I'm intense and so is my art: bright colors, bold designs, clean lines that energize and add interest to any space. I layer oil paint and cold wax as thick as frosting on a cake. My many years in Africa shows up in my work: no fear, vibrant energy, rhythmic calm.
I'm an artist, but not only an artist!
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Hi Reader, I've been focusing on art since 2020 and loving it. I've learned lots of skills and especially how to fight the inner battles and believe in myself. I've kept my communication linked to my artwork, which meant leaving out big parts of my life. That didn't feel quite right. I am an artist but not only an artist! I’ve lived cross-culturally for decades, learned language and culture, helped translate the Bible into local languages and then helped people engage with it. I was one of the main architects of a large international trauma healing program. I’ve written books, developed courses, and presented at conferences. I'm a grandma, gardener and wanna-be chef. I wake up every morning to a fresh flow of new ideas. In 2024, I published The Happiness Factor: Art, Food and Stories from Around the World. It juxtaposed stories from my life with my paintings. These weren't necessarily stories about the paintings, just stories from my life. And some people liked my stories as much (or more than) my art. African theologian Kwame Bediako talked about integrity as bringing all the parts of your life together into a whole. For many Africans, that involves the traditional and modern parts of their lives. For me, it's integrating all the parts of me: artist, writer, world citizen, woman with a story to tell. Scrolling on Instagram one night, Jun Yuh's Story-Telling Challenge caught my eye. It's just what I needed: telling stories from my whole life, not just the art part. I'm in the middle of a 21-day intensive course doing story-telling on social media. I'm learning tons and for the first time in my life, the techie stuff is fun. What's the outcome? Click on the buttons below on Facebook (@HarrietHill) or Instagram (@HarrietsStoires) to see! I feel so energized to have found this course just when I was ready for the next step in this never-ending adventure called life. Stay tuned!
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Harriet's Paintings
I'm intense and so is my art: bright colors, bold designs, clean lines that energize and add interest to any space. I layer oil paint and cold wax as thick as frosting on a cake. My many years in Africa shows up in my work: no fear, vibrant energy, rhythmic calm.
Hi Reader, You might have a copy of The Happiness Factor, which combines my love of art, food, and story-telling. The eating adventures continue! This year in Kenya on safari (an actual physical safari, not an internet browser), I was served Tomato Orange Soup. You heard it: tomatoes and oranges. It was an amazing flavor like nothing I'd tasted before. The Happiness Factor: food, art and stories from around the world I forgot all about it until my tomato plants began producing. Lots and lots...
Hi Reader, I've lost count of the people who admire the color in my paintings and quickly add, "but I could never put that in my house!" My work stands out as the brightest and boldest in any show. Try as I might, I can't tone it down. This is me. On the margins of American culture once again. I've often wondered: do I love bright bold colors so much because I lived in Africa, or do I love Africa because it's not afraid of color? (I hasten to add that I look like a wall flower compared to...
Hi Reader, I was in the gallery last week, and noticed a tiny correction I could make to "Square Patch," so I brought it home with very modest intentions. I should know better. Every time I do this, I end up pretty much repainting the whole piece. Pre-risk-taking Post risk-taking Truth be told, I had intended to carve into "Square Patch." I had put down a contrastive layer of paint underneath. But once I got the paint thick and smooth, I liked it so much I didn't dare. With the wind in my...