Sam Hyde Harris was born in Brentford, Middlesex, England on February 2, 1889. Harris immigrated to the United States with his family in 1904 and settled in Los Angeles. As a teenager he attended evening classes at the Art Students League and Cannon Art School under Hanson Puthuff, Will Foster, Lawrence Murphy, Frank Tolles Chamberlin and Stanton MacDonald Wright. He worked in commercial art throughout his career and taught at Chouinard Art School for many years. In 1950 Harris bought Jack Wilkinson Smiths old studio in Alhambra and lived there for the rest of his life. The harbor at San Pedro was one of his favorite painting spots. His early paintings (1920-1940) show the influence of his teacher and sketching partner, Hanson Puthuff. Harris won over 100 medals and awards in Southern California exhibitions.

Biography courtesy of DeRu's Fine Arts, www.antiquesandfineart.com/derus