"I believe in making a difference through my art. In my work, I seek to act as a messenger, alerting people all over the world to the deterioration of the global environment, and to the need, as well, for greater understanding and respect for the world’s diverse cultures. The Earth’s irreplaceable treasures are steadily being eroded, but each of us, collectively and as individuals, can make a difference and must! This is my message."

		Christian Riese Lassen is Hawaii’s premier marine artist. His paintings and sculptures are displayed in galleries across the United States and Japan, and his images grace an eclectic array of merchandise, from greeting cards to jigsaw puzzles, wristwatches to scuba gear. Meticulous and imaginative, Christian’s paintings depict an idealized vision of the natural world, and in particular the ocean he so loves.
Working in acrylics, enamels and oils, Lassen captures brilliant-hued butterfly fish, Moorish idols, somber-eyed sea turtles gliding through clean blue waters, while above, the light of late afternoon illuminates a lush green island. On other canvases, dolphins frolic below the surface of a deep-water tropical harbor, and humpback whales move majestically through their watery realm, or leap triumphantly into ours. When he was still a child, Christian’s family moved to the Hawaiian island of Maui; the ocean has always been a part of his life.		A world-class surfer and windsurfer, Christian has traveled the globe in search of the perfect wave. “It is only through this direct observation of the ocean that I can accurately paint its magnificence,” he says. Inevitably, that intimate connection awakened Christian’s concern, transforming him into one of the world’s leading environmental artists.

		“I have seen the effects of pollution in our waters: the oil spills, the debris we humans carelessly cast aside, the merciless slaughter of endangered species. But I have also seen incredible beauty: the dazzling rainbows of reef fish, the graceful curve of a dolphin’s tail, the reflection of light on the crests of the waves. The breaching of a whale still takes my breath away.”

Christian's talent and abilities are not limited to his art pieces. He has exploded into the music scene with the release of his debut album, Turn the Tide. Closely tied into his marine life preservation theme, Turn the Tide has effectively captured the beauty of his mission in words and music.
Christian Riese Lassen is the most successfully licensed artist in the world today, with more than 70 licensees worldwide. Major sponsors and alliances include the Walt Disney Company, MCA Universal, Sumitoro Bank, National Panasonic, JVC Victor, and American Greetings. Christian’s images adorn hundreds of product categories, including: backpacks dive gear puzzles bank checks foil balloons school supplies beach towels gift bags screen savers bookmarks gold jewelry shower curtains calendars greeting cards telephone cards candy jewelry boxes thermometers CD Roms magnets umbrellas ceramic mugs mouse pads water globes clocks neckties wristwatches collector plates needle art post cards

	Lassen is published in several pictorial books including "The Art of Lassen", a tabletop book that tells the history of "Lassen", and features a large selection of Christian's works. Because of Christian's desire to carry the message of concern for our oceans to the new generation, he has personally penned a book for children entitled "Treasures of the Sea". A third book, "Lassen Island" depicts the nature of Christians' energy that he derives from the sea, on canvas. A sequel to the "Art of Lassen" entitled "The Secret Path" was released March 1st, 2000, it is available at Lassen Galleries.

	In 1998, Christian Riese Lassen debuted a traveling exhibition—a collection of more than 85 of the artist’s original works, on loan from owners around the world. Since then, the paintings have toured more than 26 cities in the US and Japan, delighting and inspiring hundreds of thousands of fans.

		In January 1998, the feature-length motion picture "I Am the Earth" premiered at the United Nations in New York, prior to its release worldwide. The film, a fantasy with an environmental message, starred Christian Riese Lassen. Over the years, Christian has appeared on numerous television shows, including Baywatch, P.M. Magazine, The Extremists, Life Styles of the Rich and Famous, 20/20; as well as on CNN, ESPN, and the Travel Channel. In Japan, where Christian is considered that country’s most popular artist, his fans further enjoy his artwork by viewing “Lassen Hour,” a weekly television show featured on Star TV.

	An accomplished swimmer, surfer and windsurfer, Christian Riese Lassen has traveled the globe to explore the incredible diversity of our oceans. Ironically, the artist first gained international recognition not for his paintings, but for his athletic prowess. By the mid-eighties, he was exploding into aerial loops in dramatic television commercials for everything from Swatch watches to Quasar televisions, and was featured in advertisements on billboards across Europe.