Justin LaRocca Hansen sat in front of gold-framed watercolors and an unmissable Ms. Pac-Man machine. He held a paintbrush in his left hand while his hair swept to the right side. Balance was everywhere except for his hair, but that’s Justin: a creative juxtaposition of composure and eccentricity—which he executes so brilliantly through his works of watercolor. 

With a lightness as seen in his work, Hansen detailed the creative process behind himself. He comes from a family of storytellers, always in tune with the world of wonder surrounding him. From a young age, his grandma whispered, “Paint what you see.” A simple sentiment that became a guiding light for the future artist. His first inspiration was found in the other-worldly world of Star Trek. While transfixed on the television, he drew the aliens while discovering a passion that was always inside of him. 

As time and life went on, Hansen began a career in illustration. Comic books were his new medium. He published a picture book, Monster Hunter (Sky Pony Press), and a trilogy of graphic novels, Secondhand Heroes (Dial Books). He found success while also losing the wonder inside of him. He knew there was more.  

The more took him back to another other-worldly place: Cape Cod. To Hansen, the Cape was a storybook of peace. “I grew up in Millis, near the Natick/Framingham area. But in the summer when we got to the Cape that’s where I felt at ease. That’s where home was.”  His art represents these feelings in an illustrious way. With sea tones and fog-ridden backdrops, the art tells the story of the Cape. Stories that are all so familiar to the viewer but displayed in a new light. “Each piece is different but a lot of them share a commonality of peacefulness and tranquility. There is a sense of home,” he reveals.

Whether it brings you back to the summers of childhood or opens your eyes to something completely new, his art shares stories of comfort. It is like experiencing the first whiff of summer sea breeze while your grandma hugs you as she whispers elder wisdom. 

His fine art is rooted in mood and relatable emotion. The blue and green hues hold something more than strokes of watercolor. Justin recalls a piece with a story that transformed melancholy into beauty. He shares, “The piece is foggy. And I was kind of sad when I was painting it. So, I leaned into that. I put on my sad playlist just so I could be in that feeling and not run away from it.” 

Hansen puts himself into every piece. But so does the viewer. That is the brilliant nature of art’s subjective stories: the viewer can find their own emotion and self in the art. He says, “When you have whatever emotion you’re trying to capture – whether it’s melancholy, tranquility, or mindfulness – people will connect with it. There is a viewer for every piece of artwork.”

Since the day the artist was mesmerized by animated aliens, he has been telling stories of the beauty that surrounds him. He says, “I know there’s so much magic around us. We just need to look for it and be open to it.” 

Hansen has done exactly that as he shares his narratives with the world. From the Star Wars figurines, pop culture momentums, memorabilia-lined walls, a loud soundtrack to creativity, and a blank piece of watercolor paper, he begins his story. A story about the duality of the beautiful world – layered yet balanced. Just like the artist sitting in front of the gold-framed watercolors and unmissable Ms. Pac-Man. 

Hansen’s work can be viewed at The Cataumet Art Center, The Gallery at Four India Street on Nantucket, Afterglow Fine Art in Scituate and Reciprocity in Harwich. For classes, commissions, upcoming events and a glimpse into his world, visit justinlaroccahansen.com.