Harvey, a native of Gruver, Iowa, has been a painter, sculptor, photographer, collagist, public artist, teacher, editor and community organizer. He was a professor of studio art at the University of Akron from 1973 to 2000, and, since 2005, he's taught at Oberlin College. In 1984, he co-founded the influential nonprofit Committee for Public Art in Cleveland, later Cleveland Public Art (and now, Land Studio).