- Dennis Hare
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Dennis Hare at work in his studio, Mentone ,California
Dennis Hare is a painter of the abstract figure. Hare has created a style of figurative abstracts with textures. From his beginnings as a World Champion Beach Volleyball player this self-taught artist has evolved over the last 30 years.
Contents
Early Life
Dennis Hare was born in Glendale, California in 1946. His father Fred was an athlete, sports writer and advertising executive. His mother Arlene was an artist and interior designer. Hare has one sister, Kathy McPherson, a master Tole painter who has authored seven books on the subject. As a teenager, Hare excelled in sports. In 1964, as a high school senior, he was selected All C.I.F. in basketball. The same year he was awarded honorable mention as Prep All-American. Hare was introduced to volleyball while at San Diego State University where he graduated in 1969. That same year he was drafted in to the US Army and played for the All-Armed Forces Volleyball Team. After returning from the service Hare dedicate himself to the sport of doubles beach volleyball. In 1974 he won the world’s first beach indoor two-man Volleyball Championship held at the San Diego Sports Arena. He went on to win seven open tournaments including the prestigious Hermosa Beach Open. His love of the sport prompted him to write the first book on the subject titled: The Art of Beach Volleyball.[1] Hare was inducted into the Beach Volleyball Hall Of Fame in 2006. Today Hare is an avid tennis player with a 4.5 rating.
Professional Life
Hare’s work has been featured in the following galleries throughout the country: Charles Campbell Gallery, San Francisco; Alan Stone Gallery, New York; The Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery, San Francisco; The Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco; and The Salander O’Rielly Gallery, New York and Los Angeles. Hare’s love of assemblage and figurative oils has produced a style of figurative and abstract sculpted canvases. He is a “painter’s painter”. Art writer Erin Clark of Art Works writes: “he is one of the most provocative artists around.” [2] “In his new work he has, with remarkable results, merged his love for figurative painting with an unusual assemblage process…creating striking pieces that feel as much like sculpting as painting. The work is contemporary, but also bears the mark of Hare’s early figurative work that catapulted him to success in the 1980s.” [3]
"Kinship" Private CollectionArt critic, W.S. Di Pietro on Hare: “One task of modern painting, especially since the 1950s, has been to explore new complexities in the relationship between icon, material, and surface. Abstraction or representation, East Coast or West, the task is the same. De Kooning was the exemplar…Dennis Hare takes on the same task as they did. He’s in their tradition not because he paints like them but because he’s so different; that is, he gives a different answer to the same question…his pictures are most exciting when we can see that wild conversation of materials, surface, and subject taking place.”[4] Editor of New American Paintings, Steven Zevitas notes: " the legacy of Bay Area Figuration with it's penchant for simple figures built with direct, viscous, impasto, lives on in the work of painters like Dennis Hare."[5] New American Paintings selected Hare's work (juried by Jenny Blessing - Curator Guggenheim Museum) among 700 entrants. Art critic, Ron Gersten, writes: “at first glance many artists come to mind when viewing Dennis’s work. However, upon a moment’s inspection, it is quite clear that the energy contained in the works is that of Dennis Hare and that no one else could possibly have created them."[6]
"Marbles'" Westbrook Modern, Carmel, CaliforniaOver the last 30 years Hare’s artistic evolution has brought him artistic freedom. He has lectured on the subjects of expression and the artist within. He also conducts artist workshops. Hare says: “Today, I’m doing my best work and have a joyful anticipation of evolving more into my art. I feel all experiences and see all materials as opportunity for artistic expression. Art is a field of exploration without boundaries” Erin Clark says that: “He has always chosen the unconventional way, so it’s no surprise …in his world there is no compromise.”[7] Curator, Phyllis Lutjeans wrote: "... a simultaneous physical and painterly energy exudes from his work that portrays an artist who gives life to paintings through his passion to create, his physical prowess and innate exuberance."[8] Art historian and art critic, Meredith Tromble observed: “the improvisational verve with which he handles his materials, the just- over- human-sized scale of most of the works, and the way each shape remains distinct while locking into the composition…mix “reality” with “abstraction”.”[9] Tromble also explains what many understand about Hare: “with Hare we look inward towards feelings…he often forms his figures with strong contrasts, the light suggesting a specific locale without defining it.”[10] W.S. Di Pietro echoes the same sentiment: “Dennis Hare is a social painter …the pictures disclose a real passion for social kinetics and human relatedness…They speak of relationships of power and attentiveness, of eros and economies. Hare for years has been making pictures of social groups-families, children at play, street people, neighbors, mothers and children-and he’s one of the few painters who as a matter of course, not of cultural politics, depicts people of color…Hare’s new work is a compelling formal invention and a vision of experience.”[11] "Dennis Hare’s work reflects the soul of things: simple, imperfect humble…his materials of choice, like life itself, are visibly vulnerable to the effects of weather, time and use. There is a poise and character to this natural process that brings life to Dennis’ work and transcends race and class and speaks directly to the heart.”[12] Hare says: “it is not so much what a piece says, but how it feels. I am satisfied when my work has strength of character beckoning the viewer to get close, to touch and to relate.”[13] Dennis Hare is exclusively represented by Westbrook Modern, Carmel, California.
