Studio Visit: Trenton Doyle Hancock

Recently I had the opportunity to visit Trenton Doyle Hancock in his studio.  Seeing his complex works during the creation process was inspiring.  Over the course of two decades, Hancock has built his own universe complete with a creation story, villains, heroes, and a host of recurring characters such as his autobiographical Torpedo Boy (pictured at right), who all find themselves toiling in his colorful and emotional tales of good vs. evil. 

Hancock is an outstanding draftsman as well as a gifted painter, which is evident in his mastery of color, perspective and pattern.  He deftly collages bits of his own discarded canvases into new compositions.  His studio was like a giant adult toy box where his imagination roams free.

In 2014, a seminal exhibition of his drawings traveled from the Contemporary Art Museum, Houston to the Akron Art Museum in Ohio and finally to the Studio Museum in Harlem.  His work is in prestigious museum collections worldwide.  It was an honor to spend some time with him in his studio.

Torpedo Boy is Hancock’s autobiographical character which he first conceived in the fourth grade.

Hancock’s completed work: Coloration Coronation, 2016
Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
90 x 132 inches