Kirsten initially trained as painter in the early 80's at Bretton Hall College in Yorkshire, under the tutelage of David Hill the Turner expert. In the early 90's she spent a year in Hiroshima, Japan, where she studied the exacting art of Japanese brush painting. Her paintings combine her interest in anatomy and movement, freedom and form and her Alexander Technique practice and Art practice form the main core of her life. A keen equestrian herself, Kirsten initiated the hugely successful Zimbabwe Horse Rescue Fund in 2003.

Kirsten works mainly in oil paint and her paintings have show expressive and bold use of paint. Combining an interest in the exactitudes of drawing with the freedom and flow of paint, she combines abstract and figurative techniques in the same painting to produce her colourful and vibrant style.

She has travelled extensively in Southern Africa on safari in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. She workied for 6 months at Imire Game Reserve in Zimbabwe where she came into close contact with the wild animals which fromed the subject of a series of large expressive paintings.

"About fifteen years ago, I met a painter and shaman in Zimbabwe. The boss lady at the safari camp I was working at showed him the sketches I was doing of the animals. He gave me two pieces of advice that transformed me overnight to a selling artist. The advice was this - finish every artwork you start, even if it is not your best painting or drawing - finish it, resolve the problem you have set yourself,  because you will learn something. Commit to each painting. The second thing he said was, the life is in the eyes. Get the eyes right and you can do anything with the paint. It was in this last advice that my style was born. I love being meticulous and accurate, but also being free with paint, splashing it about, making a mess! Painting the African bush has been the perfect vehicle for combining abstract expressionisim with fine art techniques. I am also interested in trying to capture movement, speeding cheetahs, galloping horses, waves - again using the flow of paint to express flow in an image."

Kirsten Harris has been studying the Alexander Technique for the past 20 years and is a member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (MSTAT), qualifying as a teacher in 1995 under the tuition of the late Don Burton at the Fellside Alexander School in Cumbria. She specialises in teaching Alexander Technique to horse riders, musicians and actors as well as working with people with back ache and postural problems.

Based in rural Scotland, Kirsten teaches talented youngsters at the Edinburgh School of Music and students taking the 3 year acting degree at Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh. Equestrian groups that she has taught include the Irish Para Olympic Equestrian team. She has regularly worked at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary teaching Alexander Technique to staff members at the Holistic Health Centre.

2010 the launch of Bush Tales by Matthew Jameson, the new musical and literary spectacular for children and adults featuring Kirsten’s paintings.

Published 3CDs on the Alexander Technique: Breathe, Body Magic and Walking With Your Horse

www.springpublishing.com

 

Charity Exhibitions:

  • Bottle Top Charity, Charlton House, Somerset
  • Booby Birds – Breast Cancer Exhibition, Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow

 

Solo Shows

  • Artist in Residence Perth Racecourse 2006 – 2010
  • Pheonix 369 Gallery, Dundas Street, Edinburgh
  • Atrium Gallery, St Andrews Old Course Hotel, Dunhill International
  • Launch of Jaguar XJ, Borders, Scotland
  • The Old Fish Shed Gallery, Pittenweem Arts Festival
  • Seascapes Exhibition, Lauries Bar, Edinburgh
  • African Rythms Exhibition, The Grass Roof House, Edinburg

 

Group Shows

  • Scottish Wildlife Exhibition, Kimblethmont Gallery, Arbroath
  • Christos Gallery, Glasgow
  • Pink Gallery, Helensburgh
  • Riverside Gallery, Inverness
  • Tartan Gallery, Edinburgh
  • Mappin and Webb, Old Course, St Andrews
  • Tartan Gallery, Edinburgh Art Fair
  • 7 Exhibtion, The Barn, Wedmore, Somerset.
  • Dancing Light Gallery, Lothian