HM Saffer II was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1942. He was graduated from Temple University in 1965. He went to Paris to take graduate courses in economics, but wound up becoming a musician with french stars such as Hugues Aufray, Jacques Brel, and Charles Aznavour. He was hired by Barclay records as a producer and had several hit records in 1968 and 1969. During this time he was chef/owner of two restaurants in Paris and later a third in Ibiza, Spain. during this era he never stopped painting and exhibiting. He took selected classes at L’ecole des Beaux Arts and exhibited in Paris and Brussels before returning to the United States in 1970.

H.M. started his music career in the United States with Warner Brothers where he co-wrote the international hit song, “Look what they done to my song, Ma”. While at Warner Brothers he painted a forty foot mural in their Madison Ave. headquarters and exhibited his works in the firm’s lobby. In 1972 he was hired as senior vice-president for the Crewe Group of companies working with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Vicki Carr, and Oliver. Later in 1972 he established HMS Two Music, Ltd., dealing with writing and producing music for films, commercials, records and Broadway.

His art kept refining and he started to study the art of Japanese brush painting (Sumi-e). In 1983 he went to Japan to study with Japanese masters and met his wife Hisayo. While in Japan, H.M. adapted his Sumi-e techniques with western styles of painting. He was represented by Galerie Musee, and Artbridge Gallery in Japan, and in Hong Kong by Alisen Gallery and Kwai Fung Hin Gallery as a resident artist with successful solo shows.

In 1994 H.M. returned to the United States and moved to upstate New York. His style of painting changed from works on paper to oil painting. He began using his oriental influences together with his western styles to create new and different paths of expressing himself. His works are a reflection of this mélange. He has since taught at the Norman Rockwell museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and exhibited in many galleries around the United States and Canada.     View HM Saffer II's Gallery   Back to Artist Bio Index