November 9, 2011
Ed Trask Does Richmond
Legendary artist and old school punk Ed Trask revealed the Star Chevron in Richmond through a beautiful portrait.
Ed Trask:
After growing up in Loudoun County, VA, Ed left his rural existence and moved to Richmond, VA. He enrolled into the Virginia Commonwealth University’s painting program. While in school he spent every waking hour playing music in the mid 80’s Richmond punk scene and painting. By his third year in school, after many attempts to get gallery attention, he decided to make the many dilapidated buildings surrounding his school his gallery. Paintings were painted directly on buildings, or done on boards and screwed onto the buildings illegally until the city was covered. In 1992 Ed graduated with a painting degree and moved to Washington D.C. where he started touring with Dischord records band the Holy Rollers, and continued to paint illegal murals all over the world while on tour.
Three years later he moved back to Richmond to join the band Kepone and continue painting murals while touring. While the demand for his paintings started to grow, he figured he should start a gallery and make a go at mural and sign work. Since then the work has never stopped flowing in, and Ed’s paintings and murals have been collected into many permanent collections. Ed now plays in the bands AVAIL, Heks Orkest, and Corntooth. He continues to paint murals and canvasses, creates collaborative projects and works as a corporate creative consultant. Ed has gallery shows nationwide and has his studio in Richmond, where he lives with his beautiful wife and two children….
The area of Main St and Robinson St in Richmond, VA has always been a creative hub for Virginia Commonwealth University students, artists, musicians, and all sorts of creative types.
The Starlight lounge (across the street) has a rich history of shows and being a musicians hangout. The mural is blocks away from the cities best vinyl record store and independent book store. Also across the street exist nightly packed lounges and restaurants including Helens, and Three Monkeys. Foot traffic is a constant and at night is packed with all sorts enjoying the Richmond nightlife.
