Balazs, Harold, 1928-....

Mr. Balazs is a noted artist, who has lived in the Spokane area for his entire professional career. He was born in Westlake, Ohio (near Cleveland) in 1928. He graduated from Washington State College, Pullman, Wash. in 1951 with a bachelors degree in Art. Following graduation, he located to Spokane to become one of the very few people in Washington state to make a living, supporting and raising a family, as a full time professional artist. The material in the collection was brought together to be used for the preparation of the catalog for a major 1988 exhibit at the Cheney Cowles Museum titled "Harold Balazs: Art is an Art Form."

Harold Balazs (born 1928) is a Spokane, Washington-based artist most well-known for his public projects located throughout the Pacific Northwest. Working mainly in sculpture, Balazs' works utilize a wide range of materials and media, from metal to wood, concrete, and more. In the 1950s, Balazs began collaborating with architects on murals and sculpture for both public and private spaces, and by the mid-1960s was considered a leader in public and architecturally-integrated art. His experience earned him three terms as a Washington State Art Commissioner. Many of Balazs' pieces can be seen throughout the city of Spokane, as well as in Seattle, and across the region. His paintings and his signature enamels on steel are also featured at a number of galleries throughout the Pacific Northwest. Balazs graduated from Washington State University in 1951 with a Bachelor's degree in art.