Artist Statement

Hatefulcrawdad is a name that intrigues people. They often start off wondering what type of person I am or if I have a connection to the South. Both are false. Once you get to know me, you realize I’m always glass half-full. And then, I’ll tell you a story of how the name comes from a combination of a small town festival and internet chat rooms. I’ve always got one foot back in childhood.

I’m a visual artist that creates drawings and paintings with multiple mediums. I make art because it makes me smile. I find enjoyment in the fact that I can put strokes on a surface and bring people back to places, thoughts, or feelings they love. I feel alive when I can add a small bit of positivity into the world through the way I see it. The urge to constantly improve my craft and push myself to learn new ways of thinking visually is strong in me. I use bold shapes and focused composition to draw you in and then you notice the texture and imperfection that make up my style.

Biography

Chris Michel (Hatefulcrawdad) was born in Selma California in 1985. Throughout his life, he has always felt pulled towards art, finding ways to feel creative in everything he does. Chris hasn’t always considered himself an artist, though. He struggled with imposter syndrome and felt like there was no way anyone would want to see what he created because there were no big statements being made. Chris would eventually find graphic design, which revealed an entirely new world of art to him. He would go on to graduate from California State University Fresno with a BA in Art & Design and now works in the field of user experience at a large tech company.

As his tenure in tech increased, he looked to painting as a creative outlet that didn’t require staring at a computer screen or device all day. Today, he has learned to get out of his own head and just create for the sake of happiness. He wants people to smile when they look at his art.

Chris lives and works from the Fresno area and has a beautiful wife, daughter, and son that fill up all his time in between work and art. 

Hatefulcrawdad is looking forward to getting his art out there and letting the world decide what they feel about it.