Home»All Photographs»Portraits»Artists»Ben Hazard

California College of Arts & Crafts, Oakland, CA BFA with distinction
MA, Sculpting, Univeristy of California
Ben Hazard is a graduate of the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with distinction and holds a Masters Degree of Art from the University of California, Berkeley. As an artist, Hazard is known for his unique acrylic plastic sculpture, pioneered in the ‘70’s and his sensitive and provocative portrait-like charcoal drawings.
He has exhibited in galleries, museums and educational institutions throughout the United States. He also exhibited at the World Fair in Osaka, Japan, representing the state of California. Among other significant accomplishments, Mr. Hazard designed theofficial flag for the County of Alameda and served on the Board of Directors of the Alameda County Arts Commission. In addition, he was commissioned by the State of California to lead the Art-in-Architecture program for the Elihu Harris State Building. He was also commissioned by the East Bay Municipal Water District to produce a two-ton life size bronze sculpture, In the Spirit, located on the corner of 21st and Adeline Street in Oakland and a 9’ by 15’ steel sculpture, Coming Together, an abstract tubular form that symbolizes unity between EBMUD and the community, installed at the entrance of the EBMUD maintenance building in Oakland. As Dean of Applied and Fine Arts and Physical Education at Laney College, in Oakland, he designed a new state-of-the-art Fitness Center and consulted in the design and construction of Laney’s new Art Center and Tennis Courts.
In addition to creating art, Mr. Hazard taught art at the University of California, Berkeley; Stanford University, the University of Nevada in Reno; Merritt and Laney Community Colleges in Oakland and Berkeley Community High School. As former Curator of Special Exhibits and Education at the Oakland Museum of California for eleven years, he earned national recognition for involving diverse community members as active partners in the planning and execution of over 100 museum programs and events. He was appointed Director of the Craft and Cultural Arts Department of the City of Oakland, under Governor Jerry Brown, administering over $3.5 million annually to artists and arts organizations.
Additional notable achievements include Mr. Hazard’s appointment by President Jimmy Carter to the Institute of Museum Services Board of Directors in Washington, DC. He served on the National Science Foundation Board and the National Endowment for the Arts and the Humanities Panels. He served as: 1st Vice President of the American Association of Museums (AAM) Educators; Council Member, American Association of Museums; Advisory Board Member of the AAM Lifelong Learning in the Humanities; President of the California Humanities Association; President of the California Alliance of Arts Educators; President of the Advisory Board, Far West School/Career-Based Education; Member, Board of Directors of Program Development for Teachers’ Education at the California College of Arts & Crafts; Member, Board of Directors at the Junior Center of Arts and Science, Oakland; Member, University of Texas at Austin, faculty, Winedale Seminars; Member of the California Federation of the Arts.