“Firsts” happen all the time.
First look.
First step.
First … paint?
For senior Jasper Hanrahan, his “first” was just that — a catalyst that ignited his passion for a skill he’s been building upon for 13 years, since his first painting.
TRACING HIS “LINE”AGE
Hanrahan said he created his first piece of artwork at just 5 years old with the help of his dad. Since then, art has become a core component in shaping who he is, both as a person and as a creator — especially after rediscovering his zeal for it during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
“That whole quarantine period really reignited my passion for art,” Hanrahan said. “I would actually paint with my brother a lot, and I painted with my dad; my mom’s art style wasn’t as messy as mine, my dad’s and my brother’s, so she would be the one recording our projects.”
With both of Hanrahan’s parents studying art in college — his dad at Cal Poly Pomona and his mom at Exeter College in England — he hopes to continue the lineage by following in their footsteps.
“When my parents introduced me to painting, I didn’t even realize that it was a unique thing since everyone around me did it,” the artist said. “I’m hoping to take a similar path and attend UCLA for art.”
Now in his 13th year in the creative realm, Hanrahan explores a more unconventional form of painting, which makes his artwork all the more authentic to himself. Instead of the classic paintbrush and canvas, he approaches a unique art style, one which he describes as abstract.
“Abstract art is the best outlet that you can have for making something that is truly you,” he said.
UNMASKING THE PROCESS
Rather than the stereotypical toolbox of an artist, Hanrahan said his most-used painting paraphernalia include power tools, more specifically the grinder, used for smoothing out the surface of the panel, and the squeegee, which assists in spreading paint around the canvas. Turning to wood panels instead of the standard duck canvas, the power tools play a big role in the composition of his paintings.
However, the senior’s most trusted tool is not one he can buy at an art store — it is built in.
“Honestly, the best tool for my paintings is my hands,” Hanrahan said. “I feel more in control of the canvas that way.”
Taking inspiration from his parents’ work along with his favorite artists like Sterling Ruby, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Frank Bowling, Hanrahan said he developed his own style, painting in the garage-come-art studio of his home, one that was converted into an art space nearly 20 years ago.
“As a kid, it was basically a throwing paint at the canvas kind of style, but I started developing my own style during quarantine once I got older,” he said. “I realized that I couldn’t just copy my dad my whole life, but when I was younger, our paintings looked very similar.”
Senior Manveer Anand, who has viewed Hanrahan in action, said the process is fascinating to watch.
“I’ve actually painted with him before,” Anand said. “One thing about Jasper is that his mood affects how he paints, so if he’s happy in the moment, his art will reflect that.”
EXHIBITING ON A GRAND SCALE
To view his creations firsthand, senior Aashna Dialani, web editor-in-chief, visited the gallery on its opening day, Saturday, Aug. 30.
Walking into Hanrahan’s Downtown Fullerton art gallery is like stepping into a world of color.
The artist displayed his talents in a new environment on Saturday, Aug. 30, in the form of a one-day gallery opening on 227 W. Santa Fe Ave. in Downtown Fullerton.
Hanrahan exhibited 11 of his best works, and by the end of the showcase, he had sold eight of them, which were both pre-ordered and bought in person. His most expensive piece was marketed for $2,000.
The space, which he said has been in the family for 40 years, had served as his dad’s art studio in college and later became a haven to display Hanrahan’s artwork. All the pieces were curated over the span of two years, since his sophomore year of high school.
“I’ve got to give credit to pops [my father],” he said. “He came up with the idea and originally had a separate exhibition to showcase my mom’s work, and then he asked me to put some of my own stuff in there, and I was like, ‘Of course.’”
Of the paintings exhibited in the space, Hanrahan said his most memorable piece was the largest he made during his art career: a 5-foot-by-10-foot wood panel painting titled “House on a Hill 2.”
“It was a great challenge for me because the scale was so large,” he said. “It felt really nice seeing it up on a wall because I’ve never seen one of my paintings that big mounted up on a wall before.”
Like the artist, the attendees said they also found the gallery to be a space filled with creative energy and a good time.
Senior Jacob Sueki said he found out about the exhibition through a Sunday, Aug. 17, post on Hanrahan’s Instagram account (@jasper_hanrahan), with 779 followers as of Tuesday, Sept. 16. His favorite part about the gallery was the way it brought all the guests together in a laid-back setting.
“The vibe of the gallery was really nice, and there was a nice couch room where the guests sat around and hung out,” Sueki said. “It was just a great environment.”
The relaxed setting appealed to many guests, creating a space where conversation flowed and art was appreciated.
“My parents and I had a really great time there,” senior Sydney Kim said. “It was nice to be able to appreciate his art and efforts without it being too crowded.”
In addition, senior Parker Mesnik also admired the 5-foot-by-10-foot painting, saying that it was his favorite piece in the gallery.
“I really liked the house that was drawn on the hill and all the different colors on the huge panel,” Mesnik said. “It was really nice to see his hard work on display.”
PAINTING HIS FUTURE
After his first successful gallery opening, Hanrahan said he plans to have another exhibition at the same location toward the end of the school year, right before he goes to college, his dream being UCLA.
“UCLA feeds into a lot of programs like Hammer, which is an art gallery program,” Hanrahan said. “It would be awesome if I am able to go there.”
Away from the canvas, Hanrahan said his experience in the art realm has helped shape him into the individual he is today, and he hopes to hone this talent in the future.
“Painting has shaped me in a way that I have so much confidence in my abilities, which gives me confidence in everything else that I do,” he said. “It drives me to put my best efforts into other things that I enjoy doing; regardless of what I do in the future, I just know that art is always going to be around.”
