John Wesley Hardrick

John Wesley Hardrick (September 21, 1891 – October 18, 1968 ) was an American artist. He painted landscapes, still lifes and portraits.

Early life and family origins Hardrick's grandfather, Shephard Hardrick, was a land-owning farmer in Kentucky who fled to Indianapolis with his family in 1871 due to activities of The Night Riders, a forerunner of the Ku Klux Klan. Hardrick's parents were Shephard Hardrick Jr., and Georgia Etta West, who were married on October 10, 1888 In order to finance his education, Hardrick worked at the Indianapolis Stove Foundry and sold newspapers. Unfortunately, his financial situation was such that by 1925 he was working in the family trucking business and had started a carpet cleaning business to help support his family, but despite these time constraints he still found time to paint. Commenting on a 1927 exhibition at the Pettis Gallery in Indianapolis, one review stated that his work had seemed to grow and mature in those two years.

By 1940 Hardrick's declining health prevented him from working in the family business and he began driving a taxi. He would often sell paintings out of the trunk and, while driving around, see a subject he would ask to paint. If a man or woman agreed, he would drive them to his studio and complete the portrait in a few hours.

Hardrick's work was showcased at the 10th Annual Exhibition of Works by Indiana Artists in 1917. Hale Woodruff and Hardrick shared a studio for a time in the 1920s at 541 Indiana Avenue Also in 1929, his work was displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. In 1933 he received a blue ribbon at the Indiana State Fair for his portrait Mammy.

Hardrick's works include certain holdings at the Indianapolis Museum of Art including: Little Brown Girl, created in 1927 (which was purchased by Indianapolis African-American citizens and donated to the IMA in 1929, and re-acquired in 1993). Winter Landscape, created in 1945 and Untitled Landscape

Hardrick's art is also owned by the Indiana State Museum. It was also exhibited earlier, on March 23-April 4, 1929 as part of the Exhibition of Fine Art by Negro Artists.

Certain of Hardrick's works are lost, including Lady X

A building on the campus of Indianapolis University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) is also named after the artist. Though opposition from Norwood residents the plan for the morgue and forensics facilities was cancelled and in its place a plan for a public park replaced it. Within this park, a community center would be built and a mural would be created by Kaila Austin which would re-imagine Hardrick's Workers which was created in 1934 for the Crispus Attucks High School that was never installed and has since been lost.

Important events in the life of John Wesley Hardrick 1891 Born 1904 First Exhibition 1910 Enrolls in Herron School of Art 1914 Married and major exhibition at Allen Chapel, A.M.E. Church 1917 featured in the Tenth Annual Exhibition of Works by Indiana Artists 1927 exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago and Little Brown Girl created1928 Mural created at African Methodist Episcopal Church in Indianapolis entitled "Christ and the Samaritan Woman at the Well." 1929 art displayed in the Hoosier Salon at Marshall Field Art Gallery in Chicago, Illinois and Little Brown Girl purchased by Indianapolis African-American citizens and donated to IMA 1933 selected for the project planning committee for the WPA 1941 his wife, Georgia, dies and leaves Hardrick a widower after more than 25 years of marriage. 1945Winter Landscape created 1968 Died