Adam Hardy: Artist’s Statement
Ever since a very young age in my native UK, painting has been the most natural and exciting form of creative self-expression for me. Since 1999 I have experimented in, and developed, my own style of collage as well as working on figurative paintings and drawings. Sometimes I will combine the two. I am passionate about creating mood, playing with texture, color and often decorative patterns.
Many subjects are an inspiration: urban and naturalistic scenes, portraits and animal themes. I am inspired by both what I see and feel in my own environment. The everyday sights and sounds of places – familiar to locals and new to tourists – are a source of inspiration to me. I often like to add figures to scenes; which not only offers a human interest but also a sense of scale, motion and vibrancy. At the same time, I wish my work to have a sense of peace and reflection.
In the near and far future, I simply aim to embrace any new projects , to sharpen fine art skills and to find a complete fluency of creative expression.
Contact Details
E-mail: micepie@aol.com
Exhibition details
Between 2000 and 2005, I had longstanding exhibitions in England at:
Birmingham Central Library (2000 and 2001)
Big Peg, Birmingham (2003-2005)
The Repertory Theatre, Birmingham (2003-2005)
From 2006:
many contributions to exhibitions at the National Art League in Douglaston,
Bayside Historical Society, and solo shows at Long Island libraries
amongst many other exhibitions.
I am represented by J. Pocker in Manhasset and NYC.
Art that I like
I love the delicately decorative work of the Nabis. Bonnard and Vuillard particularly. Both Marie and I love Denis’ work too despite the sometimes religious aura. Neither of us has a religious faith but we really feel his work and find him to be very underrated.
Van Gogh, of course. When we were at Musee d’Orsay in Paris not long ago we very much enjoyed the Impressionist and post-Impressionist rooms, and Degas and Van Gogh, Gaugin and so on. But you could barely breathe in there for the amount of visitors, who were mostly just taking photos on smart phones and moving on fast, or recording, and barely absorbing the work. Then, a couple of floors below were Art Nouveau furniture and Nabis paintings. There must have been no more than a dozen people on the whole floor, yet to us the Nabis hold their own with The Impressionists!
Loving decorative, figurative art, of course I’m inspired by Klimt. And therefore enjoy Richard Burlet, a French artist greatly inspired by Klimt and the Vienna Secession.
Stained glass is always a fascination too. Louis Comfort Tiffany extended the Tiffany style to fine art so I’m jealous of that skill and mastery of technique; to express the calm and stillness of subjects in such a stunning, utterly vibrant way.
David Hockney
With his comparatively recent work at a greater age, Hockney appears to be loving colour and the aesthetic for its own sake. I admire his whole cannon of work though, his joy in everything.
Of more contemporary artists, I appreciate the portraits of Kehinde Wiley with his stylised decorative backgrounds. It’s something I do myself sometimes but in animal portraits. Jeff Koons playful sculptures and general 3D work is at times wonderful. Especially the giant puppy of flowers outside the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. Among younger artists, I’ve only recently noticed the work of Caroline Larsen and Jordan Casteel whilst browsing but both of whom I enjoy.
My favourite large public art gallery in the world is the National Portrait Gallery in London, always a fascinating treat of a visit.
Adam Hardy 