Chuy Hartman
(b. 1991)
Chuy Hartman is a Los Angeles-based artist who has spent the last decade merging his love for
music with visual expression. Like a courtroom artist, Chuy uses traditional painting and
drawing techniques to document live performances, capturing the chaotic energy of the crowd,
musicians, and the entire atmosphere from the stage to the page. Focusing on the dynamics of
lighting, sound, and space, his work brings out the raw, unfiltered energy of live music.
Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Chuy grew up immersed in the Los Angeles
hardcore music scene, playing in bands until shifting his focus to drawing and painting. While
studying at the Art Center College of Design, he began to blend his artistic practice with his
passion for music, documenting live shows from within the scene he grew up in. His drawings
embrace imperfection—created with ink brush on paper, Hartman intentionally avoids erasing,
allowing mistakes to remain as part of the final piece. This approach lends a personal and honest
quality to his work, glorifying the raw, unpolished aspects of live performance.
Hartman’s career has included collaborations with major music festivals like Punk Rock
Bowling, Sound & Fury, Outbreak, and Desert Daze, where he has captured the energy of
countless bands. One of his most notable projects includes creating artwork for the release of
Turnstile’s critically acclaimed album “GLOW ON.” His work has been showcased in group
exhibitions across Los Angeles, New York, London, Manchester, and Berlin, and has appeared in
prominent publications such as Rolling Stone Japan, Juxtapoz, New York Magazine, The New
York Times, Flaunt, New Noise, and the LA Times. He has also been recognized with multiple
awards in American Illustration.
“The relationship between music and art has a long and rich history. Art has often become an
icon for music genres and artists, and it can also symbolize eras and scenes. Chuy Hartman, who
calls LA his home, is undoubtedly an artist who brilliantly captures the current atmosphere of
music. His artworks depicting live music performances not only capture the movements of each
player but also the vibes of the venue and the energy of the audience, encapsulating those unique,
perfect moments that exist only in that place. Although his work are paintings, they also have a
documentary feel, much like live photos from the past. There’s a freshness, a sense of familiarity
and nostalgia, and above all, you can feel his boundless love for music.” - Rolling Stone Japan

chuyhartman@gmail.com
Back to Top