Michael Henry Harrison: An Artist’s Life’ exhibition

It’s a story of an extraordinary artist that has been waiting to be written for more than 40 years. And, like any engaging narrative, it is one of love, courage, adventure and legacy, yet clothed with sadness.

Since 1983, when her late husband Michael died age 35, Pink Harrison knew that one day she would hold a retrospective exhibition to celebrate his talent and artistic skill. Yet, what is even more special is the fact her husband of almost 40 years, Alistair Jack, encouraged her to do it.

An Artist’s Life, is the name of the book that Pink has written to run a thread of narrative alongside the images. And the book supports Michael’s oils and watercolour paintings on show at Broadway Museum & Art Gallery from June 6-15, during museum open hours.

Michael Henry Harrison at workFor years many have heard about the Broadway Colony, a group of creatives who lived, visited or worked in Broadway between 1870 and 1920, such as William Morris, Francis D Millet, Henry James and John Singer Sargent who was a great personal inspiration to Michael from an early age. But now is the time to introduce Broadway to another son, Michael Henry Harrison, who was born at Great Brockhampton Farm, Snowshill, in 1948, and died here, 35 years later.

Michael’s exhibition (and book) not only shows his natural skill for form, colour and composition, but it captures the personality of someone who enjoyed being in the moment, grabbing life with both hands and immersing himself in the place he was in, be it Italy or the Cotswold countryside he knew as home.

‘I have taken this opportunity to file some high-resolution copies of his work to make limited-edition prints,’ explains Pink, ‘so I could introduce his work to a wider audience. This wasn’t possible during his lifetime as we didn’t have the advantage of technology and social media to help promote his work.

‘La Salute, Venice’, by Michael Henry Harrison ‘With the timing of the launch of the book, we are now able to not only look back on his work and life, but also ensure his future legacy by promoting his work to a new and greater audience.’

As Pink was so intertwined with Michael’s story, and he is the reason she has been painting for the past four decades, it has meant being vulnerable and sharing memories and paintings she has kept to herself for so long. I had the privilege of seeing his glorious masterpieces in the lounge of her home – a converted silk mill she grew up in with her three siblings.

‘I met Michael when I was fresh out of ballet boarding school, age 16. He was on a rugby field. I was watching my brother play rugby and I noticed Michael’s very long brown legs. He had just come back from California. I spotted him and, apparently, he spotted me on the touch line and told my brother, “I have to meet her”,’ recalls Pink.

Pink Harrison in front of Michael’s painting, ‘La Salute, Venice’. Photo: Tracy Spiers Michael was 22 and was working on his family’s farm with his father and brother, Tim.

‘His life was very much the countryside. He had this precocious talent from a young age and could just paint animals and sketch them so accurately with just a few marks.

‘After we met, he started selling the odd painting. We took off to the Scilly Isles together just to see if he could make a living out of art. We went with literally nothing, which was daring and a bit shocking for my family. That was his turning point; from then on, he became an artist,’ adds Pink.

Self-portrait of Michael Henry Harrison, oil on canvas ‘We were staying on Bryher, a small, rugged island. When we were short of money, Michael would go across to the main island and sit in the harbour and paint his watercolours. He was quite the showman and as he was painting, people would get intrigued. He would often come back with an empty portfolio as he had sold all his paintings, but with money in his pocket. It proved that he could make it work.’

When they came back, Michael started showing his work in small exhibitions and people got to know of him and commissioned him. The couple got married in 1973 when Pink was 19 and Michael was 26.

Pink’s own career path took a turn. She gave up ballet and spent a season with the National Youth Theatre. But her own path changed when Michael encouraged her to paint, and taught her to develop her watercolour technique and become the artist she is today. (Some of her Cotswold prints are on sale in Broadway Museum shop and on show in a running exhibition at Broadway Deli, with her studio open by appointment.)

Portrait of Pink by Michael Henry Harrison, oil on canvas ‘In 1976, Michael’s brother Paul was working in Rome, and he invited us for a weekend and gave us a couple of plane tickets,’ she says. ‘We just took an overnight bag and when we got there, we immediately met all these incredible creative people, artists and actors from a rich array of backgrounds, and were encouraged to stay a bit longer… and we just didn’t ever have a plan to come back.

