Harriet “Hattie” Brealey
West Darling Arts
Hattie Brealey is a multidisciplinary artist from Broken Hill/ Wilyakali land and currently lives, works and studies in Sydney/ Eora. Her material practice spans printmaking, drawing, illustration, digital art and painting.
Hattie’s practice is centred around the average or unideal human body and an appreciation for the mundane and unappealing aspects of life and the lived experience with a focus on identity. She has worked in artist’s assistant roles freelance as well as through her role as a casual educator at the reuse centre Reverse Garbage where she has assisted a number of artists in arts festivals and workshops.
Hattie also volunteers in her job to create examples and guides for children’s craft workshops as well as displays and decorations for the retail warehouseComix. Hattie is currently studying at the National Art School and will graduate with a BFA in 2024.
Links
Netizens Series
Artwork description
Baileigh, 2024, Copper etching
Bea, 2024, Copper etching
Doppio, 2024, Copper etching
Artist Statement
‘Netizens’ is a series of 14 10×12 copper plate etchings on paper depicting the cropped lower faces of 14 internet strangers who volunteered to be subjects of the series. The work is an archive of time, place, and community, intended to capture and preserve a brief moment in online art community youth culture, and both the permanence and impermanence of internet social spheres. The term ‘Netizens’ refers to a person who is actively involved with the internet or online communities, a portmanteau of the words ‘internet’ and ‘citizens.’ Each plate was hand etched into hard ground and aquatinted. The series is the latest of many I have produced over the last few years of cropped faces, and was developed for my BFA major work. I have a keen interest in the mouth as the part of the face that I believe holds the most uniqueness and identity for each person.