Sarah EK Muse Digital Collage

Harkrader captures, with camera, Sarah EK Muse at her exhibit on Church Street, Roanoke, 2008. Muse specializes in metalwork with motifs of plant life, feminine symbolism and figurative elements. Muse founded SVMAG in 2004 for local metal artisans. Southwestern Virginia Metal Arts Guild provide opportunities for education, creativity and information among its members. Harkrader photographed Muse and her sculptural metalwork for this montage composition. He then superimposed multiple photographs into one digital collage using Photoshop. Three metal sculptured panel provide a visual horizontal path to the primary Muse portrait. The background of zoomed facial features provide depth. Anticipation blooms for the 'Spring Celebration and Kentucky Derby Party' hosted by Muse tomorrow, May 1, 2010. Yea!

Compositions Composition

The composition above has a very granular and textured surface that is embedded with sand, pumice, glass, plastic and fibers. 'Composition' from the Lyric series has very lyrical language. The shapes with fibers are instrument like, musical, an invitation to perform a stringed instrument. Antique sheet music and Greek text collage is embedded in addition to a 3 dimensional element of a black and white gently curved earpiece from a set of eyeglasses that compliment the flow. Other shapes within the composition mimic the bodies of instruments, a cross or crossroads, all surrounded by a heavily textured warm background of gray. 36x48 inches.

Triad Optical Illusion

Harkrader holds two juicy strokes of thick color in front of the red-orange and violet-blue canvases. : ). Not! Actually an optical illusion as staged by Harkrader and photographed by Fizer at Harkrader exhibit at Perspective Gallery in Virginia, 2007. The two canvases are two parts of a third (triptych) canvas that conveys the color theory (tertiary triad) titled 'Triad'. (40x90). Collection of the artist and photo courtesy of Fizer.

Artist Flat Le Marais Paris France

El and artist, Gerard Paire at Gerard's flat located in the Le Marais District of Paris, a major centre of the Paris Jewish community and home of the famous street; rue des Francs-Bourgeois. Harkrader and El's first meeting with Paire was in the Bastille neighborhood at le' Pause Cafe at 41 Charonne at hour 1800, May 2007. They settled into the Gerard's flat on Charonne for 9 days of art and adventure, wine and expresso, metro and movies and more than one bizarre incident on the metro and the streets. Harkrader's quote about travel and adventure, "If you voyage - phenomenon can occur and usually does."  Paire, international artist and gracious host whose work may be viewed at http://www.paire.com/Sommaire.html

Vento Floreale

Wind blown botanicals or 'Vento Floreale' 36x48. The action compositions of the 'Corolla' abstract floral series continue with the completion of the canvas above. A garden of wind blown erotica; pedals, anthers, stigma, style, ovary and eggs may be analogous to the feminine and it's complement, the masculine / or the Mars-Venus. Minimum collage and embedded fibers on the left vertical and the wandering mimicry of the floral motifs by the same gauge black fiber that meander around add a gentle action to the center composition.

Early Harkrader

A collector friend of Harkrader who owns this early (1987) Harkrader oil on canvas and has been in their possession since 1999 ask the artist to store this bizarre painting in his studio due to moving. The artist admitted it was interesting to reacquaint himself with this early work. The artist's vision of 'Children of the Dust' (48x36) became enhanced as he lives with it again in the studio. "To revisit early work can be impressive, distressing and even discouraging, but this painting now seems most important". Harkrader remembers self-modeling for this composition. He lay on the floor in his upstairs studio at 312. Sketches were made in charcoal-pencil on newsprint and are still in his possession. Many canvases can be a struggle, but Harkrader remembers how painless this painting came to life (or death). The indisputable struggle lies within the imagery! "Human kind is either being born, re-born, dying or re-dying", says Harkrader.

Rothko on Steriods

Aaron Gallery at Washington, DC's Dupont Circle host Harkrader exhibit and the artist talks with Washington, DC collectors who purchased the Red Onyx panel above. Canvases in the 'Onyx' series explore language in Rothko compositions. "Rothko on steriods", as one viewer described Harkrader's Onyx paintings. These paintings are heavily textured with thick paint, pumice, lava flake, sand and glass beads; embedded with erotic photo collage, laced with copper wire and in some cases, dissected to the internal and/or host external 3D attachments.

Atelier

Harkrader and El spend a week in 2007 with Italian artist Annina di Oronzo's atelier on via del beato angelico in the historic center of Rome. A meeting site of eclectic minds...and Annina's home, studiovo atelier provides workshop, studio and accommodation for traveling artists. A visual and performance installation artist, Annina's work takes her from Rome to Berlin and elsewhere. Harkrader's guitar and backpack are foreground-left.
http://www.studiovo.net/sensitive.html
http://www.interactv.it/default.asp?content=%2Fchannels%2F3%2F25%2Fstream.asp

Knock knock. Anybody home?

Series From Life

This 9"x12" ink and watercolor from the Harkrader 'Life' series (011008) was spontaneously executed from a 10 minute pose by two female models. A modeling and painting session is hosted on a local campus and organized privately by MB who manages the weekly sittings. Above painting is sold, but there are a omnibus of others available.

Word 200 Evolved From European Travels

This 'Word 200' Harkrader canvas evolved from bits and pieces of acquired Eastern and Western Europe. Collages include Greek text, European currency, fiber and other memorabilia. A canvas in which the 'white' floats above the earthy excavation like shapes below. White can represent purity and freedom, but also provide contrast to the surrounding colors of black and color. All the colors on this canvas seem to absorb as opposed to reflect. This canvas resides in the Harkrader collection and may be available. (Sold:Michael&Ellen@Naples)

Endorphins, Euphoria & Eye Candy: A Quest for Beauty

Harkrader arranged this composition in the northwestern fishing village of Vernazza, Italy (2007). The inexpensive guitar and wine from Rome provide high value for releasing the pleasure seeking endorphins, especially when placed in proximity of the Mediterranean Sea and the lovely seaside bedroom provided by Lillie. This quest for euphoria continue to provide inspiration for many of Harkrader's canvases as he and Ellen's 'lust for life' beckon.
http://www.carnets-de-voyages.fr/public/Italie/vernazza2.jpg

Sculpture of Crucifixion

Harkrader's sculpture, 'Crucifixion', is mounted to copper tubing wrapped with copper wire which then terminates on one end of each palm of the Christ. The copper tubes are mounted onto the face of a stainless steel automotive transmission 'brain plate'. The Christ has been tinted with a bronzing effect and adorned with a loin cloth of cotton secured with fiber and wire that is embellished with beading. Cadmium red was applied to the palms for blood