Brita Housez was born in Germany and grew up in France and Montreal. After graduation from Acadia University, Brita moved to Grenoble, France to pursue graduate studies, and ultimately resided there for several years. Upon returning to Canada she worked as a communications consultant for a public relations firm and, upon moving to St. Catharines over 20 years ago, began what have become long-term interests in food and nutrition, and painting and design.

The former interest led to the publication of three cook books beginning with the national bestseller Tofu Mania. This was followed by The Soy Dessert and Baking Book and Pleasures Pure and Simple, an all-purpose cook book.

In pursuance of her art, Brita's painting style has evolved from realistic nature scenes to unique impressionistic and abstract designs. Her current creations, primarily in acrylics, are characterized by vibrant colours and multi-layers of paint which give her paintings depth and a richly textured look. While every painting is a 'one-of-a-kind' piece of art, many express a social message or convey a basic human emotion.

In another direction, Brita has used these same artistic techniques to paint a distinctive line of glass-protected tabletops that can be displayed as functional furniture or as more traditional wall hangings.