Derek Hess In Singapore

Last night I was checking out the schedule for the various bands playing at this year's Baybeats. I was hoping to catch Love Me Butch from Malaysia and local bands A Vacant Affair and Plain Sunset. However, whilst looking through the various events scheduled for Baybeats, I saw the name Derek Hess.

Derek Hess is an underground artist from Cleveland. Derek Hess has been a huge influnce in my art. His works has been a huge inspiration to me. I was excited and totally forgot and did not care about catching any of the bands. All I wanted to do was to attend his sharing sessions.

So there I was at the library in Esplanade earlier today. The session was scheduled to start at 5pm and I was early. Wanted to catch a front row seat. I was there about 20 minutes earlier. When I saw him, it was like DAMN! Well I was excited.

His talk was great. Talked about himself a little and his past. He shared his works from his early days till recent times.Explaining his thoughts and ideas. There was quite a crowd. There were one ore two or even three true fans of his art like me. There were some who just liked his art and others who looked like those emo kids who were there because Derek has designed some prints or artwork for some of the bands that they listened to.

Anyway, he talked and talked and he ran out of time. A Q&A session followed and I asked him to talk about his tattoos. Especially the Captain America ones. Tried to make him take off his shirt as i know that he has a tatto of his art on his back. However he politely declined and told me thtat he might give me a private viewing.
Heheheh...I doubt it.

After the session, I managed to talk to him a little. Showed him my sketchbook and some of my works that were Derek Hess inspired. He was kinda impressed...and flattered. Gave me some advice. Told him that I was an art teacher and that I use his works to also inspire my troubled students who have loads of teenage angst. He said that its great that he can help inspire these kids. He was thinking of coming back to Singapore again and maybe do something with schools. Well I hope that happens. Asked him if he would draw a little something in my sketchbook and he obliged. Thanks dude!

Derek Hess brought along with him 3 originals, some fine art prints and also full colored prints of his posters. I purchased an original print of Implosion.

Implosion is a 2 color serigraph, edition of 75, 22 1/4" x 29 1/4", printed at Highway Press. It costs S$410 with frame. To collect it from Awakening Productions after baybeats.

I will be going down again tomorrow to catch his second session.

To know more about Derek Hess, do check out www.derekhess.com.