Clay Hardwick

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Concept

Transcending the concrete environment around us, my paintings explore abstracted realms of space and time. I’ve always painted in the nonobjective, relying mostly on my intuition and immediate feedback with the paints and surface. Abstraction is a way of seeing the world, a way to deconstruct the assumed and explore the unseen, or depths of our experiences. In these depths, a new world emerges. Painting is a process of liberation, freeing the structured framework of the world as we see it and tapping into the mysterious. Dismissing traditional painting techniques, I liberally apply water-based, acrylic paint and oil-based, spray paint together. Not unlike what happens in our actual landscape, water and oil mux into a colorful relationship. This process produces organic results relatively out of my control. Once dry, I layer acrylic, latex, or charcoal, stacking a complex field of colors and shapes. Rhythms emerge from repeated marks, revealing an organic symphony of textures and colors. I hope viewers experience the effects of my paintings as they do in good music. My most recent work in 2020 and 2021 reflects a juxtaposition between an ancient backdrop of mountain ranges with that of a modern, urban cityscape. The gridded structure of concrete, neon-lit billboards, and processed materials is a relatively recent addition to the millennium-old geography. This relationship between two opposing forces, produces a colorful rhythm that is constantly evolving. I don’t necessarily paint what I see with my eyes, but rather rephrase the experience of existing within this timeless landscape. To this end, I often paint en plein air around the lower Appalachia region, into the Blue Ridge mountains. Ultimately the work I create is not only intended to be enjoyed like music, but also a glimpse into the timeless, mysterious world embedded within our natural environment.

Concept

Transcending the concrete environment around us, my paintings explore abstracted realms of space and time.

I’ve always painted in the nonobjective, relying mostly on my intuition and immediate feedback with the paints and surface. Abstraction is a way of seeing the world, a way to deconstruct the assumed and explore the unseen, or depths of our experiences. In these depths, a new world emerges. Painting is a process of liberation, freeing the structured framework of the world as we see it and tapping into the mysterious.

Dismissing traditional painting techniques, I liberally apply water-based, acrylic paint and oil-based, spray paint together. Not unlike what happens in our actual landscape, water and oil mux into a colorful relationship. This process produces organic results relatively out of my control. Once dry, I layer acrylic, latex, or charcoal, stacking a complex field of colors and shapes. Rhythms emerge from repeated marks, revealing an organic symphony of textures and colors. I hope viewers experience the effects of my paintings as they do in good music.

My most recent work in 2020 and 2021 reflects a juxtaposition between an ancient backdrop of mountain ranges with that of a modern, urban cityscape. The gridded structure of concrete, neon-lit billboards, and processed materials is a relatively recent addition to the millennium-old geography. This relationship between two opposing forces, produces a colorful rhythm that is constantly evolving. I don’t necessarily paint what I see with my eyes, but rather rephrase the experience of existing within this timeless landscape. To this end, I often paint en plein air around the lower Appalachia region, into the Blue Ridge mountains. Ultimately the work I create is not only intended to be enjoyed like music, but also a glimpse into the timeless, mysterious world embedded within our natural environment.

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Find 3 original artworks & painters by Clay Hardwick. Check out Clay Hardwick's profile, artwork prices, exhibition information, and buy art online.

“Clay Hardwick's Artworks”

2021-Summer-06

USD 300.00 Year.2021 w50.80 x h50.80 x d2.50 cm

2020-Fall-04

USD 1,800.00 Year.2020 w144.70 x h116.80 x d3.80 cm

2020-Summer-16

USD 1,400.00 Year.2020 w142.20 x h88.90 x d3.80 cm

Medium

#Painting

Price Range

USD $300 ~ $1,800

Biography

Clay Hardwick, better known as “ECHOMECH,” is a self-taught painter, recognized for his colorful, organic, abstracted paintings reflecting the natural world. Transcending the objective, his mixed-media paintings explore the rhythm and flow between an urban, neon-lit landscape, with that of the forest-lined mountains and waterways.

Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, Hardwick graduated from Millsaps College, studying Digital Arts in 2009. Refusing to work a 9 to 5, Hardwick pursued a career in freelance video production by day, while exploring painting abstract images by night. He has had success in video and filmmaking, winning dozens of awards in film festivals, been nominated twice for Regional Emmy, Davey and Telly Awards mostly for his work on music videos or documentaries.

More recently, however, Clay has turned his attention to fine art. Over just the past three years he has been featured in regional art magazines, exhibited in a metropolitan airport, had three solo shows, and participated in many juried art competitions. Currently living in the lower Appalachian mountains, Hardwick frequents the outdoors and infuses the picturesque environment into his work.

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