H. Hargrove was born Nicolo Sturiano on June 16, 1947 in Palermo, Italy. Nicolo was raised in Marsala, Italy, where his parents, three brothers and one sister lived. During his youth, he spent every summer on his Grandfather’s farm, which was not unlike those of rural America. Hargrove’s earliest recollection of drawing was at the age of six or seven when he received a set of colored pencils as a gift.

He was fascinated by the colors and began to draw and experiment with them. Thus began many years of experimentation, for Hargrove never had any formal art training; his works today represent his relentless desire to constantly perfect his techniques and explore new ones.