Harkrader's Urban series has been a popular series for collectors. This Urban canvas has a soft warm and cool palette with heavy textures. Movement provides a gentle action for the eye as gentle waves of architectural shapes flag in the composition. This movement and the restful areas that surround them sit atop fields of warm earth. This canvas was purchased by an architect for their private residence.

Harkader Featured On Empty Easel

Image Courtesy of Preas Collection:

Harkrader was featured on Empty Easel, the online art magazine. Article below by Lisa Orgler.

Harkrader is a mixed-media painter drawn to both philosophy and experimentation. In 2003 his life took a major shift when he transitioned to from strictly representational pieces into abstract art. Along with 17 other artists in a multi-studio environment, Harkrader began experimenting with a multitude of mediums and styles. Harkrader is known for working on several pieces at a time, both sculptural and 3D in nature. This multi-tasking approach allows him to research various techniques all at once, pushing the limits of his varied media. He especially enjoys examining the attributes of light, perspective, color, form, and movement. The painting below, from his Urban Series, captures all of these elements. Harkrader’s color choices and strong angular forms convey an industrial feeling, and gives a sense of depth. Movement is represented by sweeping curved lines. Read the complete article on the following link.

http://emptyeasel.com/2009/11/04/chico-harkrader-abstract-experimentation-in-paint-and-mixed-media/

If you like the paintings above, I highly encourage you to explore the rest of Harkrader’s work at http://www.harkraderx.com/

...Lisa Orgler

The title of this painting is due to an image that mysteriously appeared/discovered on the canvas face in the form of an incredible eye (s). This feature was discovered only after a viewer in Harkrader's Studio pointed it out. The eyes are best seen in person and the canvas must be turned in a verticle postion to appreciate this feature...Dark Skinned Angel

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!