said Harrison was selected following a nationwide search. “Stephen is a creative, dedicated professional with a well-deserved national reputation for his scholarship. His extensive exhibition and publication experience, along with his personal drive, energy, and passion for using the arts to make connections within the community, will be great assets to the future of the Museum of Art,” she said.

Primarily a scholar of 19th and early 20th-century decorative art, Harrison has recently focused his research on the links in design between Europe and America from around 1900 to the Second World War. He has written extensively on the subjects of art, architecture, and design and was for many years a regular contributor to “Better Homes & Gardens.” Harrison expressed his eagerness to work with the Museum of Art’s renowned collection. “Munson-Williams has one of the finest collections of American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts in the world, with concentrations of modern and contemporary art and decorative arts that rival those in much larger, comprehensive museums,” he said.

Additionally, Harrison said he looks forward to bringing Munson-Williams' exhibitions and programs to the community. “I am very excited to be moving to the incredibly beautiful Mohawk Valley region of New York State because of its natural resources, diverse population and community, and potential for growth,” he said, “I look forward to supporting the exciting work of MWPAI’s talented team, especially through initiatives that make the collection more accessible to diverse and marginalized communities.”