“My style and technique is developed from how I would actually paint a wall. The paints I use, the layering process, the learning process... While painting walls you deal with elements of weather: rain, wind, dust, and all angles of direct sunlight. All these elements will influence how I paint my canvas... My approach to painting is not understanding that I’m painting on canvas; I paint on canvas with the understanding of painting on walls.”

– Chad Hasegawa

In Chad Hasegawa’s current body of work, he molds his resourceful street art background with his fine art influences. Hasegawa’s nonobjective paintings rely on forms and colors, as they relate to one another and create a single shape. Hasegawa takes his concerns for painting something that lasts in the outdoors, and applies the same techniques when approaching a canvas. He uses latex paint, and oversized brush strokes to ensure these paintings, like his murals, will surpass the test of time.

Hasegawa’s biggest influence lays in traditional Hawaiian quilts which culturally are viewed more as paintings or unique works of art to be passed down from generation to generation. The colors of these tapestries usually reflect the royalty colors from the great kings and queens of ancient Hawaii. The palettes are very strong and bold choices to be put one next to the other. The designs are graphic and balanced in composition. The colors in Hasegawa’s paintings give a sense of opposites attracting.