Solo Exhibitions
Year Gallery Location 2011 Art Cube Laguna Beach, CA 2010 Westbrook Modern Galleries Carmel, CA 2009 Westbrook Modern Galleries Carmel, CA 2009 Scape Gallery Corona del Mar, CA 2004 Robert Green Fine Arts Mill Valley, CA 2003 The Bolinas Museum Bolinas, CA 2003 Elins Eagle-Smith Gallery San Francisco, CA 2002 (seven degrees) Laguna Beach, CA 2000 Hackett-Freedman Gallery San Francisco, CA 1999 Peter Blake Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1999 Peyton Wright Gallery Santa Fe, NM 1999 The University of the South Swanee, TN 1999 Winfield Gallery Carmel, CA 1999 Peter Blake Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1998 Winfield Gallery Carmel, CA 1997 Diane Nelson Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1997 Peyton Wright Gallery Santa Fe, NM 1997 Peter Blake Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1996 Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1995 Peter Blake Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1995 John Natsoulas Gallery Davis CA 1994 Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1994 Peter Blake Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1993 Stanford Art Gallery, Stanford University Palo Alto, CA 1993 Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery, San Francisco,CA 1993 Santor Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1992 Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1991 Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1991 Rutgers Barclay Gallery Santa Fe, NM 1990 Alan Stone Gallery New York, NY 1990 Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1989 Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1987 Art & Frame Company Laguna Beach, CA 1986 Wade Gallery Los Angeles, CA 1986 Gallery Uno Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 1986 Interior Expressions Santa Cruz, CA 1986 Laguna Art Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1986 Exetor Gallery San Diego, CA 1983 Capitola Gallery Santa Cruz, CA 1983 The Ark Gallery Santa Cruz, CA 1982 Courtyard Gallery Santa Cruz, CA 1982 Interior Expressions Santa Cruz, CA 1982 Café Dominica Santa Cruz, CA 1980 Ka’u Gallery Volcano Art Center, Hawaii Selected Group Exhibitions
Year Title Gallery Location 2011 Palette to Palate Laguna Art Museum Laguna Beach, CA 2009 Painterly Paintings; The Next Level The Art Museum of Los Gatos Los Gatos, CA 2007 Twenty Five Treasures Paul Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 2005 The Outsiders and Dennis Hare Charles Campbell Gallery San Francisco, CA 2005 Duncan Martin and Dennis Hare Susan Street Fine Art Gallery Solana Beach, CA 2004 Duncan Martin and Dennis Hare C.F.A. Gallery San Anselmo, Ca 2004 Selections from the Pacific Art Foundation Collection Henley Galleria Chapman University, CA 2003 Expressive Paintings Robert Green Fine Arts Mill Valley, CA 2003 Sight and Insight Art Center Mill Valley, CA 2003 Structure Showcase Gallery Coastline Community College, CA 2003 A Spiritual Odyssey Dennis Hare and Gene Issacson Legacy Art Gallery Santa Ana, CA 2002 Painters’ Painters, Square Blue at Bradford Gallery Newport Beach, CA 2002 Self Portraits Square Blue at Bradford Gallery Newport Beach, CA 2001 Industrial, Painting by Jeff Del Nero, Dennis Hare, Mike Hernandez Metcalf Gallery California Baptist University 1999 Contemporary Bay Area Painters Diane Nelson Fine Art Laguna, CA. Catalogue 1999 Recent Work: Paintings by Terry St John, Dennis Hare, John Dubrow, Larry Cohen, Peter Nye, and others Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1999 Recent Work: Paintings by Terry St John, Dennis Hare, John Dubrow, Larry Cohen, Peter Nye, and others Peter Blake Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1998 Meet the Artist II The Pacific Club Newport Beach, CA 1998 Meet the Artist II Peter Blake Gallery Laguna Beach, Ca 1997 Meet the Artist II Mendenhall