HONG KONG YEARS
Hong Kong changed the way I see color, movement, and presence.
What began as a move across the world became one of the most transformative chapters of my life and artistic practice. During my years there, I created new bodies of work, exhibited throughout the city, collaborated with artists and communities, and developed a daily studio practice shaped by both the intensity and beauty of Hong Kong.
The projects below trace that journey—from exhibitions and pop-ups to experiments, collaborations, and the founding of CENTERED.
CENTERED
CENTERED was born from a desire to slow down and return to what matters most. Created during my years in Hong Kong, this body of work explores color, movement, and presence through intuitive abstraction. Each painting became a practice of finding center—less frantic, more honest, and more connected to the moment at hand.
ETHEREAL HORIZONS
Ethereal Horizons explores the threshold between what is seen and what is felt. Through luminous color, layered textures, and intuitive abstraction, the work invites viewers into a space of reflection, mystery, and transformation—where form softens, boundaries dissolve, and new possibilities emerge.
@haydave.artist #art #popup
Presented on Hollywood Road in Hong Kong's Central district, @haydave.artist #art #popup brought together painting, community, and creative exploration in a temporary exhibition space. Featuring works from And the Waves, Pop Icons, and other series, the exhibition invited visitors to engage with art through conversation, reflection, workshops, and shared experiences.
AND THE WAVES...
And the Waves... emerged from a simple observation: emotions are much like the ocean. They arrive, rise, and pass away, yet we often resist them or judge them as good or bad. Inspired by the sea and shaped by experiences of loss, mental health, and healing, this series uses layers of blue and expressive abstraction to explore the beauty, power, and impermanence of our emotional lives.
BLUE BOTTLE
Inspired by Robert Motherwell's mixed-media collages and Andy Warhol's celebrated soup cans, Blue Bottle elevates the everyday coffee cup into a vibrant subject of contemporary pop art. Drawn from a favorite coffee ritual, the series celebrates repetition, design, and the small moments that become part of our daily lives.
INTUITIVE PASTELS
During my years in Hong Kong, pastel became a medium for experimentation, observation, and intuitive expression. Beginning with color field aura portraits created at psychic fairs and community events, the work gradually evolved into a series of abstract studies exploring color, gesture, energy, and presence.
Though never formally exhibited, these pieces became an important part of my creative practice, offering a direct and spontaneous way to investigate ideas that would later influence other bodies of work.
COLOR & FLOW
One of my first public exhibitions in Hong Kong, Color & Flow introduced a vibrant body of work exploring abstraction, pop realism, movement, and emotion. Through color, composition, and intuitive mark-making, the exhibition invited viewers into a dynamic visual experience.