Harold Pickern

My subjects speak about the passing of people and the things that they leave behind. In contrast to the highly designed and sophisticated appliances and architecture that we live with, I look for the more subtle evidence of the history of our lives. One of my favorite themes is portraying discarded objects or forgotten places (and sometimes people) that I find on my frequent road trips. Wherever I am my attention is drawn to the periphery which is where the unintended scene is set. Using notes, sketches, and a camera, I compose a painting and capture enough information about the subject to take into the studio.I have recently moved from a small home studio in southern California into a 1500 square foot studio in a historic building in downtown Hannibal Missouri. I am painting in acrylic because my studio was a space that I shared with my family. I chose this arrangement for two reasons. Primarily because I enjoyed the company and feedback that I got from my family, and secondly, since I did not have to go to a studio, I had the freedom to paint all of the time if I chose. The die has been cast, I continue to paint in acrylic although I do an occasional oil painting.