Throwback: Harkrader Transportation History

'36 P2 Touring Sedan

'59 190SL

Austin Sprite

'47 Teardrop

'48 Pan-head

'58 Hot Wheels

 

Throwback 70s & 48 Panhead

 Throwback 70s w/ Hark-Hair

1948 Harley Davidson 'Pan-head'

Customized & Purchased from James Simmons.

Using two original still photos (by Siegie),

and one original-enhanced photo of his chopper,

Harkrader used Meta A.I. to animate the

original images and edited all using FCPX

Max Mitchell @ Alexander Heath Contemporay

Nan Mahone Wellborn, Ellen Harkrader & Jos

@ Max Mitchell Solo Exhibition 2026

Alexander/Heath Contemporary

https://maxmitchell.art/

Max Mitchell and guests @

Alexander Heath Contemporary

https://maxmitchell.art/

Max & Hark 2025

 

Suzi Gablik _ The Harkrader Collection

Suzi Gablik Dining Alter

The Suzi Gablik-Harkrader Archive

Personal Collection was accepted and

delivered, February 24, 2026, to the

Black Mountain College Museum &

Art Center, Asheville, North Carolina

Justification Framework

Introduction:

This archive collection represents another ‘slice of life’ of the world and work of Suzi Gablik while living in Blacksburg Virginia. Suzi Gablik (1934-2022), a pivotal American artist, author, and art critic whose influential writings, particularly “Has Modernism Failed?”, challenged the trajectory of the art world in the late 20th century. While the Smithsonian Institution's Archives of American Art holds Suzi Gablik’s official papers, this modest private collection is unique and important, as well . It offers an undocumented and personal view of Gablik that is not available elsewhere, assembled not by an institution, but by a close and trusted friends, Chico and Ellen Harkrader. 

Valuation based on the following key points:

1. Unique Intimacy and Rarity:

Some materials in this Chico & Ellen Harkrader collection are one-of-a-kind. 

They include:

a) Personal Correspondence: Greeting cards and emails from Suzi Gablik that reveal additional thoughts, voice, and personal relationship with Chico & Ellen Harkrader in an informal way.

b) Photographic, Audio, and Video Material: This includes personal photos of Suzi Gablik and, notably, video and photo documentation of her home interior. These images provide additional access to her private world, offering scholars and enthusiasts a tangible sense of her personal aesthetic and environment.

c) Unique Provenance: The Chico & Ellen Harkrader collection’s origin, from close and trusted friends, provides an additional layer of authenticity and personal respect. A record of a deep friendship, offering a few insights that a professional archive might miss.

2. Unique and Undocumented Scholarly Value:

This archive contains some source material that is unique, the personal notes on two areas:

a) Suzi Gablik's Early History: These brief notes offers additional personal perspective on Suzi’s formative years, providing additional detail and color that may add to her official papers.

b) Suzi Gablik's Salon: The Harkrader’s collection includes documentation of Gablik's influential "Salon." These gatherings were central to her role as a connector and thought leader. These notes represent a singular and invaluable resource for understanding the intellectual and social circles that Suzi cultivated, providing more information for art historians to explore.

3. A Holistic Portrait of a Major Art Figure:

Unlike institutional archives that often focus on professional output, this collection provides another view of Suzi Gablik as both a public intellectual and a private individual. The combination of personal ephemera, candid documentation, and scholarly observation creates a uniquely holistic portrait. It bridges the gap between the revered author of *The Reenchantment of Art* and the woman who lived and breathed her ideas.

4. Valued at $5,000 USD

Conclusion:

This archive is more than a collection of items; it is a preserved relationship that offers an intimate perspective on one of the most important art critics of her generation. Its value lies in its uniqueness and personal context. For any institution dedicated to the study of American art history and criticism, this collection is not merely an addition but an acquisition to provide a complete picture of Suzi Gablik's life and legacy.

Gary (Chico) Harkrader

Ellen Harkrader, Suzi Gablik, Bill Saari / 2011

   Black Mountain College Museum & Art Center 2/24/26

Indianos Gablik Harkrader

Suzi's Birthday party @ Deer Run

Suzi's Birthday Party @ Deer Run

Mountain Lake Drawings from Life by Harkrader

 Mountain Lake Drawings from Life by Harkrader

 Valuation Framework

This valuation reflects archival collection standards rather than

single-work retail pricing. The price considers:

• Historical documentation value

• Scholarly citation and publication recognition

• Rarity and irreplaceability

• Museum usability (exhibition, research, publication potential)

• Institutional comparables for similar documentary art archives

Scholarly Recognition Premium

The collection carries documented scholarly validation, including:

• Formal analysis in a University of Virginia Press publication (2018)
• Section of 1st Chapter dedicated to the artist’s drawings from life
• Connection to nationally significant art figures
• (Cage, Thiebaud, Sonnier, Gablik, Kuspit, etc.)

Published recognition elevates institutional

acquisition value, placing this collection

above typical emerging or regional artist pricing tiers

Rarity and Irreplaceability

This archive is a one-of-a-kind, first-person visual record

of the Mountain Lake Symposiums—

no comparable on-site drawing archive exists documenting these events.

Institutional Benefit

For a single acquisition, the museum receives:

• Exhibition-ready works

• A complete research archive

• Published scholarly validation

• High educational and programming potential

• A regionally significant yet nationally connected collection

The price reflects a strong cost-to-impact ratio relative to contemporary museum acquisitions.

Redemption: Phase IV

 Redemption: Phase IV

No A.I. here...

Using digital imaging software, Harkrader

layered four images he photographed in

Krakow, Poland / Sorrento, Italy

Paris, Francis / Pompeii, Italy.

(Not A.I. generated)

Fire & Ice

 Fire & Ice

An A.I. generated output created

by Harkrader using his original painting

of his dog, Brother.

Neighbors: Now at Montgomery Museum of Art & History

 Neighbors / Oil on Canvas / 18" x 24"

Harkrader's 'Neighbors' canvas now resides

at the Montgomery Museum of Art & History

A portrait of Harkrader's dog "Brother Dog"

that he brought from Alaska and a neighbor child.