Drew Harrison is a practicing artist based in Adelaide, South Australia. His formal illustrative training has provided a solid background for his evolution into contemporary artist. Acrylic paint is Drew’s medium of choice and a material that he has adeptly mastered for creating a wide range of works.
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Drew Harrison is a practicing artist based in Adelaide, South Australia. His formal illustrative training has provided a solid background for his evolution into contemporary artist. Acrylic paint is Drew’s medium of choice and a material that he has adeptly mastered for creating a wide range of works.

Early projects in the field of illustration included several publications such as the children’s book A Horse and More. An interest in flight led to a successful period of detailed aviation painting and regular prizes in the Royal Australian Air Force Heritage Awards. These works have since become part of the Service’s permanent collection. With an eye for the vast Australian sky, his observational landscapes of the Adelaide Hills are a continued exploration of light, shade and vivid hues. Similarly, these traits are noticeable in Drew’s wildlife paintings whereby the very essence of a subject is often manipulated and twisted to a new level. He has found success in all of these fields as either a prize winner or finalist in national competitions. Public acclaim has also been achieved with people’s choice awards and highly commended paintings.

Colour, shape, form and texture remain strong hallmarks of his work, however these elements have recently been coupled with a unique and often satirical conceptualisation of 21st century living. In narrative based, expansive series such as Project Icarus and Chasing American Dreams darker themes have been explored using contemplative and realist subject matter and drawing on influence from pop art. Central to each work is an examination of humanity although this is often represented subliminally via mechanical and inanimate objects. This renewed focus and artistic cohesion will be further explored in future work.

Drew has exhibited in several group exhibitions and his paintings are represented in private collections. He also is an experienced art tutor.