Harriet Serenkin was born in New York City and grew up in Brooklyn, a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. Working as a college textbook editor, she worked for publishing companies for 12 years, then as a freelance technical writer and editor for about 35 years.
It was not until she turned 50 when she was forced to spend a lot of time in doctor’s offices and hospital waiting rooms, she began cutting images out of magazines – that was the beginning of becoming a serious artist. She took classes and created intricate collages. Eventually, she began experimenting with other materials and techniques. She cut pictures out of magazines, newspapers, junk mail, and any paper products she could find in her art practices. She constantly teaches herself new techniques, experiments with ways to work with different materials, and shares ideas with fellow artists. Many of my pieces come about serendipitously, trying one thing and ending up with something unexpected.