The Artist : Hassan Hilliard

A native Texan, born and raised in city of Houston, Hassan Hilliard is an artist who chose photography as the medium to create his works.  Focusing primarily on still life imagery, botanical/landscape, and expressive figure-art images, he characterizes his subjects (living or inanimate) in an explanation of the deepest human emotions.
Hassan’s introduction to photography began at 14 years old by his father, the family shutterbug, who owned a 1973 Canon A-1. Once becoming familiar with the mechanics and technology of a general high-end 35mm film camera, he bought the same identical version for his own use, which he still uses today along with medium format film cameras and digital SLRs.  Since 2005, he has been featured in several local and regional art exhibits and publications ranging from fashion/editorial to entertainment and has received national recognition with work featured on television and juried art shows.

Receiving his formal education through local colleges and technical seminars, he has transformed these learned applications to a personal creativity; blending aspects of classic lighting and portraiture with harder contrast and graphic influences to make images that are considered more as expressive pieces than photographs.  Though keeping up with the times and progressing into digital photography, he still prefers the purity of film.

I believe in the statement Henry Cartier-Bresson made; that photography was like a quick stab as opposed to painting, which isn’t.  Even so, I feel that I relate to painters more due to the fact that I do more planned photography than impromptu, so there is still the same amount of factors to consider.  Color, contrast, impact, meaning…feeling; to me, this is what makes “good art” be it a photograph or anything else.  My goal is to show something of worth.  Something that treads in the area between the viewer wanting to know the inspiration behind the work and them being able to associate with what they see without explanation.

Hassan

 

-AWARDS-
*Houston Style Magazine's 30 under 30 Entrepreneurial Award (2005)

-JURIED ART SHOWS-
*Eros Pulse Winter 2009 Show (03-06/03-07); Denver, CO
*Nude Nite Expo (02-12/02-14-2009); Brookhaven workspace; Orlando, FL 
*The Kinsey Institute 2009 Juried Art show (05-29/06-31-2009); School of Fine Arts; Bloomington, IN

-GALLERY EXHIBITS-
*Picturing Ike - The Online Exhibit (10-01/12-01-2008); The Houston Center of Photography (www.hcponline.org)
*Another Look (08-01/09-06-2008); The Tearoom Gallery/Community Artists Collective
*Broadening Exposure Pt. 2 (02-08/03-14-2008); The Tearoom Gallery/Community Artists Collective
*Broadening Exposure (01-15/02-28-2008); Christ Church Cathedral
*The Extended Legacy (09-20/10-20-2007); The Tearoom Gallery/Community Artists Collective
*Silent Auction/Benifit (08-18-2007); The Gramillion Gallery
*Ojos Artisticos de Talento Bilingue (Oct 2005)

-TELEVISION FEATURES-
*Christina's Court; Photo featured on show 01-08-2008

-PUBLICATIONS-
*Eros Pulse Winter 2009 coffee table/catalog book; 2009
*Pleasures (12 month pinup calendar); 2007
*Noir Magazine (premiere issue); 2006
*Jones Magazine (spring ed.); 2006
*Houston Style Magazine; 01/2005-01/2006 weekly