Pixie O’Harris was the daughter of George Frederick and Rosetta Elizabeth (née Lucas). Her father was an artist who was chairman of the Royal Art Society Cardiff. The fifth of nine children she was educated at Sully village school and Allensbank Girl's School Wales. At age 14 she was a member of the South West Art Society.

The Harris family migrated to Australia in 1920 and settled in Perth before moving to Sydney the following year. It was while on the ship to Australia that she adopted the name ‘Pixie.’ Being referred to as ‘the Welsh pixie’ and not liking the name Rhona, she decided to use Pixie. A change in her surname followed after a printer at the Sydney Morning Herald added an apostrophe to her second initial.

During her career she contributed poems, stories and illustrations to many publications as well as illustrating the work of other authors. These included Frank Dalby Davison, Lydia Pender and Kenneth. On 16 July 1928, Pixie O'Harris married Bruce Pratt, editor of the Australian Encyclopaedia. At the time of the births of her three daughters, she found the hospitals cold and clinical and decided to paint fairy-style murals for children. Over 50 children's hospital wards, schools, day nurseries and baby clinics throughout New South Wales have been decorated with her work.

Events

1920

Fashion artist, Perth Western Australia

1924

Caricaturist for the Triad magazine

1925 - 1928

Artist

16 July 1928

Married: Bruce Pratt and had three children

1936 - 1939

Editress of Humour

1953

Awarded Queen's Coronation Medal

1 January 1976

Appointed to the Order of the British Empire - Member (Civil)

1977

Recipient of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal

1977

Patron of the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (Sydney)