Hardrick was born in Indianapolis and painted landscapes, still lifes and portraits. He studied under two members of the famed impressionist Hoosier Group—first with Otto Stark and later, after enrolling in the John Herron Art Institute in 1910, with William Forsyth. During the 1920s, Hardrick shared a studio with Hale Woodruff, supplementing his income from art by working in the family trucking business and starting his own carpet cleaning company. In 1927, Hardrick earned a Bronze Award from the Harmon Foundation and was featured in his first Harmon Foundation exhibition in 1928. He exhibited with the foundation for five years, earning recognition for his realistic portraits. During the Great Depression, Hardrick painted murals for the WPA.