Mary Kent Harrison  - RBA NEAC
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1974 onwards

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A Christmas card made by Mary depicting the remote farmhouse deep in the Lancashire countryside that Mary and Kent moved to after Kent's retirement in 1974.

One summers day in the mid 1960's, whilst driving in Lancashire on holiday, Mary and Kent were looking for a place to have a picnic. They ventured up a rough and potholed farm track and by chance found this spot, which they chose for their picnic. A few days later, having fallen in love with the district, they went to see an estate agent in a small town nearby who had property for sale in the area.  Having explained what they wanted, the agent said he thought he might have just what they were looking for. He then proceeded to drive them to the very same locale, up the same potholed track, to the same farmhouse the view of which they had enjoyed so much on their picnic. It seemed they were destined for this abode, and the farmhouse, though in near derelict condition and with the roof partly missing, was very soon theirs.

The Farmhouse - 1975

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A view of Pendle Hill, Lancashire, with it's well known shape.

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Pendle, March

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Mary Kent Harrison - Roman Bridge, Zamora, Spain - 1976

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Mary Kent Harrison - Roman Bridge, Zamora, Spain - 1976
Photo image courtesy of Sulis Fine Art

An astonishingly beautiful landscape painting of rural Spain. Wonderful use of colour and composition. 

Our Village, Autumn, From Above - 1980

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'Our Village, Autumn, From Above - 1980'
Exhibited :
N.E.A.C., Abbot Hall, Kendall 1981
Pendle Heritage Centre 1981
 Sudbury School, 1981

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One of the writers favourite places in The Yorkshire Dales. The wild and lonely tree frames the distant farmhouse. The walls and farm track lead the eye in, and then over the distant hills to Whernside, one of the Three Peaks.


Sol del Rey - 1980

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Exhibited N.E.A.C., Mall Galleries, 1980


Mary and Kent visited Spain on many occasions after Kent's retirement. They explored throughout Spain but particularly liked the northern areas. Kent learnt Spanish and enjoyed fishing in the wild rivers. Far off the beaten track, they discovered the unspoilt rural Spain and Kent in particular grew to love it. One wonders if it has changed. Mary did many sketches and watercolours there, which were often used later as studies for oil paintings. 

circa 1975 

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Wonderful unspoilt rural scene. The grain stores typical of northern Spain built on stilts to deter vermin. Dramatic mountains in the background, and exciting, often wild rivers deep in the lush valleys.

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Puerto Pedras, Luengas - 1976

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Exhibited :
Vernon Gallery, Wimbledon.
Gallery One, Settle, 1976.
 Preston Polytechnic Arts Centre, 1979.
 Gawthorpe Hall, 1980

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Ancient Palace - Carmona, Northern Spain - 1975

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Ingleborough, from Cam Houses - 1976

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'Ingleborough, from Cam Houses' - 1976
Exhibited :
R.B.A. 1976.
Gallery One, Settle 1976.
Vernon Gallery, Preston, 1976.

Ingleborough, Penyghent and Great Whernside are the famous mountains known as the Three Peaks, views of which dominate the Yorkshire Dales countryside that Mary knew so well. The family, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, climbed these mountains and found many other beautiful walks in the area. This lonely place is a long way from Richmond in London and the River Thames that dominated so many of Mary's early landscapes. The light of a mild summers day illuminates the view. The dark walls lead through the rough heathland and into the distance. The sense of space and distance communicated with an airiness almost breathable. 

La Madrugada Pantano Del Ebro - 1980

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The Wall, Bowland Knotts - 1980

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Exhibited : Gawthorpe Hall, N.E.A.C. 1980. 
Sedberg School and Pendle Heritage Centre 1981


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On And On, Bowland Knotts - 1981

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'On And On, Bowland Knotts' - 1981

Exhibited : Pendle Heritage Centre, 1981
Sedbergh School, 1981
R.B.A., 1982

Downham, After School - 1981

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'Downham, After School - 1981'

 Mary depicted the conservation village of Downham, near Clitheroe, Lancashire many times. There are echoes here of some her early, highly populated paintings such as Richmond's Bridge.

Exhibited :
Pendle heritage Centre, 1981
Aldebergh, NEAC, 1981
N.E.A.C. 1982
Laing Competition, 1983 (chosen for inclusion in Laing calender)
N.E.A.C. (memorial) 1983



Downham Hall

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Water colour study for previous painting (Downham, After School)

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'Downham Hall' - Pastel - c1981

Loch Torridan - 1982

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Exhibited R.B.A.

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Cove, Wester Ross - 1970's

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Knowlmere - 1970's

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Bowland Hills

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'The Stockbridge colonies, Edinburgh', circa 1980

The Small Field Near Slaidburn

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'The Small Field Near Slaidburn'
This was Mary's 'favourite corner' and is the subject of many of her landscape paintings.

Newton In Bowland

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PictureFrezian Cow with Calf - 1981 Exhibited: Pendle Heritage Centre, Barrowford 1981

PictureSheep, Heather and Bracken. 1981 Exhibited : Pendle Heritage Centre - 1981

PictureTwins - 1982

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'Pennine Evening, November' - exhibited RBA

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December Afternoon, Pendle - 1982

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Exhibited :
King Street Galleries, 1983

Christmas Afternoon - 1983

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Mary Kent Harrison - 'Christmas Afternoon' - Oil paint on canvas - 1983
Exhibited : 
King Street Galleries, London. 1983
N.E.A.C. 1983

© Stephen Howard Harrison and the estate of Mary Kent Harrison. All rights reserved.