Gallery Pasadena, CA 1997 Occupied Territories: Images of Human Presence in the Landscape Arts Benicia Center Gallery Benicia, CA 1997 Group Show Introducing New Artists Mendenhall Gallery Pasadena, CA 1996 Twenty-five Treasures Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA Catalogue 1996 Personal Landscape: 4 Painters Reflect Diane Nelson Gallery Laguna Beach, CA 1995 Twenty-five Treasures Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA Catalogue 1995 The Figure: Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, Balthus, Elmer Bischoff, Joan Brown, de Kooning, De Staebler, Diebenkorn, Chuck Eckart, Dennis Hare, Manual Neri Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1995 Plein Air Painters The Pope Gallery Santa Cruz, Ca 1994 The International Contemporary Art Fair Los Angeles, CA 1993 Four West Coast Painters: Nathan Olivera, David Park, Dennis Hare, Larry Cohen Salander O’Reilly Galleries Los Angeles, CA 1993 Paint Stuart Katz Contemporary Art Laguna Beach, CA 1993 Landscape The Gallery Theatre of Skyline College San Bruno, CA 1992 An Exhibition at Stuart Katz Loft Stuart Katz Contemporary Art Laguna Beach, CA 1991 An Exhibition at Stuart Katz Loft Allan Stone Gallery New York, NY 1991 An Exhibition at Stuart Katz Loft Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1990 Works on Paper Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery San Francisco, CA 1988 Christmas Group Show, Drawings and Small Paintings Charles Campbell Gallery San Francisco, CA 1987 67th Annual Exhibition, National Watercolor Society City of Brea Civic and Cultural Center Catalogue Brea, CA. 1986 National Watercolor Society San Bernadino County Museum Redlands, CA 1986 National Watercolor Society Travelling Exhibition, U.S.A. 1985 18th Annual Exhibition, Watercolors West Riverside Art Museum Riverside, CA 1985 National Watercolor Society, 1985 Members Exhibition Riverside Art Museum Riverside, CA 1984 64th Annual Exhibition, National Watercolor Society Brea Civic Cultural Center Gallery Brea, CA. 1984 Del Mar College Cash Award Juror- Joseph Raffael. Catalogue References
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/art-beach-volleyball-Dennis-Hare/dp/B0006XTANO
- ^ Erin Clark, Art Works 2006: No Compromise, Dennis Hare pp 23-29 illus. Cover illus. 2006
- ^ Art Works: Artist Update p.124, illus. 2009
- ^ Di Pietro, W.S.: On Dennis Hare: Souls Melody', Recent Painting, Hackett Freedman Gallery, San Francisco California, 2000
- ^ Zevitas, Steven: Comments of the Editor, New American Paintings, Volume VI, pp 54-55 illus. 1996
- ^ Gersten, Ron, Dennis Hare, Beyond the Beach , Catalogue Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery, San Francisco, California and Salander-O’Reilly Galleries Inc., New York, New York. Cover illus. pp. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 illus. 1993
- ^ Clark, Erin, Art Works 2006: No Compromise; Dennis Hare pp 23 -29 illus. Cover illus. 2006
- ^ Lutjeans, Phyllis J, Curator: Dennis Hare: Souls Melody, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, Catalogue 1998
- ^ Tromble, Meredith, Rough Terrain, The Works of Dennis Hare, Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, San Francisco, California. pp. not identified, illus. 2002
- ^ Tromble, Meredith, Contemporary Bay Area Painter’s, Hackett- Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, California and Diane Nelson Fine Art , Laguna Beach, California pp. 10,11,12,13 illus. 1999
- ^ Di Pietro, W.S.: On Dennis Hare: Souls Melody, Recent Paintings, Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, California, 2000
- ^ Westbrook, Brian, Carmel Magazine, Gallery Scene, Westbrook Galleries, Carmel, California, http://www.westbrookgalleries.com
- ^ http://www.dennishare.com
External Links
Categories:- Artists from California
- Abstract artists
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