Dennis Hare

Dennis Hare

Dennis Hare doesn’t just paint canvases, he builds them. The process is a highly physical one. A gifted painter with a keen eye for gesture and setting, Hare’s paintings are marked by an ever-increasing interest in surface. At first, he was building up layers of paint, finding his own authenticity in this representation of reality - not glossy and smooth, but rough and textured. He then began to improvise ways of incorporating more objects into the work. Everything he saw became a possible new material - rubber tires, denim, caution tape and tar. His earlier paintings might be compared to Bischoff or Terry St. John, but the works were morphing into something entirely new. It was as if Rauschenberg decided to try his hand at Bay Area Figuration. Dennis refers to the work as wabi-sabi, a Japanese practice that nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.

An elite athlete, who pioneered and even wrote the book on beach volleyball in the 70’s, Hare turned to painting after seeing a Van Gogh masterpiece at the deYoung Museum. He moved to Santa Cruz and then Mexico, honing his craft. Hare’s talent was quickly realized and he enjoyed early success, showing with Charles Campbell, Allan Stone in New York, Hackett Freedman Gallery and Elins Eagles-Smith. Hare has remained true to his vision and the work has a groundbreaking presence and individuality, respected by collectors and artists everywhere.