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Helen Harrison

These photos show some examples of Helen Harrison's work that were on display at the SHS Open Day on 30 September 2006.

Painting by Helen Harrison Painting by Helen Harrison
Painting by Helen Harrison Painting by Helen Harrison
Painting by Helen Harrison Painting by Helen Harrison
Painting by Helen Harrison  

Helen Harrison - Biographical Notes

13th January 1916 - 14th August 2001

Helen Harrison (nee Nellie Gwendoline LEVY) was the youngest of nine children born to Frederick E.P. and Florence M. LEVY. She lived in Leytonstone, London until her marriage to Thomas HARRISON in 1942.

At the age of fourteen she won a scholarship to the Walthamstow School of Art where she was a student between 1930 and 1932.

Following a brief apprenticeship with a local artist she started work at the firm of Blackman and Conrad in Katherine Road , East Ham. She illustrated their brochures and designed their newspaper advertisements.

When the firm eventually closed in the 1960s Helen worked freelance, advertising fashion in newspapers. She spent some years working for local hairdressers in East Ham producing large posters for their salons. At about this time she attended the local authority pottery classes and produced a large number of pieces, most of which were given away to friends and family. At this time too, she developed a love of water colour painting.

Helen was widowed in December 1983 and in the January of 1985 moved to Sherington to be near her daughter and son-in-law, Gail and John Wood. She continued to paint in water colour and was particularly interested in local landscapes and flower painting. In her eighties she became quite frail having suffered a number of minor strokes. Her last painting was a birthday card to her daughter Gail in March 2001. She died in August aged 85.

G.W. 23.8.2006


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