Bio
Ellery Harkness (b. 1999, San Francisco, California) is an artist and designer whose work delves into the relationship between beauty and destruction. Through writing, studio work, and research, her practice examines themes of shadows, erosion, and memory, and how these metaphors relate to contemporary environmental conversations. She mostly works in painting, video installation, and mixed media collage. Harkness graduated from Bowdoin College with a degree in Visual Arts, Art History, and a minor in Political Science.
Artist Statement
As an artist, I see my work as a means of engaging with and exploring the complex conversations that define our world with a particular attunement to the climate, women’s experiences, and consumerism. I am currently drawn to the concept of shadows and the ways they represent the incomplete and impermanent nature of our world. Through various mediums, I explore the mystical and abstract visuals of shadows and incomplete images as a way to merge abstract and real. My interest in the visuals of shadows and collage is closely tied to my focus on climate change. As we bear witness to the destruction of our natural world and the slow erosion of materials and goods, I am struck by the transitory nature of everything around us that we value today. By exploring the play of light, shadow, and incomplete images in my work, I hope to convey a sense of both the beauty and the fragility of our world to encourage viewers to reflect on contemporary concerns. Ultimately, my hope is that by calling attention to the impermanence of the natural world and our material possessions, I can inspire action and spark a larger conversation about our relationship with the planet.
Some of my works are available for rent or rent-to-own on Curina
email me! ellerycontact@gmail.com