‘We eventually rented our own apartment not far from the Colosseum, which was heavenly. While Michael painted, I worked for some fashion magazines and television commercials.’

People loved Michael’s work, and he gained commission after commission – some of which are in his retrospective exhibition. He was also approached by a group of ladies who needed a painting instructor as they had recently lost their teacher. He showed them fresh skills by demonstration.

Lygon Arms, Broadway. Watercolour by Pink Harrison ‘We went to Venice with them several times. You could just pitch up somewhere and paint in those days without being trodden on. At this point I was beginning to paint. I watched and became drawn in. Michael would be sitting painting, so I would do the same; it went from there with his encouragement, and during his next exhibition he included a few of my paintings which sold,’ says Pink.

‘Before Michael died, he was adamant that I had it in me to be an artist, but I’d have to work at it and plan an exhibition. So, I kept painting. It made me feel close to him and helped me navigate the grief,’ she admits.

Close friends scooped her up and encouraged her to go travelling with them after Michael died and, a year later, Pink had her first solo exhibition at the Dormy House, Broadway – the first of many.

‘Reflection, Venice Lido’ by Michael Henry Harrison Fast forward 43 years, and she is finally showcasing Michael’s work and legacy as she always planned to, with the support of Alistair, her husband of 39 years.

‘It was Alistair who encouraged me. It shows the enormous generosity of heart. We lived in Scotland for 13 years and when we returned to Broadway, he said that it was about time I did this. That was 22 years ago! What triggered it was last year, when three of those ladies who Michael taught in Italy – who are now in their 90s – sent me back his paintings as they felt I should have them. So, I had no excuse. And as soon as the book is printed, I will be sending one to each of them in the post to show I have done what I said I would,’ says Pink, who has put her own painting on hold to curate the book and exhibition, helped by her nephew and Michael’s godson, Ben Harrison.

During his short life, Michael’s paintings were exhibited at the Royal Watercolour Society and Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours open exhibitions, and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, in galleries in London and Rome, as well as here in the Cotswolds, where he has a large following. His paintings are in collections worldwide.

Michael with Pink Borrowing back paintings from private collections near and far has not been an easy task. In her studio next to her home, where Pink’s mother once had a pottery studio and fired her ceramic pots, are drawers full of Michael’s sketches which he used as visual notes to refer to when needed. Although often, he did not need to.

‘His memory was extraordinary. He was ill for the last three or four years of his life. It’s why we came back from Rome. They couldn’t find out what was wrong. When they diagnosed Hodgkin’s lymphoma, he needed ongoing treatment and, although we went to Rome when we could, we did not make it back to live there,’ recalls Pink.

‘We clung to our threads there. He could work from memory, and when we were back in England feeling rough, he would go and do a watercolour. Out of his head would spill wonderful visions of Venice; he could see it all. He could transport himself there and put it down on paper without anything in front of him. He had an incredible gift. He could draw on happy memories when he was very ill and translate them into something beautiful.’

So, now Michael’s life and work is being publicly honoured after all this time, how does Pink feel?

‘At first my focus was solely on the retrospective exhibition, but the book took me by surprise – I’ve become totally immersed in it, and I’m so excited. For so long I’ve felt a deep responsibility to honour Michael’s memory more widely, and now I finally am. In the beginning, it was difficult to share because our story and our life together was so private. But I knew to truly do this for Michael, I had to tell our story. This is something I needed to do,’ she says.

‘Michael was so extraordinary with his talent. In the 43 years since, I have been striving to become a better painter, yet he was still way ahead of me. He needs to be seen, and I feel the book is his legacy that can go far afield and fly so everyone can now see his beautiful work. In my book, I hope, I am expressing the joy and sharing the beauty of what he left behind.’

The book launch of ‘An Artist’s Life’, and retrospective exhibition of Michael Henry Harrison takes place June 6-15 at Broadway Museum and Art Gallery. Once published, the book will be available from Pink’s website with an opportunity to pre-order softback and hardback limited-edition copies as well as limited-edition prints of Michael’s paintings.

pinkharrison.co.uk; broadwaymuseum.org.uk