ARTISTS
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, and enthralled with graffiti and the art of the Mission School, Chad Hasegawa moved to San Francisco in 2000. He received a BFA in advertising from the Academy of Art University and worked for top agencies, including Venables Bell & Partners and Goodby Silverstein & Partners. After leaving advertising, he concentrated on creating street murals and painting canvases for commercial and non-profit gallery exhibitions. He quickly gained recognition for his bold and colorful latex paintbrush strokes that pushed the boundaries of public art.
“I am strongly influenced by Vincent Van Gogh and Keith Haring, as well as Franz Kline and the New York School. These artists’ work helped me discover the subject matter that fits my unique style: the aggressively large, abstract body shape and beautifully brown colored bear.”
“In addition to their reputation of being fiercely protective of their young, bears are highly respected in many cultures and are considered to be ancestral spirits. Each of my bear paintings is created with the intent of being a protector; personally for myself and for everyone that may come across my work.”
