Meet Cassandra Trumbull

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Trumbull. 

Hi Cassandra, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and lived there for the first 12 years of my life. My dad received a promotion that required him to move closer to his job site so we moved out to Farmington. High school was hard, socially, everyone had their own established friend groups and I had never really “fit in”. I found my place in the art room with Mrs. Weis. She became one of my biggest supporters to this day. She knew I had dreams of being a tattoo artist and told me about the Motor-city Tattoo Expo that happens every year in March. I was 14 at the time and fell in love with tattooing while walking the expo floor. The sounds of coil machines filled the ballroom. There was people everywhere. I was also in the same room as some of the best tattoo artists around, one of them became my mentor years later. I took as many art classes in high school that would fit in my schedule. My senior year I think I only had two core classes; the other four classes were all spent in the art room. I graduated high school and spent the summer prepping for college. I had gotten accepted into College for Creative Studies (CCS) the past November and was over the moon. I spent a year at CCS working hard and growing as an artist. I learned many different skills and techniques. I experimented with new mediums I never would have. CCS taught me so much in the year that I went. After the semesters were over, I started to carve my own path. I worked tirelessly to become a tattoo artist. I sought different artists out to be my mentor. Learned real quick that a lot of tattoo artists say ‘no’. And that was the word I heard repeatedly. Which only pushed me harder. Eventually, I would cross paths with Cee Jay Jones, who was formerly on Inkmaster and she saw my potential. I’ve been working with her as an apprentice for almost two years now. I helped to build our tattoo dermasalon, Mended Art. I’m set to graduate out of my apprenticeship this coming March and will continue to work out of Mended Art and travel around the world tattooing. 

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?
Anything worth doing is never going to be a smooth road. Tattooing and art are no exception. Keeping motivated to create was and still is my biggest struggle. Feeling burnt out and unmotivated to do art is common. Keeping a presence on social media and keeping up with the latest trends there is extremely daunting. But I do it because I love art and I love tattooing and I want to create a better life for myself. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an artist, I look for the hidden beauty in things. I seek a deeper understanding of my subjects. My art expands on the thematics of life and death and the gray areas in between. The bigger pieces I do, I primarily use charcoal as the medium. Smaller pieces, usually I will use ink. I’m most proud of my development as an artist, finding my voice. My art speaks the words I do not. As of lately, I’ve been finding myself utilizing more lines than shadows in drawings to have the appearance of something being engraved or woodcut. I think the constant evolution of different styles and versatility of skills is what sets me apart from others. I’m a classically trained artist in realism and figure drawing. I’m a tattoo artist. I’m constantly evolving my craft to become the best I can be. 

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
This is going to sound generic, as everyone says, but don’t give up on yourself. The road is never easy; there are going to be many trials and tribulations to get where you want to be. Anything worth doing is going to be hard. Life will test you in ways you didn’t think possible, but you will make it if you have the drive to… 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catching_cassandra
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/mendedartds