HARRIET BRITTAINE



Some ramblings...


My journey into a career as an artist has been a long and unorthodox one. Although I had always loved drawing and creating, I struggled to work within the confines of the art curriculum at school. My A-level grades led me into studying Biomedical Science at university, where ironically I had my first experience of life drawing at an evening class. Throughout my time at university I continued to paint and draw; using the cheapest materials I could lay my hands, and often painting on cardboard or off-cuts of MDF. I left university having had a wonderful three years, but more confused than ever in my choice of career.



I put this decision off again by spending the next two years travelling (and drawing!) my way around the world. On my return to the UK, I ended up in a job at an independent art supply shop. The wages were awful and the job tedious, but the fellow artists I worked with were wonderful, talented and spoke my language. I spent a few happy years there getting an unparalleled knowledge of art materials while painting in my spare time. I decided early on that learning the language of painting was crucial in being able to communicate my ideas and so began my painting education. I attended a few short courses in London with artists I admired, but made most advances through reading books and putting in hundreds of hours of practise. In 2008, wanting to expand my knowledge of different materials and techniques, I studied the equivalent to an art foundation year. Again, although it was a wonderful experience, I didn’t feel it quite helped me in the direction that I wanted to travel. Two years later, I took over a life drawing session from a friend. It was a small step in the right direction, which led me on to teaching more and more classes until I found myself in 2018 teaching in two art centres, a college, my own life drawing sessions and private lessons!



In 2019, my life changed drastically with the birth of my son. On the day I brought my newborn home with me, the person who I was, died and ‘mummy’ took her place. I found that transition very difficult, perhaps due to being an older mother, perhaps due to the chaos of Covid. Whatever it was, I quickly discovered the constant duality that motherhood brings. When I eventually found pockets of time in which to create, I struggled with the guilt of not spending every waking moment with my child.

Life shifted again after the birth of my daughter 3 years later, although the transition was not so radical nor shocking the second time round. Now, despite my daughter not yet being old enough for school, I am managing to carve out a little time to paint. At this point in my life I find inspiration bursting out of every corner of my home. Every wax crayon scribble my daughter makes, every exquisitely innocent story my son tells me. I have never felt so inspired, and had so much to say before. And yet the source of my inspiration is the reason that I cannot throw myself back into my work 110%.

Oh the irony.