Harms descends from the tradition of action painting and also holds a deep appreciation for early 20th century masters of the American landscape. Rather than conveying literal representations of specific landscapes, however, the power of Harms’ canvases rests in their potential to suggest familiar natural spaces and conditions that spark personal memories in the individual viewer

Harms attended The School of Visual Arts in New York City and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine. He is the recipient of awards from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, and the National Arts Club, and his work is in the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Parrish Art Museum.