Meet Ron Isaacson Aka “Harper”

We were lucky to catch up with Ron Isaacson Aka “Harper” recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ron, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I live in a treehouse perched in an ancient forest high on a mountainside where the sun climbs slowly in the distance to caress the hills and valleys to the east. My EcoSculpture studio hugs the earth and acts as a portal to universes alive with Crystal Forever Gardens, flocks of Amazar Avians and clusters of found objects and elements awaiting rebirth.

The spirt that dwells within me manifests itself in ways different than most who populate this planet. And rather than hide in a corner and shy away as I did in my youth, I’ve come to embrace my talents, my creative spirit as a gift. I’m a Gemini, blessed/cursed with duality to think and observe daily interactions while processing multidimension possibilities, opportunities and solutions. My journey, though challenging at times, has imbued confidence in my ability to bring together divergent entities to ignite a creative spark that might bring to life something new. And, I have gained a level of satisfaction in knowing that through discussion, collaboration, persistence and a level of tenacity, I can fan that spark into something that blazes forth to capture people’s attention, stimulate conversation and possibility effect change.

Some say the Creative Spirit, that ability to emotionally, spontaneously or deliberately channel my ideas or dreams into reality, is an innate ability we are borne with. They say it’s a talent that can be developed and nurtured, and if dormant, impeded or blocked it can be reawakened.

How do I keep my creativity alive? It manifests itself in numerous ways. It’s an integral part how I journey through life and a discipline honed through study, and practice. It’s an extension of my state of mind, freeing me from the confines of what exists, awakening a realm of possibilities for my ideas to blossom forth.

My Creative Spirit is multifaceted. I’m a sculptor, a musician, a wordsmith, a catalyst that seeds new ways of thinking to question what is and to stimulate change. It’s accompanied me on a journey to explore a range of modalities of study and stylings. For 65+ yrs, I’ve presented myself to the world as, a designer, architect, painter, potter, woodworker, metalsmith, wordsmith, musician, gallery owner, arts advocate and consultant.

My hands have spun clay on a wheel, operated sewing machines, hammered forged iron on anvils, welded and manipulated metals salvaged from trash heaps, held blow pipes to breathe life into molten glass plucked fresh from a furnace, pressed chisels against wood spinning on lathes, hammered through surfaces of marble and stone, cobbled leather into forms never before seen, fashioned words into tales of wonder and held harmonicas to carry tunes that weave story and song to impact moods and emotions of all who care to listen.

Those hands, now fighting against the pains of age, can no longer serve to express my visions as I’ve done in the past. As physical change impedes those creative processes, I’ve learned to trust the creative spirit within and allow it to flow unbound from constraints of form, function or operational norms.

With age and challenges that impact my dexterity, I’ve come to recognize it is my creative spirit that nurtures my existence, keeping me alive and vital. There are things I’ve yet to manifest, visions yet to unfold.

The crafting and telling of tales bubbles within me. The sharing of visions, fables and concepts that may stimulate thoughts or ideas in those seeking information, direction or a diversion from other realities, is a creative path unencumbered by my physical ailments. Perhaps time has come to channel my creative energies more fully in that direction.

And in the time I have left on this dimensional plain, I’ll continue striving to fully integrate body, mind and spirit. To honor each day, paying ohmage to the earth and the creatures that dwell upon it. And cherish time spent in my treehouse with my Lady Love/my soulmate, savor memories of moments past & present, visions of times shared with friends made along my journey and embrace the dawning of new tomorrows.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I have received numerous awards and accolades for a multitude of accomplishments, creative projects, programs and entities I have brought to life. (Though none as cherished as bringing an amazing daughter into this world).

I am a sculptor, and as such I’m endlessly fascinated by how things are fashioned together or might be transformed. I am mesmerized by shape/form, color/texture, light/shadow, and seek to understand how those connections come together physically and energetically. I weave together those connections subconsciously. And I strive to understand the complexity of those elements which have come together to create “Me!” Be it by divine design or happenstance, having human form with all that entails, is fascinating.

As a sculptor attuned to how things are connected, I find the ability to communicate with other entities on this planet an amazing gift. I thrive in environments inhabited by other creative spirits where ideas can be shared, discussed and built upon.

I had learned basic construction skills from my father and during high school I spent 4 years at a drafting board learning architectural design. But in collage I earned my degree in teaching art to middle school students. However, the experience of teaching in a standardized school system was short-lived; where administrators looked for me to follow a curriculum, I was focused on teaching creativity.

So, in the early 70’s I opened “Artisan-Center for Discovery in Art”, a storefront school on a street corner in Chicago. With a studio in the basement, I pursued life as a metal sculptor, exhibiting and selling my work. That soon morphed into opening “Mindscape- a Panorama of the Imagination” in Evanston, Ill, a gallery showcasing the nation’s finest Contemporary American Craftspeople. During the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, the gallery became my artform. A living/working immersive interactive sculpture that grew to be recognized numerous times as one of the top 10 American Fine Craft Galleries in the United States.

Representing hundreds of artists between two 10,000 sq.ft galleries, with a team of 26 peak season staff members was a high point in my life. I was invited to play a major role on various national boards and commissions as an arts marketing specialist, helping other creatives pursue their dreams, helping creative communities around the country flourish.

