Mary Harrison

About Mary Harrison

Mary Harrison studied Fine Art at the National Art School in East Sydney, NSW and later trained as a Medical Illustrator.

Rainwalking at Vincentia [2002]
Dry pigment, water, soft pastel and oil pastel on paper, 120 x 137.5 cms
Donated by the artist, 2004

Mary Harison has written: “In a new series of sketchbook drawings the pencil is encouraged to be autonomous. This is not always easy as ‘artistic’ sensibilities fight for control. When the pencil wins the struggle, the work appears more interesting than when I consciously try to dictate the issue. This line is still an informed line. It emerges through a meditative process. At the same time, in the finished work, I have usually prepared a background for drawing out the line ... this preparation is much more expressive, giving the line something to relate to, to bounce off.”

And at the time of making the drawing, “We wander in the early morning along a path that skirts Jervis Bay and the bushland around it which is a national park and home of the Squiggly Bark gum. It is still very warm in the rain and we find a Squiggly Bark forest and several varieties of Banksia ... I remember my mother who died six months ago ... but this is a celebratory drawing.”

Mary Harrison held an exhibition of her works at New Hall in 2004.