500X Alumnus Interview: Timothy Harding 

Installation image at 500X Gallery

Installation image at 500X Gallery

Installation image at 500X Gallery

Installation image at 500X Gallery

Timothy Harding

Timothy Harding

500X: Tell us a little about yourself. What is your artistic background?

TH: I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. Towards the end of high school being an artist became more of a part of my identity and something I chose to pursue in college. I spent time at North Lake in Irving where I took my first painting classes and decided I wanted to continue toward a BFA. That led me to TWU in Denton where I was given ample opportunity to develop as a young art student. Grad school took me to TCU and Fort Worth, where I currently reside. While in Fort Worth I co-founded the collective Homecoming! Committee, participated in 500x for a few years, and currently find myself teaching in Stephenville and maintaining a share studio space with a few longtime collaborators.

 500X: What years were you a member of 500X? 

TH: 2011 - 2015

500X: Were you ever a 500X officer? If so, what position(s)? 

TH: Membership Coordinator and Vice-President

500X: Who were some of the other members with you? 

TH: Clayton Hurt, Matt Clark, Christine Bisetto, Tiffany Wolf Smith, Joel Kiser, Nate Glaspie, Bruce Monroe, Diane Durant, LE Doughtie, H Schenck, Giovanni Valderas, Shelby Meier, John Alexander Taylor, Bernardo Cantu – to name a few

500X: Tell us about your time at 500X. What was it like? 

TH: It was work. A great learning experience about operating a space and working with a diverse group of people. Glad for the time I put in.

 500X: Do you have a favorite moment from your membership? 

TH: My last exhibition in the main space. I felt it was a nice culmination of things I had been exploring throughout my time there and I was ready to move on from the gallery. 

500X: What do you think you gained from being a 500X member? 

TH: The opportunity to freely produce work with no pressure or expectations was invaluable. It allowed me to experiment and take my work in new directions, and having a venue to show the work was important. The time as an officer provided leadership experiences that prepared for future career endeavors.

 500X: How has 500X impacted your career as an artist?

TH: I wouldn’t be where I currently am without 500x and the exposure/work experience. My first works shown at Cris Worley Fine Arts were things shown in a Member’s Show to open the 2014 – 15 exhibition season. Ideas that I am still exploring currently are directly tied to what I worked on as a member of 500x.

500X: Is there anything you'd like to add about your experience of being a member? 

TH: As the landscape of the DFW art community has changed over my ten years of experience in it, I appreciate the longevity of 500x and am proud to have been a part of it. It still maintains an important place within our growing art community.

Image credit: Kevin Todora

Image credit: Kevin Todora

Image credit: Kevin Todora

Image credit: Kevin Todora