But the realities of the economy in the late 90’s and the pressure of helping artists sell their creations to keep their own studios going took its toll. I closed my galleries, swallowed my pride, and later worked a few months at a firm doing residential architectural design while I played at being a found object sculptor in my garage studio. In 2021 I founded Space-Man Consulting, a business focused on helping people understand the realities of residential space and how to choose or modify dwellings that fit their lifestyle. A home after all is basically a interactive sculpture.

Space-Man Consulting was a very successful and satisfying business. It transitioned easily from my life in the Chicago area to a new beginning in the foothills above Denver. It also allowed time to continue pursuing my passion for creating sculptures utilizing found objects and recycled materials.

But working with an open flame to forge or fabricate metal sculptures is not something one does when living in a wood frame home in the midst of a mountain forest. So, I returned to a tamer art form I’d pursued in the mid-sixties during the “Summer of Love”, when I created and sold things made from remnants of salvaged leathers.

The use of recycled materials in the creations of sculpture is often referred to as found object art, but artists around the planet, wishing to call attention to ecological issues related to recycling have adopted the term EcoArt to stimulate discussions on sustainable ways to deal with creative reuse for the byproducts of a consumer driven society.

For the past 12 years, as an Ecosculptor, that has driven the creation of expansive series revolving around a realm of Amazar Avians, creatures who appeared in my studio through a portal in time/space and beseeched me to give them form and help spread message of hope and renewal for the planet and all who reside upon it. But that story is a tale to tell at another time. Visit www.amazaravians.world to learn more about them.

Flocks of my Amazar Avians have been brought to life using recycled vintage leathers and a wide variety of found/discarded objects. They populate groves of Forever Gardens and are the subject of Amazar Tales, interactive fables and stories about their mission and adventures. They are increasingly showcased at galleries and in small temporal immersive installations around Denver, receiving applause, awards and national attention. As large and small Avians are adopted out, audience response has stimulated further interest in having me create much larger Amazarian Immersive Experiences. A major installation has now been scheduled to appear in the North Gallery of the Lakewood Cultural Center in Lakewood Colorado from May – August of 2026.

In reflection, I’ve come to understand that my journey as an artist has revolved around creating immersive experiences for various audiences. My teaching was more experiential than just having students learn to make objects. The gallery showcases I developed were designed as interactive immersions for patrons and visitors. And my efforts as a consultant to communities across the country revolved around projects attuned to creative placemaking.

Which brings me to the here and now. I’ve been sharing my passions outside the studio these past three years as the Executive Director of the Evergreen Creative District, where I work with a board and team of Task Force leaders comprised of like-minded arts advocates and creatives dedicated to support and nurture area arts/cultural programing and events. It’s an interactive community endeavor to honor the creative spirit that thrives in our mountains and valleys and to sustain the creative energy that resonates with residents and visitors for future generations. We’re working in tandem with a statewide initiative developed through Colorado Creative Industries and 30 plus State Certified Creative Districts around Colorado. Learn more about what we’re doing at www.evergreencreativedistrict.org .

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I’ve acquired numerous skills over the years. The three that stand out are simple guides:

• Follow your passion and learn to let go of preconceived ideas that stand as barriers to that goal.
• Delve within to feel and acknowledge sensory elements that bring you joy and embrace your connections with like-minded souls and community.
• Honor the creative spirit that dwells within each of us, cherish it and nurture it in others.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

• As Executive Director of the ECD, I welcome interest and involvement from Evergreen area residents and creatives who want to learn more about what we’re doing. Developing collaborative projects with other like-minded entitles is high on our to do list, so reach out to me if you’re involved with any of the 30+ other Creative Districts in Colorado or wish to explore the concept of Creative Placemaking. We’re always looking for workshop leaders and presenters on topics that serve to support our creative industry.

• With strong public interest in experiencing immersive art installations at a high point, I’m exploring possible locations and opportunities to develop a series of sensorily temporal integrated immersive experiences involving my Amazar Avians, Forever Gardens, storytelling, integrative music, performance art, and interactive workshops featuring other EcoArtists who embrace the concept of creative reuse. To expand that vision, I am looking to pull together a team of creatives to explore bringing to life something amazing. Reach out to me with contacts for installation locations, possibilities for collaborations or partnerships on projects.

• Music courses through me, soothes me, vibrates on multidimensional levels and sometimes, if allowed to, connects me to realms beyond space and time. I’m always looking for opportunities to jam or collaborate on musical experiences to explore melodies, weave together wonderous tunes, bring forth soulful expressions or let myself go crazy and rock out. With a kit comprising dozens of Harmonica’s, I have access to some really magical instruments. Audiences not looking at the stage will often mistakenly hear my harp playing as music emanating from a violin, a tenor sax, flute or other instruments. Reach out if you’re in the greater Denver/foothills area and looking to jam on original tunes or build upon songs from Dylan to Gershwin, Clapton to Santana. And as “Harper and Friends” my band is often available for afternoon and early evening gigs.

• Reach out to [email protected] if you wish to get together and chat on any of those projects.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amazaravians.world
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/ron.isaacson

Image Credits

Ron Isaacson