Unconventional..Versatile..Fun............
The work of Happy J Kuhn is fun. The happiness of his work is reflected in bright colours, cheerful subject matter and large scale, simple, children oriented images that are engaging and soothing in nature. "I always found cut-outs fun because framing is not required." The technique is uncomplicated and lends itself to bold simplicity.
"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."
Medical College of Virginia Children's Medical Center. Happiness and laughter are the key to well being. We can see that the environments created by Happy are able to capture the essence of warmth and cheer and his images have had a tremendous impact on the children whose lives he has touched. "I have realized that what people respond to directly is the comfort and cheer of the care facility." He has..."created a world of fantasy that has captured the imaginations of children and humoured their parents. I have watched nurses bring patients out to the area to visit the life-sized Kermit, Big Bird, Roger Rabbit, and a host of animals from the wild. So for the moment these children are surrounded by familiar faces and happy associations that have only recently become available to them in the hospital." Children's National Medical Center, Washington DC In this hospital mural Happy has appealed to the imagination of children. To the sense of childlike adventure, story telling and fantasy. His images are of crazy flying machines and crammed in bus rides that take the children off into paddocks and other fanciful places. Here giraffes and other pleasant creatures pop hap-hazardly into the visual field to delight and surprise the little viewer. Every creature is having a gay old time and is the starting point for many a story; each with a well developed character of his or her own.
Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation. A Circus......Hospital Circus - what better way to entertain. With rhythmic lines and plentiful repetition Happy has created the atmosphere of excitement and escape. A background against story telling, workshops and other inspiring activities can be staged. Pure pleasure and frivolity has to be therapeutic don't you think?
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