Britt Harrison

Photography by Graham Morrison 

ARTIST STATEMENT

I grew up along the banks of a wide river that ran red with mud. Its serpentine form shaping both the landscape and the rhythms of my quiet hometown in rural North Carolina. The thick waters became a playground for children—splashing, swimming, and bathing—while tadpoles wiggled in rivulets, growing legs before my eyes. This environment, rich in natural wonder, became a space of transformation for me. My work seeks to evoke the nostalgia of these carefree moments spent under shifting pink skies, where time slowed and nature provided a sanctuary for reflection.

Through painting and sculpture, I explore themes of summer solitude, the playful curiosities of nature, and the deep, intertwined relationship between humans and water. My custom-designed wood panels, inspired by the organic shapes of rivers, play with undulating forms that mimic how water shapes our landscapes and communities. Water, as both a necessity and a symbol, carries spiritual, physical, and mystical weight in my work. It cleanses our bodies, but in the hands of a priest, it has the power to purify the soul, washing away guilt and shame.

This profound connection to water, rooted in both cultural lore and personal experience, is a driving force in my practice. Water is often depicted as a vessel of knowledge in traditional storytelling—if one listens closely at the shoreline or lifts a shell, one can hear the breath of a Siren, a reminder of the infinite wisdom that binds all living things. Yet, this knowledge often lies just beyond our reach, leaving us to observe only its surface beauty. I am drawn to both the surface and the depths, exploring varying water patterns, textures, and their relationship to light and color, as I investigate our natural yearning to submerge into the unknown.

Britt Harrison is a Brooklyn-based painter, sculptor, and curator from North Carolina. She gained her BFA in Painting and BS in Psychology from UNC Wilmington in 2011 and has continued her artistic education through courses at Art Center (Pasadena, CA), Pratt Institute, (Brooklyn, NY), and the University of California at Los Angeles. She holds a MPS in The Business of Art and Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Please email me through my contact page for commissions, murals, or other projects.

hello@brittharrison.com || www.brittharrison.com