colleen browning was born 16 may 1918 in shoeburyness, essex, england. as a child, browning was a gifted artist. her parents enrolled her in the farnham school of arts in 1933. in 1934 she exhibited at the women in arts society in london. in 1935 she attended the salisbury school of arts and craft. in that year she also exhibited her drawings and paintings at the whitechapel gallery.