Today we’d like to introduce you to Trey Abraham.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always enjoyed both the experience and the act of creativity. As a kid I would pass time by pouring endlessly through my mom’s art history books and by raiding the boxes of buckles and hardware in my parents’ shoe repair shop (perhaps to their chagrin) to make robot dolls. By my early teens, I was obsessed with drawing and took art classes at every opportunity and had a string of mostly excellent art teachers, some of whom introduced me to printmaking processes like woodcut, drypoint, and silkscreen. I became absolutely obsessed and pursued a BFA with a concentration in printmaking at the Memphis College of Art. While there, I fell in love with my art history classes and elected to take so many that I unintentionally received a minor in art history. After graduating, I no longer had a full print studio, so I pivoted towards painting and eventually fell into a consistent practice of painting live with local Austin bands and DJs. Over the past few years, printmaking has crept back into my process through incorporation of stenciling and stamping into my paintings to infuse them with intersecting layers of patterns.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Although I have many blessings to count, the path has not always been smooth. I’ve had to constantly change my approach to respond to the many changes in my life overall. Each living situation I’ve been in over the last decade has promoted and disadvantaged certain processes over others. There have been periods of financial and social success with my art and there have been times when I felt those successes crumble. At times, I have been in awe of the work of my own hands, but mostly my taste lies a few steps ahead of wherever I am. One thing has remained consistent though: I am always most happy and regulated when I’m consistently engaged in the creative act.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I creatively thrive when theres a bit of chaos. Whether it’s following a painting from scribbled lines to an uncovered resulting image, selecting colors based on the mood of my surroundings, or stamping and stenciling an image nearly out of existence before bringing it back from the brink, I find that making space for moments that are at least partway beyond my control keeps me inspired and on my toes. I think thats why I enjoy live painting so much. I try to stay a couple steps ahead of where I am in a painting but at the end of the day, I really have to be in the moment. The process often feels like coaxing an image out of the canvas rather than imposing one onto it.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
So many people deserve credit. My family, who have been very supportive of me exploring and creating. Maritza Davila, Cynthia Thompson, Fred Burton, Remy Miller, Adrian Duran and so many other professors who introduced me to new artists and new ways of making and thinking about art. My friends, Hannah Matthia, Kyle Saldaña, Zee Ber, Laura Jorgensen, Sterling Steffen, Conner Strickland, Doug Heinz and many others who have offered encouragement, inspiration, and critique. Bands and DJs like Lady Chops & The Goddamn Jam, Johnny Dioxide, Driftside, Andy Toad, and Flow Atx who have shared their stages and great vibes with me. So many sweet people who have commissioned, purchased, or otherwise supported my art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thesuddenkind.com
- Instagram: @thesuddenkind
