What You Can’t See Online: Art in Person
A patron taking photos by my painting Beverly Ride (78” x 54” – ink, oil & acrylic on canvas) at Castelli Art Space in Los Angeles. Photo credit: Gilbert Molinet. I often forget that most people see the paintings I make through a computer screen. As thankful as I am for the modern inventions of screens and technology, and the speed with which we can communicate and consume information, there is no phone or monitor that can capture the experience of being live with anything, whether a place, a person, or a piece of art. There is an energy in objects, especially those made by human...
Read MoreAbout “Where Hearts Reside,” by Harker in The Chase Center Art Collection
In painting Where Hearts Reside for The Chase Center Center Art Collection, for the new home of the Golden State Warriors, I thought a lot about what it means to be an athlete and what it means to be a fan. The interconnectedness between the two is a force that brings thousands of people together to cheer, scream and be part of energy bigger than their own. The magic in this collective spirit wouldn’t be possible without the fans. In this view of a San Francisco neighborhood, the steep hillside turned into an arena in my mind, and the colorful homes became fans in the stands. Where Hearts...
Read MoreNot Painting
As we enter a new year, we hear a lot about what we are going to do or not do in the coming year. The fitness industry loves this time of year, when people get fired up to join a gym, exercise more, and eat healthier. Many common New Year’s promises point to the ways we have failed to be productive in the past. So much of our thinking is about doing. The idea is that if we check more off of our “to do” lists, we will somehow be better people, more satisfied and content. It’s not always possible to do do do, though, even though I think it is quite fun to be active. Lately, I have been...
Read MoreHitchhiker to Art Collector
We’ve all heard the warnings: “Don’t pick up hitchhikers.” I agree…however, this is the story of how my sister once picked up a hitchhiker who, over a decade later, became one of my best art collectors. “There was just something about them standing in the rain,” Katie said about that day in 2001 when she saw two men on the side of the road during a rainstorm in Rocky Mountain National Park. “It was like a jolt to my heart. I had to go back for them.” My sister did so despite any logic or warnings our mother, who watched a lot of crime shows throughout our lives, had embedded in her brain....
Read MoreAlways a Good Idea
“Paris is always a good idea.” —Audrey Hepburn, Sabrina I made my first trip to Paris by train when I was living in Germany in my early twenties. Ever since I started traveling internationally at age seventeen, my goal had always been to blend in, be respectful of other cultures and attempt to speak some of the local language. I’d never been much for tourist attractions or crowd experiences, for the simple fact that they felt overwhelming and inauthentic. I preferred connections with real people and opportunities to learn about their lives. The last thing I ever wanted to look like...
Read MoreFinding “Love of the Voyage”
During a visit to Sicily with my sister, I wandered away from the streets of Trapani on a windy summer day. I felt called near the sea where I found a collection of boats tied beneath the harbor wall. My heart leapt to discover the treasure of this view. I couldn’t stop smiling. I had envisioned painting boats for years. I climbed onto the jetty as a mist of sea jumped to greet me. I probably took over a hundred photos from this view and then sat in joy for quite some time. In the midst of creating this piece, I processed what it felt like to paint in LA again...
Read MoreBrooke Harker
