Chad Hasegawa talks about his POW! WOW! edition and the inspiration behind “Rayne” as well as his expectations for this year’s Hawaii event!
Check out the whole story below…
1x: Tell us a little bit about this piece, anything immediate you would like us to highlight?
Chad Hasegawa: This piece is dedicated to my/our friend Rayne Rasmussen. He had passed away bombing a hill in Portlock on his skateboard almost 15 years ago. I have always wanted to dedicate a piece to him and since this piece will be showing in Hawaii it will greatly be appreciated. The last time I saw him was at Sandy’s beach coming out of water after surfing, he was with are friend Peter smiling and yelling, “Chad! Cruise tonight!?!” Of course throwing the “Shaka” which never got used to since he use to be Goth and he use to say “fuck you” to me all the time in a real serious voice after we burned joints in the morning before school. Surfing can really change someone.
1x: Was this piece part of a recent theme, series or show that you had? If so how did it fit into that given grouping?
Chad Hasegawa: Yeah it actually was. I usually do drawings in repetition just to really get ownership of an image through knowing exactly how to form it. I look at it like a drawing exercise. This really makes it become second nature. This drawing was part 5 of the same. I call these drawings “fake prints”.
1x: What materials were used to create this piece?
Chad Hasegawa: My favorite is Latex, but I use a lot of Acrylic paint when making paintings on paper. They are nice to do both washes and solid brush strokes.
1x: When was this piece originally created?
Chad Hasegawa: I am apart of this on going project curated by Brad K. Alder that is called Sketch Tuesdays. Sketch Tuesdays is held once a month at 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco. Its really fun. A bunch of local artist get together and create drawings all night for people to come and watch us draw live. But really its more of a reason for us artist to get together and hang out and do what we love which is to draw and we usually go home with a couple hundred bucks. This drawing was made at the 100th Sketch Tuesdays.
1x: Tell us a little bit about your process and how the idea and execution came about?
Chad Hasegawa: Well my process first came about filling in pieces on a wall. Instead of using rollers I used a big flat brush. I found it easier to control, easier to drip, easier to splash. And a brush goes right inside the bucket. So basically my style came about trying to traditionally paint with using a big flat brush. When I discovered artist Franz Kline using that brush in his paintings, I realize that I was on to something.
1x: How long did this piece take from start to finish?
Chad Hasegawa: When you subtract drying time I would say 40 minutes just to be honest. Work on paper is quick for me that’s why I call them drawings.
1x: What do you feel is unique about this piece compared to your other work?
Chad Hasegawa: Well it is definitely unique. I have never experience working with a fine art printer before. The organizing is a lot of time but it was amazing and fun to do. I realized the many possibilities of making a print.
1x: Describe this piece with one gut reaction word.
Chad Hasegawa: Crip!
Rayne by Chad Hasegawa – Click To Purchase
1x: What are your expectation this year for POW!WOW! Hawaii?
Chad Hasegawa: I wish I was going to be there. Last year I had a huge wall! Although I was extremely focused the whole time, it ended up one of the funniest art excursion I have ever experienced. My friends and I seriously enjoyed all of the events and after after things to do. There was a huge party every night at my wall. I can’t believe I got to experience that. I painted till 6 in the morning every night.
1x: Any of the participating artists you are excited to see painting?
Chad Hasegawa: Kristin Farr!!! She is epic and one of San Francisco’s finest. She is going to beautifully color things up with her hex rainbows. She is going bring her Neo Folk art that was created in Pennsylvania on Dutch houses all the way to Hawaii.
And of course Aloha Family! And all the local artist! They go all out repping it for Hawaii. It was very refreshing to see murals that are create by Hawaiians for Hawaiians. And all! Sometimes murals don’t have much reason but it seems like POW WOW really influences people to try to create murals for people that live there. So at the end the entire project has cohesion.
1x: What’s your schedule like after POW!WOW! 2016? Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share?
Chad Hasegawa: I’m in 2 group shows in February, one with Swim SF at New Images Arts Gallery in LA and the other with The Last Cat at RVCA Gallery San Francisco. That should be really fun.
As for something a little more serious I will be having a solo residency at the de Young Museum in San Francisco in April and that opens April 29th.
1x: Where else can people find you?
Chad Hasegawa: Instagram @chad_hasegawa
-1xRUN