The art of Los Angeles artist Brooke Harker is currently on view in a solo exhibition in ITALY! If you are near Rome….be sure to pop by! It opened on August 24 at Villa Comunale di Frosinone (in the city of Frosinone about an hour from Rome).

Brooke is an incrediby talented artist and it is so great to see talent rewarded.

See image: Rodeo in Spring by Brooke Harker 87cm x 131cm inchiostro, acrilico e olio su tela

Brooke has been in Italy for the past several months and actually created all of her paintings for this exhibition while in Italy.

The exhibition is curated by Alfio Borghese. There will also be a closing reception Sept 6, from 6-9pm.

See image: Brooke Harker painting Arcobaleno Nights in Paliano Italy

A catalogue has been published which features a forward by Art Critic Peter Frank to accompany the exhibition.

See below for a sneak peek (from Brook Harker herself) taken straight from the catalogue.

To me painting is essentially storytelling; It is another form of theatre in creating illusions with line, color and texture. As I come from a background of theatre and it was an interest in acting that originally drew me to Los Angeles, there is an element in this exhibit of me wanting to share different perspectives of a place significant to my development as a person and artist. LA is a city of much beauty and much ugliness. It is a place where people dream big and create in magnificent ways and city of misfortune and lost goals. It is nicknamed “The City of Angels,” and I agree with this label as I have been guided by many angels during my time there, including being guided all the way to Italy for this exhibit!

What is significant about this collection of works is that they were all created on a farm near Paliano, Italy. I think the story in any painting is not only in the image it represents but in the life required to convey its energy. Each painting contains both history from Los Angeles and the many lessons I have learned while getting to know the heart of Italy while being immersed in the culture.

In sharing various perspectives of well known areas of Los Angeles, I only begin to address the rich diversity of the city. In one day, a person can visit about every culture in the world, all within driving distance of one another…that is if traffic is moving.

I think it is important no matter where we live to look for beauty in what may not seem beautiful by traditional standards. Traffic to most people is not beautiful… I certainly didn’t use to think of traffic as beautiful…so I got curious about how I could find an appreciation for what I chose to live in. Immediately the glow of various shapes of tail lights at night captivated me. Then I started thinking about the lives of each person in every passing car and the puzzle of how every scene fit together memorized me. It is this shifting of perspective that is part of the inspiration for my work. Any time a person chooses to look for a new perspective, it affects everyone around them. So we are each quite powerful in the choices we make.

In creating these paintings in Italy, I have continued to gain new perspectives that I couldn’t have imaged otherwise. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share my work with the people of Frosinone and to Alfio Borghese for inviting me here and making this exhibit possible.

  –  Brooke Harker

Image above (right): Breath of Malibu by Brooke Harker 35 x 64 ink, acrylic and oil on canvas
Image above (left): Wicked Night by Brooke Harker 36 x 39 ink, acrylic and oil on canvas