Meet the Artist: Sterling Hundley

Meet Sterling Hundley

If you Google “Sterling Hundley,” you’ll find a lot of hyphens in this artist’s name. 

He’s certainly earned them. From murals to exhibitions, book covers to magazines, Sterling’s little black book of clients merits high praise, including The Grammys, Atlantic Monthly, Criterion Collection, NASA and the New York Times. 

As an old friend and former teacher of festival producer Jesse Smith, the Richmond-based artist has attended the Richmond Tattoo, Art & Music festival for years. 

He just doesn’t have any tattoos himself. 

Still, as a painter and illustrator, Sterling has quite a few lessons to share with creators of all kinds – including tattoo artists. 

“Illustration and tattooing share common ground in a shared visual language, from comics to animation,” Sterling said. “Both are blue collar art that don’t get their fair due.” 

Fortunately for festival attendees, they’ll get the chance to hear some of Sterling’s best kept secrets for both business and art. In part of the Tattoo & Arts Academy, on Thursday, September 12, Sterling will present the seminar “10 Things That Will Change Your Art.” Artists will garner advice on the business of art and illustration tips that can carry across all mediums. 

“There is a common thread between every creative act and discipline, and I want to share that with folks seeking to make their own path in the creative world,” Sterling said. 

Sterling will also share anecdotes from his life as an artist and his personal approaches to drawing and design. 

Though Sterling is a fan of the tattooing community, the thing that keeps him coming back to the festival every year is Jesse himself. 

“I always admired that he chose to go back to school in pursuit of deepening his understanding of art and design,” Sterling said. “Jesse cuts to it, is driven and we found common ground and a good friendship in the mix.”

Hundley is a professor in the School of Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. He’ll bring his knowledge to attendees of the Tattoo & Arts academy during the event. His course, “10 Things That Will Change Your Art,” is built for  tattoo artists, painters, illustrators, muralists and or more.

“At the root of it all, we’re seeking to leave a personal mark- whether it’s on a canvas, on someone’s skin, or on the side of a building. Something that cries out, ‘I was here!’ and has people nodding in agreement, saying, ‘yeah, they mattered, too!’” Sterling said.

Click here to register for “10 Things That Will Change Your Art” and more information on the Tattoo & Arts Academy.