Location
I have lived in London most of my life, moving from Wokingham, Berkshire at the age of 17. Over the years I have more covered all points on the compass but strangely South London has been where I have lived the longest.
The work
I am slightly obsessed with capturing moments in my day, on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. I don't think a day has gone past when I have not captured a feeling, random shapes, colours, textures, moments that seduce or provoke me. Often we walk past much beauty and wonder, never looking higher than our eye-line. Intolerance comes in many different disguises which we often do not see nor perhaps are aware of as they have become the norm within our surroundings.
Artist's biography
I am a self taught freelance photographer. I left school at 16yrs going straight into Art college to then win a scholarship for a photographic BA course which I had to turn down in favour of getting a real job as the family I was living with, hated the Arts. I went on to become director, co-founder of an HIV/AIDS children, family support agency Body & Soul in 1994/5 until 2005 when I left to re-engage with my family who had moved to South Africa when I was 15.
On my return to the UK in 2006, I became close friends and worked with, now Lana del Ray's stylist, Johnny Blueeyes, who helped me regain my photographic mojo.
My collection of work has been varied to date which keeps me on my toes; from shooting production stills for feature films to then being involved in the creative mayhem of 'Behind the scenes' of London Fashion week, fills me with an unexplained excitement - I still have a lot to learn.
At times I feel I am living my life backwards with my student days being now. I have had the blessing of having three small exhibitions, the first being a collection of images of my experience visiting a children's charity, Shuktara in Kolkata at the Soho Theatre, London 2009; 'RISE UP -The House of Blueeyes' images from the past year of mayhem from 'The Blueeyes' collective at DIGITARIA, 60 Berwick Street, London 2009; WE DON'T OWN IT exhibition - A moment captured over 100 days from May to August, 2010 by 5 different artists working within different areas of the Arts at The Cottage, Laban, Creekside SE1
I would be lost without my iPhone and the images it allows me to create.
Links
Blog: http://www.harrowingp.blogspot.com
Instagram: Paula Harrowing
Twitter: @PaulaHarrowing
web http://www.paulaharrowing.com
