Normally, we think of talent as something you develop. But sometimes the situation is reversed. Sometimes the talent develops you. Such was the case for Brett Herman, whose earliest memories were of being hunched over a sheet of paper, doing his damnedest to create with his hands what he saw with his eyes. From the very beginning, art wasn’t just something that he wanted to do, nor was it something that he tried to do. It was just what he had to do. Born in Boulder County, Colorado, Brett spent his entire childhood and adolescence immersed in one form of creation or another, pinballing between his obsession with the visual and his love for the musical—mostly in the form of either heavy metal or skateboard art. Upon winning a New York Scholastic Art Award in high school, he began to see his innate passion as a potential career path and thus enrolled in a summer course at the Denver Institute of Art. But where he expected inspiration, he met frustration. He wanted to get his hands dirty, to experience the process of creation viscerally, pushing paint against canvas in a downtown atelier. Instead, he found himself at a desk, pushing buttons on a computer. Discouraged, he veered from the path for a time, trading in the brush strokes for guitar riffs. At 19, Brett loaded up his car with little more than music equipment and his cd’s and took off for Los Angeles in pursuit of a life playing loud, gritty rock and roll—the kind with the down-tuned chugs and raucous squeals. But a hobby just can’t replace an obsession, nor can a man deny his destiny. Visual art sucked him back in like a vortex. Skin became his canvas as he landed a tattoo apprenticeship in early 2007, which he worked at diligently, paying his dues to his mentor while juggling three other jobs to make ends meet. Upon graduation in 2008, he wasted no time in carving his niche. Though well-rounded in his knowledge of the various tattoo traditions, he quickly set himself apart with with his striking composition in illustrative and photorealistic work, typically filtered through his penchant for the dark and the macabre; a rare combination of talent, vision and originality that has since fetched him multiple awards. But tattoos are but one medium over which our protagonist can claim mastery. Ultimately, he’s an artist, pure and simple; compelled to create and blessed in the gifts that make that compulsion worthwhile. He has now made numerous contributions to the fine art world with both acrylics and illustration, has curated multiple art shows, and has had his own work exhibited in over 75 different events, many of those held in some of the top galleries in the world. Additionally, he’s been published in multiple art books, co-authored several magazine articles, and published three books of his own, including the Coloring Book Project, The Coloring Book Project 2, and Sketched Out. Brett is also renown for owning one of Los Angeles most reputable tattoo shops, Hidden Los Angeles tattoo and fine art for almost a decade. Humbled by his successes, Brett is nothing but grateful for each and every person who supports his work, recognizing that they are the reason he is able to continue to make a living creating art. Their passion feeds into his passion and is what enables him to feed his squirrels, purchase dark art, and stay fitted in the most epic metal apparel. -Written by David Pogge, Staff writer-PAIN Magazine.

Thank you for reading this short biography and checking out my website. Hopefully it gave you some insight as to where I'm from and where I'm heading artisticly. I look forward to doing more conventions, lots of painting, traveling, meeting fellow artists and future clients. My objective as an artist is to remain inspired and provide an exceptional service, as well as maintain the importance of a clean and professional environment. I strive to become a better tattoo artist and painter with each new challenge. I am truly thankful I get to do what I love for a living, I appreciate your support and trust that I am the right artist for you. Please check back often to view my new works as I try to update this site frequently. 

Thank you and best wishes always!
Brett Herman