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A child of the Earth's waters, a native son forever playing in the ocean's waves, a gifted messenger carrying an eternal vision, who else would have the imagination to see the planet as it was and as it might become, but renowned artist, Christian Riese Lassen. While Christian Riese Lassen's international reputation rests strongly on the acclaim lavished on his seascapes, above-and-below perspectives, and other marine art and island art, his body of work is astonishingly broad and diverse. 'The Art of Lassen' is an exploration through an interwoven pattern of styles and approaches that defy a conventional, linear assessment.
One of the great artists of our time, Lassen has dedicated himself to the realization of a magical vision of life on earth. Lassen's talent for molding pigment, light and movement, along with his compassion for the harmony of life on Earth, has allowed him to touch the hearts and senses of virtually millions of people.
Viewing a work of art by Lassen is not merely the passage of time, but an experience of nature, captured in the scene by its exquisite beauty and detail. Developing a romance early in life with the ocean after arriving in Lahaina, Hawaii, at the age of 10, Lassen began his life's work of artistic exploration. No other setting could have been more perfect to stimulate an artist's senses with the breathtaking sunsets, roaring ocean waves, tropical landscaping and marine life. An avid surfer, Lassen's intensity and energy is drawn from the sea. Even though the only artistic education that Lassen received was from the public school district domain, and his artistically talented mother Carol, Lassen dedicated his life to his talent by mastering the techniques and creating his own style that rivals the masters of the art world. Lassen began at a young age selling his artwork for T-shirt designs.
He then began selling paintings in a small art shop. In the 1980's Lassen improved his technique of 'glazing' as used by the Old Dutch Masters. Ironically, Lassen first gained international recognition not for his artwork, but for his athletic ability as a star surfer for television, magazines, billboards and movies. During this time period, Lassen directed all of his business activities personally, including exposure for his paintings, until he met Jona-Marie Price, who began marketing his masterpieces with fervor. Beginning with his first series of limited edition paintings, the demand for his paintings became a virtual buying frenzy as far reaching as Japan.
After spending endless hours of research in pools with marine animals in captivity, in 1990 Lassen created the SeaVision Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting environmental causes. Continuing his legacy as a master artist, Lassen has expanded his scope of painting techniques and subject matter to include impressionism, pop art, surrealism and mythical abstracts. His mastery of detail and luminescent quality of his paintings are reflected in every one of his works of art. Christian Riese Lassen is an artist for our times......nowhere does it seem there is another artist who has so precisely captured the psychic and spiritual needs of our planet.
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