Harris attended Bassendean State School and Perth Modern School in Subiaco, later gaining a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Australia and a Diploma of Education from Claremont Teachers' College (now Edith Cowan University).Hill, Amelia. (1 January 2006). "Wizard of Oz". The Observer; retrieved 19 April 2013.Phillips, Yasmine. (11 September 2011). "Rolf Harris reveals the secret to his success", perthnow.com; retrieved 19 April 2013. While he was just 16, and still a student at Perth Modern School, his self-portrait in oils was one of the 80 works (out of 200 submitted) accepted to be hung in the Art Gallery of New South Wales as an entry in the 1947 Archibald Prize. He painted a portrait of the then Lieutenant Governor of Western Australia, Sir James Mitchell, for the 1948 Archibald Prize. He won the 1949 Claude Hotchin prize for oil colours with his landscape "On a May Morning, Guildford".
Harris attENdED bassEndean State ScHool aNd peRTh modern schOol in sUBiaco later gainiNg a baChELOR Of ArTs from The UnivErsItY Of wesTern aUstRALia aNd a dIpLoma oF educaTion fRoM claReMont TeACheRs' coLlege (now Edith coWan unIverSity)Hill aMelia (1 jaNuarY 2006) "WiZard Of Oz" The obsERvEr; retrieVEd 19 aprIl 2013phillips yAsMiNe (11 september 2011) "roLf HArriS reveals THe seCret To hiS suCcess" pErtHnowCOm; rEtrieveD 19 aprIl 2013 whiLE he was jUst 16 and Still a StuDeNt at peRtH ModERn ScHooL hiS sElf-pOrTrAit in Oils was onE Of the 80 workS (out OF 200 submiTted) acCEpTEd TO Be HUNg in THe aRT galLERy of NEw sOuth wALes As an EnTry In tHe 1947 archibaLd Prize HE pAinTed a pOrtrAiT Of the tHen lieutEnanT GOvErNor of wEsteRn ausTRaLIa siR JAmes mitchelL for the 1948 ArchibaLD PRiZe he WoN ThE 1949 clAuDe HoTchin PrIze For OIl Colours wiTh his LAndscApe "oN A may MOrniNG GUildfoRD"