Insider’s Perspective: Derek Hess, Graphic Artist

EDITOR’S NOTE: We talked to a few notable Clevelanders and asked them what they liked about Northeast Ohio. Here’s Derek Hess, renowned music industry artist. 

Were you born in Cleveland?

I was born in University Circle.

And what part of town do you live in now?

I live downtown off Superior in a warehouse close to the Plain Dealer building. I’m digging it. I’ve been three years now.

What’s the best thing about your neighborhood?

It’s a really wide street so it’s easy to make u-turns. Slyman’s Restaurant is a few blocks over and of course I dig Slyman’s.

What’s your favorite restaurant?

I like the Mad Greek in Cleveland Heights. I’m 46 and getting up there. I was going to that place in the sixth grade. That just shows that a good restaurant lasts. That place has been around for decades.

What do you like best about living in Cleveland?

I have a handful of things. Number one, we live on one of the Great Lakes. One thing that’s important is that they’re the largest source of fresh water in the world. That resource is going to be one of the most desirable things in the next 50 years if not in the next decade. Our water isn’t going anywhere. Houston is out of water, L.A. is out of water and Las Vegas is out of water. Deserts weren’t made to have millions of people living there. Also, the sports teams are great. I live and die by the Browns. They play right on the lake and it’s an open air stadium on a natural turf. I like all of that. I like the climate, the season changes. We’re blessed with that. Nothing gets stagnant. The location is great. We’re not too far from the East Coast. We’re close to Chicago. A lot of businesses can be run from Cleveland and be successful without the expenses of a larger metropolitan area. Those are a few of the things I really dig.

How would you describe the local art scene?

There’s a positive art interest in this city. There are collectors and people who support the arts and the galleries support the local artists, too. They’re not all located in one area. It’s nice to have art walks, but there are galleries all over this city. I think that’s pretty nice.

What about the music scene?

We have a lot of venues. We have a lot of venues. There’s the Agora, the House of Blues, Pirates Cove, Now that’s Class, the Grog Shop. That says a lot. There’s that many bands interested and there’s that many people that come out. All those doors couldn’t stay open otherwise. It says a lot that there’s a music scene that’s both local and national. There’s something to choose from every night of the week.

What’s your favorite concert venue?

I tend to go with the smaller venues because that’s my true love. So I gotta go with the Grog Shop. I like the other venues, too.  I gotta roll with the Grog.

Who’s your favorite local band at the moment?

Above this Fire has been my favorite local band for a number of years now. I haven’t seen anybody I like better.

Which local band would you want to see reunited?

There’s the one I never got to see which is The Dead Boys. I would really love to see that. I would love to see Craw. Any time they can muster together a reunion, I want to see that.

Is the clothing company Strhess still going strong?

Yeah, we’re still doing it. We work with Jak Prints, which is a local company that is a big success story as well, being a Cleveland-based company that works with a huge number of bands nationally.

Are you working on any art projects at the moment?

I’m putting out a couple of books. I have some art shows coming up and I have one at William Busta Gallery that is scheduled for May. I just did a show in Hamburg, Germany.

Now that your gallery is closed, where’s the best place to buy a Derek Hess print?

Online. There’s nobody in town carrying it in stock. When I have an art show, you can buy it there, too.

What’s the city’s best-kept secret?

I’m gonna have to go with Alternative Press magazine. So many people don’t realize that not only are they based here, but they originated here as a photo copied zine.

– Interviewed by Jeff Niesel