Eileen Harrisson

Eileen grew up by the town of Bangor, County Down, living within sight and sound of the sea and obtained her initial degree, a Joint Honours BA in Art and Italian, from Aberystwyth University. After graduation, she worked for a time as Art Therapist at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, before moving to England on marriage in 1981. She then became a freelance artist, working for commission and exhibitions while bringing up a daughter and son and specialised in pastel painting until the onset of neorological illness in 1993 prompted her to explore the wealth of possibilities stitch offers within art.

In 2006 Eileen returned to Wales and in 2009 went back to Aberystwyth University, where she obtained an MA in Fine Art and Art History and now goes on to study part-time for a PhD in Fine Art while taking part regularly in solo and group exhibitions.

Eileen is also thrilled to be the recipient of an Arts Council of Wales award to develop the music for a new project 'Vigil'. The complete work will be a multi-media installation and Eileen is delighted that the award has allowed her to employ professional musicians for the first time and work on the music with her son, Ed, now a musician and composer.

Colour, stitch, music and poetry all play major roles in Eileen's work, in which she offers the viewer images in which to contemplate possibilities beyond perceived reality, a place in which, simply, to be. She gains inspiration daily from the light and landscape of the beautiful mountain scenery around her home in Snowdonia and produces wall pieces, installations and artist's books, with work held in private collections in the UK and abroad. Wind of the spirit blows through all and informs all.

Contact Eileen

Telephone: 07538 365 881
Email: eileenharrisson1@gmail.com
Website: www.eileenharrisson.com
Blog: threadofthespirit.blogspot.co.uk