THE PAINTER
Auckland-based artist and illustrator Henrietta Harris’ work, including her striking portraits, has appeared in international exhibitions and magazines as well as on T-shirts and record covers.
+ Pick one of your works that represents who you are as an artist. The paintings in my solo exhibition last year, I Gave You All The
Clues (two are pictured here; opposite and right). + How do you use colour? I tend to use muted colours; I use lots of raw umber when mixing colours. I’ve always been attracted to pastels but have noticed my work has got more washed out and grey as I’ve got older. This also means the pink stands out more and looks more dramatic. I like to think my use of colour evokes feelings.
+ How do you approach composition? Composition in my work is a very calculated thing, despite it being very simple. The size in the frame is something I think about a lot. + What are you aiming for? I want the outcome to lead to emotion; I want it to mean something to the viewer, to inspire feelings, to lead to narratives in the viewer’s mind. I’m also concerned about technique and using the paint to the best of my ability.