I asked Henrietta Harris a few questions...

 

I interviewed Henrietta Harris for Design Assembly a couple of months ago and I forgot to tell you about it. Oops. Here it is...

Henrietta Harris is a career artist and illustrator who makes posters, CD artwork, editorial art and plenty more great stuff, for companies including Flying Nun Records, Barker’s, Ruby, Vice Magazine…and others with great taste. Henrietta steers clear of computers in her work, instead producing most of her portraits (including the recent one of Piri Weepu who “looks like a toddler with a beard”) in watercolour and gouache.

Tell us the story of how you came to be a career artist…

I think it started with making friends who put on shows, and I was asked to make gig posters which opened a lot of doors. There isn’t really a story, I just worked really hard to get better and it snowballed. I’d kept sketchbooks my whole life, one day it dawned on me maybe I could do it seriously.

How has your style evolved over the years?

To me it is still pretty consistent, I’ve just got technically better and taught myself how to use watercolour paint properly. Maybe I don’t, who knows. I spend more time on each painting than I used to. 

You don’t get to where you are just by luck. There’s gotta be hard slog and fortitude involved, right? So… what have been your biggest challenges or frustrations?
NZ still has a great attitude towards creatives, where I still get emails every few weeks saying “I can’t pay you but…” I guess that is my biggest frustration. I need to eat and pay my rent too! No one questions paying printing companies, the place where you get your morning coffee etc. I am extremely willing to negotiate payment, I don’t think people realise that- it’s not as if I charge $400 an hour. (This doesn’t include charity work etc. obviously! Also totally open to trading.)
Here are two great links to check out: Does Mr. Bingo Work for Free? | Should I Work for Free?

 

Do you have a guiding philosophy for your working life?
Never stop working, even if you have nothing on. Never stop researching. Inspiration can hit at anytime. These are the same answers every artist seems to give but they’re true, I think!

OK…Favourite piece of work you have done and why?
This changes daily. Maybe the girl with her mouth open on the orange background? Because I captured that shit.

 

Name an artist or designer you admire, and why?
I admire artists and designers who are prolific and ever-evolving. I am just going to write a list!
Thomas Campbell
Sam Weber
Jillian Tamaki
Ward Zwart
Jim Houser
Oliver Jeffers
Matthew Stone
James Jean
Hedi Slimane
Andrew Hem
Holly Wales
Gavin Hurley
Samantha Mitchell

What is your dream for your career – where would you like to take it?
I would like to have a solo show overseas somewhere more than anything. Not even that picky about the place. New York would be nice though.

What are you working on right now (piece of work or a show, etc)?
I’m trying to suss a show with Sam Montgomery probably for next year, I’ve just finished up on Flying Nun compilation artwork/logo/beer bottle label for their 30th anniversary (which is happening now), about to do some editorial work I can’t talk about, I’m selling a bunch of prints of Piri Weepu as a RWC keepsake, and I’m about to start a painting of a boy with a mountain on his head.

See more of Henrietta’s work at her website www.scaredycat.co.nz or Tumblr www.14isarbitrary.tumblr.com