Stephen Harkola

Stephen Harkola is Rochester NY based figurative, landscape and abstract painter. He uses a variety of mediums including oil, acrylic, water color and charcoal. Believing his figurative work and landscape/abstract painting are synergistic, he works progressive series in each. He has produced a large body of large format oil and acrylic figurative work, using local models, transforming them into larger than life “Heroine” with thematic backgrounds. At the same time, he continues to create abstract landscapes focused on basic elements of times past: Earth, Water, Air and Fire. All his work tends to be high contrast, high color and fluid - ranging from highly representational detail works to borderline abstraction.
“While I use a camera in all phases of his artwork, something better happens when I paint - I become intimate with the subject through engagement, which leads to inspiration. My goal is to trigger something more primitive in the viewer, maybe jump start their imaginations which have been drugged by digital sensory overload. While it’s tempting to create decorative art, my path forward will focus on bringing attention to sustainability and nature-inspired works in the landscape space and figure work for auctions supporting...

BS Photography, Rochester Institute of Technology
MBA, Southern Methodist University

• Clocktower Gallery, Solo Show “Local Heroine”, May 1 – June 27, 2026
• Featured in ROC City Lifestyle Magazine, April 2026
• Main Street Arts Juried Exhibition Group Show – Spring 2026
• Art for Ukraine – Guardians of Hope Silent Auction 2025
• The Rest Gallery Artist Showcase 2023
• Lumiere Photo Small Show 2022
• 67th Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition Finalist – Memorial Art Gallery Exhibition August 14 to October 17, 2021
• Art Fluent Exhibit Competition – FEMME, March 2021
• CloudCheckr Solo Exhibition, Rochester NY February 2019
• Artist Row Juried Exhibition, Rochester NY September 2018
• MuCCC Solo Show, Rochester NY January 2018 – Pure Heroine series
• Orange Glory Solo Show, Rochester NY February 2016 – Feminine Mystique series
• NYFSG Solo Show, February 2015 – Kimberly Series
• AVOM Gallery Solo Show, Rochester, NY September 2014
• Stella Art Gallery Solo Show, Rochester NY August 2012
• Little Theatre Solo Show, Rochester NY February 2011
• Artist Row Juried Exhibition, Rochester NY Fall 2010, 2012
• New York Figure Study Guild (NYFSG) Annual Shows, Rochester NY 2006 – 2018
• RepARTee Gallery, Penfield NY Spring 2010 show