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The Life and Times of JP Happy Kuhn
Artist Happy Kuhn, unconventional and versatile, has splashed and dripped his
trademark from New York to California, Mexico to Canada, Brazil to Santa
Domingo and on world-wide television.
His work, which he calls "play" has drawn the attention, compliments
and personal responses from notable figures like Ted Kennedy, George Bush,
Gerald Ford, Mort Sahl, Jim McKay (ABC Sports), Maury Povitch (Metro Media),
Mickey Mantle, Sam Irving, Arlo Guthrie and many others...
"His hand is sure ... his perspective adept .."
Highly regarded contemporary art critic Benjamin Forgey wrote of Happy Kuhn ..
"His hand is sure, his portraiture accurate, his perspective adept .. I
like the way his broad brush flails around .."
Born in Washington D.C., 1942, Happy began his professional art career at age
15 as a quick sketch artist on TV, after reaching the national finals in the
Disney Talent Roundup. At age 21, he studied with Raul Middleman (Maryland Art
Institute, Baltimore), Gene Massin (Artist and professor, University of Miami)
and Robert E. Kuhn, painter, sculptor, sire and confidant.
The White House ... Watergate ...
The MacNeil/Lehrer Report
Happy cut his first "art teeth" in the mid-60's in Washington, D.C.
with his innovative, life-size figures of sub-culture heroes painted on
hundreds of old doors. During those years and in between one-man shows, Happy
also freelanced in illustration, model-making, painting murals, designing
logos, packages and exhibits for Eastern Airlines, Expo'67 World's fair, NASA
and others. Click here to see
In 1972, his full-figured "political portraits" caught the attention
of NPACT/NET television producers who commissioned Happy to produce portraits
for the animation sequence of the "MacNeil/Lehrer Report" (then
Washington Straight Talk) of Watergate and other political figures. One of
those portraits of Gerald Ford, was given to the then Congressman and later
hung in his vice-presidential office.
Later that year, Happy's fourth one-man show was held at the Baraka Gallery,
Les Champ Plaza in the Watergate complex. Noted for its hard-hitting political
and social commentary, the controversial exhibit featured full-figured
portraits of the impeachment committee anticipating an inevitable triumph.
Lawn Paintings ... cows, clowns, totem poles, and more!
For the next several years Happy traveled the country designing sets,
exhibits, conventions graphics, poster campaigns, and painting murals -- such
as his five figurative wall murals (ala Arabian theme) in Florida and his
exciting 4,000 square feet of murals for Bally, Inc. In recent years he
has become known for his "lawn paintings" which add a new and unique
dimension to landscapes.
"Nobody but billboard painters are using the great outdoors for
two-dimensional display", says Happy. "So decks, patios, lawns and
pool sides are vacant of real contemporary paintings -- of barnyard animals,
clowns and icons -- are like small billboards without words, withstand the
weather, are scaled for realism and make great conversation.
Speaking of conversation, the artist and father of eight
has an interesting perspective on his lawn paintings. "My kids
see them as animals and clowns...I see them as abstract shapes distinguished
as animals and clowns...and that's what I like about painting...you
reach different people in different ways."
View a list of Happy's
Commissions
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