Howard Hallis

Howard Hallis was born July 28, 1971 in Santa Monica, California. He currently lives in San Diego, California. He earned a BFA in Fine Art at UCLA studying under Chris Burden, Charlie Ray, Richard Jackson, Paul McCarthy, Jan Stussy and Nancy Rubens.

After graduating from UCLA in 1994, Hallis worked as a personal assistant to counter culture icon & professor Timothy Leary, collaborating with him on the book Surfing the Conscious Nets: A Graphic Novel. He has worked as web designer at Klasky Csupo animation studio and published a comic book, Alien Man, in 2004. In addition, he has been involved in various musical projects.

Lenticular art

Howard Hallis has been exploring the lenticular medium for almost two decades as an artist. The 42 Lenticular Series which were completed at around the start of his 42nd birthday express the metaphysical and primordial themes in exuberant dreamtime-like visions. They are printed with a special fluorescent neon ink.  Lenticulars are a 3D illusion process that has been used for many years on everything from record covers to movie postcards. Lenticular printing is a multi-step process consisting of creating a lenticular image from at least two or more existing images, and combining it with a lenticular lens. This technology was created in the 1940s but has evolved in recent years to show more motion and increased depth. It is fitting that he uses lenticular lens as his canvas of choice given the influences of his art subjects. The lenticulars appears like celluloid screens of art.

The 42 Lenticular Blacklight Lenticular Series are Hallis’ recent lenticular works completed at around the start of his 42nd birthday. They are abstract explorations of metaphysical and primordial themes in exuberant dreamtime-like visions. They are printed with a special fluorescent neon ink and the lenticular lenses glow under blacklight and appear to be three dimensional.

POP CULTURE ART

Media, popular culture, comic books and fantasy play a large role in his artistic explorations. His magnum opus project is The Picture of Everything, a massive hand-drawn collage homage to media and popular culture icons. It is an attempt to present the seemingly inexhaustible creations of media, popular culture, from the past, present and leaving the endless possibilities open for the future.

Another key aspect of his art is the primary use of lenticular medium. Howard Hallis has been exploring the lenticular medium for almost two decades as an artist. Lenticulars are a 3D illusion process that has been used for many years on everything from record covers to movie postcards. Lenticular printing is a multi-step process consisting of creating a lenticular image from at least two or more existing images, and combining it with a lenticular lens. This technology was created in the 1940s but has evolved in recent years to show more motion and increased depth. It is fitting that he uses lenticular lens as his canvas of choice given the influences of his art subjects. The lenticulars appears like celluloid screens of art.

The ambiance and spirit behind his art are imaginative, exuberant and fun. The drawings are done by hand and then processed through digital mediums. Comprehensively modern in themes and in presentation, conceptual and also recognizable pop art, his unique art defies easy categorization.