Hrkach James

Article by Katina Diep
The Journal Cornwall
July 4th, 2012

Artist James Hrkach (left) with City Councilor Gerry Samson on the opening night
of his exhibit, standing before two of his paintings, Ellie with Josh and a self
portrait with Church Dome.

After three decades of soul-searching throughout his paintings, Canadian artist James Hrkach says the best is yet to come. Displaying a few self-portraits made in different periods of his life, the painter and art teacher shows his true identity, without boundaries, to the public on starting June 26, at the Cornwall Regional Art Gallery.

This exhibition is a first peak of his career, a window on his family life and a glimpse at what is yet to come as he is at the last stretch of his career as a teacher.

"It is really the span of three decades of work. As I am retiring, I want to get back to my painting. It was an accidental thing for my part, and I found it slow going when I was a high school teacher," said Hrkach.

Portraits of his children, of his wife, as well as a few self-portraits, depict intimate moments in time. Hrkach doesn't measure his own portrait based on its likeness to him but rather on the effects of the moment. "Self portrait is a way of practicing. It doesn't matter if it looks like me. I'm much more interested in the composition, the feel, the colors," he said.

Visitors to the Art "Gallery may be surprised to learn that it only takes a few hours for the painter to complete a portrait. "When painting someone, you think of the person who's right in front of you. To me, it's about what happens in the moment," explained Hrkach.