Meet Trent Hearns

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trent Hearns.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I started making art, with the intent to improve, in the first grade. It all started with a weird Godzilla obsession, I would draw him iteratively. In the sixth grade, I took my first art class and began to take it a lot more seriously. This was when learned about values and my teacher encouraged me to use different mediums. I kept sketchbooks throughout middle school and high school, and eventually my teachers recommended architecture as a major. I wasn’t as good at math and physics in college so I changed my major to studio art after my freshman year at Auburn University. That same summer, I began my tattoo apprenticeship in Birmingham and later took my talents back to Auburn to continue school. After some troubles with my financial aid, I chose to make tattooing my primary focus and after tattooing in Auburn for a couple more years, I finally made the move to Atlanta. There’s so much more to it, I hope that is concise enough though.

Please tell us about your art.
I tattoo, I paint, I draw. Drawing is the basis of the trio so I try to do that most, I like technology and whimsical, almost surrealist, looking things. My art is usually a very obvious cross between the two. Lately I’ve been painting random women I draw from photos online, equipping them with the kind of weaponry and technology I used to see in the old Japanese Godzilla movies. I’m inspired by the technology that is so commonplace to us: cell towers, light posts, suspension systems, wires. I like to leave my work open for interpretation. My titles, if given, don’t give much context, I feel like that limits the viewer’s imagination. I’m blown away at times by the thing’s viewers gather from my work. When it comes to tattoos, I let my clients inspire me. Tattoos are different because it’s a joint effort and most of the factors, i.e., concept and placement, are not constant. Weather it’s a more illustrative tattoo or a realistic portrait the goal is to leave the client with a piece of art that will invigorate them and age as well as they would. I think it’s the most sacred of the three mediums I work with.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I think that challenge today is the same as it has been forever, which is ourselves. I feel that if an artist, or anyone, can manage their ego and remain a student of their craft, they’ve already overcome the biggest challenge they could possibly see.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can see my work in person at several art shows in Atlanta, its generally pretty easy to find because it’s so huge. I post those events and the pieces themselves to my Instagram, it’s @VoteTrent.

Contact Info:

• Email: mrhearns@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/votetrent

Image Credit:
Barry Eugene @FlexFocusPhotography

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