Dennis Hare

Dennis Hare (August 29, 1946 – March 10, 2024) was a Californian artist, known mainly for his figurative work, and a former beach volleyball player and athlete. Hare's career spans 35 years. Today he is known as both a figurative and abstract assemblage artist with over 55 solo shows. He was also a member of the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame.

Early life Hare was born in Glendale, California in 1946. His father Fred was a sports writer and his mother Arlene an interior designer. In 1964, as a high school senior, he was selected to the All-Southern California Basketball Team. Hare was introduced to volleyball while at San Diego State University where he graduated in 1969. In 1971, after returning from the service where he was a member of the All Armed Forces Volleyball Team, Hare dedicated himself to the sport of doubles beach volleyball. His love of the sport prompted him to write the first book on the subject: The Art of Beach Volleyball. and then went on to San Bernardino Valley College. He later transferred to San Diego State University to play baseball, graduating in 1969 with a first degree in physical education.

Sports career Hare began his career as an athlete. In high school he played basketball and baseball for the California Interscholastic Federation. During the 1964 season he won an All-California Interscholastic Federation First Team award and an All-American Honorable Mention. He was also named the most valuable basketball player for the Desert Valley League that same year. He teamed up with Jim Menges to win the Hermosa Beach Open in 1976. Hare entered and won several other notable tournaments including winning, with his partner, Fred Zuelich, the first commercially-sponsored event in 1974, and the first indoor championship, also in that year. Hare is a self-taught artist, having visited museums and studied the work of classic talents to develop his own skill. but uses a variety of material in his pieces, especially discarded items, junk and especially objects that show signs of weathering.

Hare's art work is on display at his home studio. He is represented by galleries in New York, San Francisco and Laguna Beach

In 1993 the Salander O'Reilly Gallery featured Hare in the show, Four West Coast Painters: Nathan Oliveira, David Park, Dennis Hare and Larry Cohen. In 1995 Hare was included in the Campbell -Thiebaud Gallery show, The Figure: Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture, Balthus, Elmer Bischoff, Joan Brown, de Kooning, De Staebler, Diebenkorn, Chuck Eckart, Dennis Hare and Manuel Neri. Hare was also represented by The Allan Stone Gallery in New York and the Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco.

Hare gave frequent lectures and workshops on self-expression and the artist within. This hosts his art studio with an extensive collection of his work, which was featured by the local YMCA in its 2013 Holiday Home Tour.