February’s exhibition at MIX Art Gallery showcases a new face in the local art scene. Peter “Rafe” Harpending, originally from Elmira, NY, now resides in Ithaca. With a naturally inquisitive spirit, he describes his personality as a gradient of colors from yellow and orange to red. It’s no surprise that his drawings reflect his degree in Biology, as his artistic interests focus on “living things” from various clades. While there are many detailed drawings of insects, birds, fish, and more that will be available, the highlighted works on our gallery walls will primarily be his mesmerizing abstracts.

“I must have had an innate urge to create a visual world, starting at a very young age—perhaps as early as I could talk. Additionally, my mother appreciated modern art, and that early exposure motivated me to create.” Harpending draws inspiration primarily from modern abstract art, and his biggest influences include Mondrian, Klimt, Dali, Klee, John McLaughlin, Pollock, and Georgia O’Keeffe, among others. “I’m fascinated by the fact that humans are both ordered and biological beings! The order represented in many of my geometric pieces is juxtaposed with disruptive visual elements. This expresses an obsession with the tension between order and chaos, the notion that humans can create a thin veneer of spatial and temporal structure, but underneath lies the inevitable turbulent and maddening realm of nature.”

Almost reminiscent of Native American art, these abstract pieces are both compelling and captivating, and whether on paper or simple board, they are attractively priced. A must-see this February showing through March 1st, 2025.