Early Life, Family and Training

Harrison Wall Covington was born on April 12, 1924, in Plant City, Florida. He was the son of Maria and Edmund DeBerry "Ted" Covington. Growing up in this corner of the state, he completed his early education at Plant City High School, graduating in 1942. His formative years in Florida provided the foundation for a life deeply rooted in the region's cultural landscape.

His formal artistic development took place at the University of Florida, where he pursued a rigorous academic path. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1949 and continued his studies to obtain a Master of Arts in 1953. These years of study allowed him to refine his technical skills and establish a disciplined approach to his craft. Beyond the campus in Gainesville, Covington sought further instruction in New York City, studying under Carl Holty to expand his perspective and technique.

Military Service and Early Career

The trajectory of Covington’s life was interrupted by the exigencies of the Second World War. After beginning his studies at the University of Florida, he was called to duty in 1943. He underwent intense flight training and joined the US Army Air Corps as a fighter pilot. Operating in the Pacific theater, he flew the P-47 Thunderbolt, a heavy-duty ground-attack aircraft. His service took him through the Philippines and Guam, where he navigated the perils of combat, occasionally returning from missions in aircraft that had sustained significant damage.

Upon his return to civilian life, Covington sought to reclaim the artistic path he had begun before the war. He completed his studies at the University of Florida, earning a BFA in 1949 and an MA in 1953. His early professional years were defined by a commitment to both instruction and administration. He served as the director of the University’s Tarpon Springs Summer Art School, helping to cultivate the local creative community. This period of leadership transitioned into a long-standing academic tenure, as he joined the faculty of the University of Florida as an associate professor of art in 1949, a position he held until 1961.

Academic Leadership and Professional Roles

After his early teaching years, Covington transitioned into significant administrative influence within the Florida academic landscape. In 1961, he moved to the University of South Florida to serve as the founding chairman of the Department of Art, a position he held until 1967. His leadership helped establish the foundational structure for the institution's artistic studies. During this period, he also held the role of Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and directed the Division of Fine Arts at the university.

His commitment to the university continued through several decades of service. He attained the rank of full Professor of Art at USF, maintaining a presence in the faculty long after his initial administrative appointments. His career reached a high administrative peak when he was appointed Dean of the College of Fine Arts at USF, a role he occupied from 1977 to 1982. Even after stepping down from these formal leadership duties, he remained connected to the institution as Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus.

Key Works and Public Commissions

Covington’s presence in the public sphere was often marked by large-scale commissions that bridged the gap between fine art and civic identity. He was tasked with painting the official portrait of Florida Governor Charley E. Johns, a work that placed his hand within the formal history of the state. His reach extended into the architecture of the city through a commission to create a series of six murals for the Tampa Courthouse, integrating his vision into the daily life of the community.

His relationship with aviation, shaped by his own history as a pilot, found physical expression in the bronze works located at Tampa International Airport. Two significant sculptures, The Aviator and The Barnstormer, occupy the airport's space. The latter, an eight-foot silicon bronze alloy figure, was designed to evoke the spirit of those who defined the early age of flight. These works transformed a transit hub into a site of quiet reflection on the heroism of the skies.

Later in his career, his work moved toward the campus environments he helped shape. In 1996, he contributed Concentric Figures to the University of South Florida campus, a piece that remains part of the university's landscape. His output was diverse, ranging from the heavy permanence of bronze to the delicate requirements of official portraiture.

Artistic Style and Recognition

Covington’s creative output was defined by a significant evolution in form and intent. His early practice was largely abstract, focusing on the non-representational qualities of composition and color. This period of experimentation saw him exploring the boundaries of modernism through various media. However, as his career progressed, his focus shifted toward the physical presence of the figure. He eventually took a more realistic bent in sculpture, moving away from abstraction toward a more literal interpretation of the human form in three-dimensional space.

His technical skill and conceptual depth earned him significant professional validation during his most productive years. In 1951, he was awarded the grand prize by the Florida Federation of Art. This recognition was followed by a period of intense scholarly and creative development, supported by a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship Grant in 1963 and 1964. These honors allowed him the necessary time to tour European museums, an experience that informed the trajectory of his developing aesthetic.