'Red Onyx VI' resides in the District of Columbia

Detail of Red Onyx VI exhibits approximately a 9x12 inch area at the bottom center section of the canvas face. The actual canvas size is 60"x48". This collage of figures living within the composition is minimal compared to the large red shape that lives above this selection and they give the canvas an erotic tilt. Harkrader's 'Onyx' series is homage to Rothko in the use of a large rectangle located below or above a smaller rectangle as seen in Rothko's fluid color washes on raw canvas. The difference is Harkrader has embellished his canvases to include embedded elements living above, below and beside the rectangles. Deeply embedded collage, fibers, copper, pumice, sand, coal, glass and other media occupy this complex composition described by one viewer as 'Rothko on steroids'. This canvas was sold by Aaron Gallery in Washington, DC to a neighborhood collector.

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.

Let it Snow!

Today it snowed...& snowed! Peace! Peaceful!

The image above is one of the three canvases sold as noted in the previous post. This black & white with red circle on a blue background canvas is also from the 'Onyx' series (Rothko on steriods). A canvas of heavy textures including coal, pumice, sand, collage, copper and paint. an electrical box located in the lower right section of the canvas opening is 3D. The box is filled with alpha-numeric characters threaded on copper wire and the box is capped with clear 1/8 acrylic plastic. Harkrader worked on an original small watercolor (historical home) that was a part of a bartering arrangement for a unique situation.

Onyx paintings sold today

Harkrader's art agent from Lancaster Pennsylvania bought three paintings today from the 'Onyx' series. These three canvases all have incredible 3D elements embedded in, on, behind and through the canvas face. One such section (detail) is seen above from the canvas titled 'Sardonyx'. The total canvas size is 40"x30". The canvas has two primary Rothko type shapes of black and white on a light blue-grey background. A calculator is embedded into thick layers of emulsion laced with coal and pumice in it's black surface. This canvas was created in 2005 while Harkrader was working at Studios on the Square and ironically the calculator is 'still working'. A total for 2000x3 was calculated to check it's accuracy. Around the perimeter of the canvas face lie an embedded figure of a nude female torso, raised alph-numberic text, other collage elements, one white shape is laced with fine copper wire and the entire canvas is deeply textural with the coal and pumice mediums. The 'Onyx' series are masculine according to some viewers. If so, this may be one of the most masculine. Adjectives may include strong, bold, black, rough, deep, textured, excavated, etc. A circle of light gray pumice-texture form a connection between the white and black Rothko shapes. Overall the work is like Rothko on steriods. Would you like one for your collection? There are others!