Hardtman Art Exhibit - Manhattan - April 10th

Please join me at Creative Bubble’s Second Acts Exhibition as I exhibit my newest series of graphite and mixed media drawings.



The opening reception will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at Creative Bubble.

LOCATION: 79 Fifth Avenue (between 15th and 16th Streets), Fourteenth Floor, New York, NY

TIME: 6PM – 9PM

RSVP link: http://www.creativebubble.com/secondacts/rsvp.html

Best,
Christine

Mixed Media - Paper, Copper Plate

(c) Christine Hardtman 2008

Untitled (as of 2/08)
Paper, graphite, copper intaglio plate

Collage 1

(c) Christine Hardtman 2007

Untitled, December 07
Magazine rippings on canvas

Cover for MIN Magazine Finished

The gatefold cover is finished. It's 21 x 13 inches but will be shrunk to fit the magazine's format.

(c) Christine Hardtman 2007

Illustration Project for Magazine: Update

As of October 16th, the graphite drawing (soon to be gatefold cover and 2 page spread) has been scanned and is going to be digitally colored. It's approximately 14x20 inches:

Mixed Media: Solemn Finished

(c) Christine Hardtman 2007

Graphite, sumi ink, and acrylic on somerset paper.

I feel like this piece may be finally finished. Note: The vibrant orange background (with a slight gold shimmer) doesn't come out too well in this shot.

Two More Chelsea Receptions I Just Have to Comment On...

These two artists struck a cord with me due to their style and medium. My affinity for the graphite medium drew me to these two shows last Thursday. Michael Whittle at Daniel Cooney Fine Art and James Nelson at McKenzie Fine Art. Yes, again at 511 West 25th Street. One need not venture far to hit gold (or so we hope) in the Chelsea gallery region.

Michael Whittle, Channels, 2007:
Mr. Whittle is an architect. Some of his pencil & ink drawings have multitudes of the same precisely drawn object. They clamour in their strange environments. His psyche constructs stark civilizations made up of these icons and lines.


James Nelson, China Head, 2007:

I found Mr. Nelson's rhythmic patterns very familiar. I wanted more depth but maybe I'm reaching for that in my own work. His abstract environments have a filthy, overwhelming feel. The globular objects push, pull and constrain an unknown host.

This Week: Chelsea Gallery Scene

So I ventured again to Chelsea this past Thursday the 6th for a few select artist receptions. It was quite busy as per chelseaartgalleries.com. 88 receptions in one evening made for quite the hoard of people. Goerge Billis Gallery was popular at 511 West 25th Street. Stephen Hicks, David Leonard and Susan Jane Belton were a few of the artists showing. Marcus Kenney was downstairs at Robert Steele Gallery. Stephen, David and Marcus drew me to this location. Mr. Leonard and Mr. Hicks paintings were of NYC landscapes.


Reaching for more than a typical landscape composition, Mr. Hicks built his dyptics and triptychs from multiple views of the same building or street scene.



Mr. Kenney's painting, mixed media collages were hard edged . The trigger happy children, scenes built from paper archives (one including a liquor store stock book), and random pattern cutouts created scenes from a futuristic world overcome with industry and insanity. This last show especially worth a look...

Illustration Project for Annual Magazine

These are two mockups created for an editorial team. I was hired to create a magazine gatefold cover, spread and additional caricature of the Editor-In-Chief. Both the cover and spread will feature their 21 'most intriguing' people in a crazed office environment. Based on their vision, I gave them a choice between the two styles. They chose (what I consider to be) the less sophisticated - more generic - style that I created (blue shirt). The character w/ green shirt, as you can see is reminiscent of the "Mother" piece shown below. I will post the end result within the month.

Painting: Monkey Man Update

This is where I'm at with Monkey Man as of this evening.
The medium is acrylic on canvas. 36 x 36 in.

(c) Christine Hardtman 2007

Other Artists: Mercedes Helnwein

Mercedes Helnwein's work speaks for itself. These representational drawings really drew Adam, Stephen and I on our visit last month to Bespoke Gallery in Chelsea. The subject's poses are at first a little abstract and awkward. They lend well to her style. The line quality and understanding of medium is precise. I recommend seeing these works in person.

The piece noted above is called The Wall, colored pencil on paper.

There are quite a few references to her father/famous painter, Gottfried Helnwein in her bio. Since her hand created these pieces (didn't she?), should she now allow herself all the recognition on these works? Does one have to live in one's famous father's legacy?

My mother's a chemist/teacher and my father's an engineer....

Painting: Untitled Acrylic

(c) Christine Hardtman 2007

Acrylic on canvas - May 2007. This was inspired by an artist I recently saw at Opera Gallery in Soho. Testing out styles...

I prefer oil but I don't think my roommate would appreciate the stench. Once studio space is acquired...

Drawing: Monkey Man

Monkey Man's in progress. He started as an ink drawing - soon to be on canvas...

Other Artists: Theo Jansen - Kinetic Sculpture

A friend of mine from Seattle brought this to my attention (props LG!). This has little to do with my current work but I have to bring attention to this amazing sculpture. The leg movements are so fluid. You may appreciate this more for its engineering aspects. I think Jansen's success is partially due to the location in which he displays these pieces. He could have easily set them in fields or parking lots, but the beach environment does seem to play well with their more creature qualities. Watch the video here.

Drawing: Graphite

These span the last year...representational and non- representational pieces...

Mother 2006

Canalith Series III - Finished November 2006

Untitled 5/2007

Details

Mixed Media: Solemn

Detail

Graphite, sumi ink, and acrylic on somerset paper. Finished in April 07

Introduction (Cloudy Day in July)

My creative output tends to be of a visual form rather than words. I do not consider myself a writer. Therefore this blog will mostly consist of imagery - or at least this is my hope. I invite you to explore and critique my art and works in progress to be posted here.

Best, Xtine