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Harris Benvenuti Inc. was established in 1981 combining the superb
design and sculpting capabilities of E.T. (aka Elfie) Harris and Gianni Benvenuti under one roof. The two met in 1978 while she was studying bronze
casting in Italy on a Watson Foundation Fellowship. The foundry
Elfie worked with was in the marble working town of Pietrasanta
where Gianni was living and sculpting marble.
When they met Gianni had a flourishing career as an abstract painter
and sculptor in marble as well as being a master printer and an
exceptionally talented illustrator of books. He had been painting
since the age of three and his illustration career started at
the age of 19 when he designed the “Three Bill” western comic series. He eventually worked extensively with all
the major publishing houses of that time in Italy and France and
illustrated over 50 books for children and young adults. His paintings and sculptures were
exhibited throughout Europe and he was, at that time, organizing
and staging an important yearly sculpture show in Pietrasanta
that involved over 300 pieces and some of the most noted sculptors
of the day. Elfie had just received her Bachelors degree in sculpture
from Brandies University. She left a partnership in a jewelry
shop on Martha's Vineyard Island to be free to pursue her own
sculpture and a Masters degree at the University of Pennsylvania.
A few months after they met Gianni came to the States. Shortly
thereafter they were introduced to The Franklin Mint and a new
career in product design was born. Gianni's European sensibility
and extensive knowledge of art history coupled with an exquisite
design ability made him the perfect artist to design and sculpt
the high end porcelain and pewter pieces that the Franklin Mint
was so well know for at that time. For more than ten years Gianni
designed only for The Franklin Mint and gave them some of the
biggest successes of their history. Those years of designing crystal,
porcelain, pewter, jewelry, cold cast and multi media products
of all types have given him an unparalleled background which,
coupled with the vast design experience he already possessed makes
Gianni Benvenuti a truly exceptional product designer. At the
same time Elfie's talent for incredibly detailed and graceful
miniature and micro miniature sculpture was discovered and she has since contributed extensively to those
fields as well as continuously managing the business since its
inception.
Presently Harris Benvenuti Inc. designs and sculpts for several
of the major collectibles companies in the United States and Japan.
The Danbury Mint, Lenox, The Noble Collection, Possible Dreams,
I.E.I. Corp (Japan), The San Francisco Music Box Company and The
Franklin Mint are among the companies HBI works with. (current
works being marketed) Elfie and Gianni continue to pursue their
individual careers as contemporary sculptors and Gianni as a painter
and printmaker also. |
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