Edmonton Artist
Josh Harnack
Statement
My work speaks to those who wander—who don’t belong. My battles with cancer as a young adult warned me that my time should not be spent trying to fit in, but learning to embrace the strangest parts of myself, including the monsters and demons. This struggle is found in each of my pieces: the corruption of realism with the surreal; the distortion of the physical world by our metaphysical imaginations. I believe that seeking to understand this internal dialogue is critical to a healthy life. Dozens of paintings later, I’m pleased to report that I’ve been in remission for 7 years. Hopefully, beholders will use my artwork as prompts for their own self-discovery. Our journey has begun.
Biography
Josh Harnack uses visual art to communicate ideas, thoughts, and emotions to the world. Josh was raised in Edmonton, Alberta, where his spark for the arts began. After graduating highschool in 2012, Josh moved to Vancouver to study film. Over the next three years, Josh’s passion shifted towards fine art. Frankly, he found himself too broke to do anything but stay home and paint. During this time, Josh was diagnosed with cancer on three separate occasions, resulting in surgery, radiation treatment, and, ultimately, chemotherapy. In 2015, Josh moved back home to Edmonton, where he began his professional career as an artist. A couple of years later, Josh graduated with honours from NAIT, majoring in both Graphic Design and Visual Communication while showing his works in exhibitions and galleries across Western Canada. Josh’s work extends to many different mediums but specialized in oil and acrylic painting. His themes usually center around belonging, or lack thereof, blending in and standing out, and the sheer weirdness of existence. Josh has received awards and grants in both fine art and design. Currently, he’s working on a wide range of projects, focused on creating meaningful and worthwhile art before his time expires.
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