Dennis Mukai

Art Brokerage: Dennis Mukai Dennis Mukai was born in Hiroshima, Japan and raised in Southern California. He is most widely recognized for his published portraits of beautiful women. His subjects have included Pamela Anderson, Tia Carrere, Jennifer Flavin, Janet Jones Gretsky, Paula Barbieri, Kimberley Hefner, Mimi Rogers and Linda Sobek. As a contributing artist, these paintings were featured monthly in Playboy magazine throughout the 80's and 90's. His numerous one-man shows throughout the United States consistently sold out his original paintings, limited edition prints and posters. A graduate of Art Center College of Design and technically trained as an illustrator and graphic designer, Mukai's client list has included Levi's, Volvo, Honda, Coca-Cola, Mattel, Disney, the March of Dimes and DirecTV. His works have garnered awards from the Society of Illustrators, the Creative Black Book, ADLA, Print, and Communication Arts. Mukai crossed over into photography after his years of shooting the models for his paintings. Inspired by Edward Steichen, George Hurrell, and Albert Watson, artists in the past who have successfully made this transition, Mukai has been no exception in his ability to translate his vision into a different medium. In 1997, Mukai art directed and photographed the one-sheet for the Academy Award Winner for Best Live Action Short Film, Visas and Virtue. Focusing mainly on celebrity portraiture, his subjects have included Macy Grey, Ice T, Keanu Reeves, Kid Rock, Ziggy Marley, Robbie Robertson, T Bone Burnett and Duran Duran to name a few. Early in his career Mukai had the honor of illustrating the cover for Playboy Jazz Festival. Mukai was asked to design the official US-Japan Expo poster in 1996. Freelancing as creative director and marketing advisor for ICON Shoes, Inc., from 1998 to 2000, he established the identity of this unique start up company featuring artist's' work on shoes. Mukai led the creative for Progressive Beverages, Inc. in branding and bottle designs for HAN Asian Vodka and Kigen Sake. In 2005, Mukai was selected to create the official poster for the U.S. Tennis Open and the 107th Lunar Year Festival poster for Chinatown LA in 2006. He has freelanced as creative director/graphic designer of Drymax Technologies Inc., for the past 12 years. Listings wanted.