Brushes with Love: Hessam Creates ‘Colors of Romance’ for Ocean Galleries Exhibit
“Calm Whispers”
Hessam Abrishami is an artist with a message.
“These days – if you look at it – everywhere there is war,” he says. “There is anger. But my message is that this is not the way. We have to love. We have to share beauty.”
With pieces inspired by this message, the Persian artist, known simply as Hessam, will share a special collection of vibrant, fluid, lively artwork at Ocean Galleries from Sept. 1-6. During the “Colors of Romance” exhibit, Hessam will make gallery appearances from 7-10pm on Saturday, Sept. 2 and Sunday, Sept. 3.
“It is an honor to welcome Hessam to Ocean Galleries,” says owner Kim Miller. “We fell in love with his artwork years ago and have carried Hessam’s art in the gallery for nearly 20 years. In fact, he was our very first exhibit. There is something about his artwork – a sense of romance – that drawers the viewer in and is quite thought-provoking. We consider this new collection of art to be his best ever and are eager to share it with the community.”
For Hessam, Stone Harbor is a special place for which he’s created a very special experience.
“When I decided to have a show in Stone Harbor, I was really excited,” he says. “I’ve worked for almost one year for this show. I’ve painted different paintings and people are going to see those pieces for the first time. This show is really important to me and I put all of my efforts and talents in these paintings for Stone Harbor.”
If Hessam devotes all of his formidable talents to something, rest assured the results will be spectacular. Since he first picked up a brush at the age of 15, his gift was obvious.
“The first time I painted, I was in school and the teacher asked us to paint whatever we wanted,” Hessam recalls. “I started to copy one of my teacher’s pictures. When I finished, I went to the teacher and asked him to give me a grade. He looked at the painting and he looked at me for more than five minutes. Then he asked me, ‘Who did that?’ I said, ‘I did.’ In the end, he said, ‘This is the first time I give a student an A-plus, and believe it or not, you painted it better than me.’ And it was unbelievable to me. From that time till now, I paint every day.”
Success was immediate. Hessam won his first national award in Iran at the age of 17 and won first place in the “Iranian New Artists Competition” at 19. After high school, Hessam served in the military for 2 years, before furthering his art education in Perugia, Italy, where he earned a master’s degree in fine arts from the Accademia di Belle Arti Pietro Vannucci.
Following school, Hessam returned to Iran before ultimately deciding to move to the United States. He settled in Los Angeles, where he continues to create the type of abstract impressionistic paintings that have attracted more than 20,000 private collectors worldwide. Influenced by masters such as Cezanne and Picasso, as well as his rich heritage and intense life experiences, Hessam creates bold artwork that celebrates joy, movement, color, love and relationships.
His creative process is as filled with intuition and emotion as his paintings.
“It’s all feeling,” he says. “I put the canvas in front of me, I grab the color and put it on the canvas without any sketches. I follow my feelings. After more than 40 years of experience, I know how to do it and everything is going to be perfect.”
Hessam’s trademark palette of saturated, effervescent hues comes straight from his creative spirit and bright personality.
“I’m a happy person. I’m not sad,” he explains. “For that reason, every color that’s in my brush is vibrant, happy and beautiful. The colors choose me. It’s all feeling. When I grab some color, it’s exactly the color I’m supposed to pick. When I put it anywhere on the canvas, it’s supposed to be there. It comes exactly the way it should be.”
Once he is finished with a painting, Hessam is as delighted to see it leave the studio as he was when he created it.
“I believe the worst place for artwork is the artist’s studio,” he asserts. “The work, I believe, doesn’t belong to the artist. It belongs to the people. They have to see it. They have to love it. They have to enjoy it. When somebody purchases a painting, or I send one to the gallery, I enjoy it more. Because I can bring happiness, and love and share it with people. This brings me more satisfaction.”
This summer, Hessam’s artwork will bring even more joy, as he is donating one of his paintings for the fundraising auction at the Barefoot Ball to benefit the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children. This nonprofit facility has been providing memorable shore vacation experiences for visually impaired children for more than 50 years. Hessam’s donation will surely be one of the centerpieces of the fundraising efforts.
With his generous donation, Hessam’s exhibit will allow him to share his talents for a worthy cause in a place he truly appreciates.
“I love Stone Harbor, and especially Ocean Galleries,” he says. “Stone Harbor is a beautiful city and I have many memories of the city and the people. When you go someplace and they understand art and they love art – it makes you really excited.”
The opportunity to interact with art enthusiasts is both enjoyable and informative for him.
“When I paint in my studio, I am alone. But when I go to the gallery and people see my work and talk about my work, then I can realize how strong a piece is, or what I can make better,” Hessam says. “It’s always good for me to talk to people about my work.”
No doubt, it will also be good for the lucky art lovers at Ocean Galleries this Labor Day weekend as they enjoy a unique chance to view an exclusive collection of artwork and interact with the joyful artist who created all of it.
Exhibit at a Glance
Hessam Abrishami – Colors of Romance
Sept. 1-6
Ocean Galleries, 9618 Third Ave., Stone Harbor
Receptions with the artist 7-10pm | Sept. 2 & 3
4 MASTERFUL DONATIONS TO THE BAREFOOT BALL
Ocean Galleries has secured donations from four talented and generous artists for the fundraising auction at the Barefoot Ball, scheduled for Sept. 9. The event benefits the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children, of which Ocean Galleries is a longtime supporter.
“It is our pleasure to support the Diller Home and the amazing opportunity that they offer to visually impaired children in the region,” says Ocean Galleries owner Josh Miller.
The artists who have donated their work are masters of their craft, who exhibit their work at the finest galleries and inspire private collectors all over the world. These donations will surely be a centerpiece of the fundraising auction:
Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017
5pm-9pm
Windrift Hotel
105 80th St., Avalon, NJ (Level 2 - entrance on 80th Street)
Enjoy Spectacular Ocean Views, Live Music by BLT, Cocktails, Hors D’oeuvres, Live Auction
For more information please visit our website www.dillerblindhome.org or email acoskey@dillerblindhome.org
