Artists

Hiro Yamagata

Internationally known among commercial-art enthusiasts for his pop-inspired faunal and floral imagery, Yamagata is best known in the U.S. as the poster designer for the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Committees. He's also designed commemorative works for the Air and Space Bicentennial, the U.S. Constitution's Bicentennial, the Centennial Celebration of the Eiffel Tower, the Bicentennial of the French Revolution - and painted Ronald Reagan's presidential portrait. I n 1988, Hiro was commissioned by President Ronald Reagan to do a painting as part of the one hundred year anniversary celebration of the Statue of Liberty.

Hiro Yamagata was born in Shiga, Japan on June 30, 1948. He was first interested in painting in elementary school and took a special art class every day after school and through high school with his art teacher, a Japanese-style painter. After his graduation, he went to Tokyo and had part-time jobs in the advertisement field, where his talent was recognized. In 1972, Hiro began attending L'Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris and began to live his life through painting.