From intricate posters to popular clothing design, this artistic entrepreneur has the talent and the drive to take on life's biggest challenges.
David Hess discovered his passion for drawing at a fairly young age and has feverishly embraced that talent ever since. As the son of an artist, Hess was exposed to his father’s realistic depictions of the battle scenes he’d witnessed first hand during World War II. Perhaps it was these graphic illustrations of gruesome battle scenes which later influenced Hess’s powerfully dark images for which he is now famous.
Having studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art, the learning facility where his father taught, Hess had acquired the basic drawing skills necessary to build his creative career. Hess began his profession in a number of mediums, one of them being promotional music posters for the infamous Euclid Tavern. He is quick to admit that music has always been a source of inspiration for his pieces. While at Euclid, he was able to harness each band’s unique character in their promotional posters. As friend Dennis King explains, “Derek’s work is unique in the poster art world; the lines he draws are expressive and sensitive, the colors are not bright or bold. The way he manipulates the space within the poster is striking.”
His raw talent caught the attention of Marty Geramita, who quickly persuaded Hess to harness his unique creative ability and aggressively transition into a full time poster artist. With his help, Hess’s career flourished. Today, his works are permanently featured in both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Louvre. He’s recently done work for MTV, Fall Out Boy, and Lewis Black.
Although he has moved on from poster making, Hess’s drive for success has not wavered. He and his dog, Josie, are still based out of Cleveland. He stays busy working on a range of pen and ink and fine silk-screen pieces as well as designing apparel for his clothing line. His work can be purchased on his website and exhibits touring around the country.
