Known for his intricate glass engravings, vibrant illustrations and creative vinyl figures, Philadelphia-based artist Trevy Metal (Trevor Johns) has a playful, recognizable style that has helped design products for brands like Chinatown Market, Dab Rite and Diamond Supply Co.
He’s collaborated with just about every big-name glass artist out there, and his collection of art and merchandise has been the focus of gallery shows nationwide. Raised in tattoo shops where his dad was working, Trevy Metal says he’s been largely inspired by things that were in the background during his childhood. This meant a diet of Heavy Metal magazines, Ralph Bakshi cartoons and the world of illustrators like Peter Max and Mark Bode.
Looking at Trevy Metal’s work, it’s easy to see his connection to comic books, Jim Henson monsters, pop culture from the last 50 years and Japanese animation. “My dad loved ‘Astro Boy’ and ‘Speed Racer,’” he said. These are the types of things, he says, that stay with him in his studio today. “Right now, obviously, you’ll hear a lot of Sabbath and Ozzy on repeat while my TV plays all the ‘Aliens’ movies, but I’ve also been hard into ‘Plastic Beach’ by the Gorillaz.”
As an artist, he says Cannabis helps him “dig into the deeper themes” in his head. “I think even during my early experimentations with Cannabis, I noticed these dreamy states that let me zone out and uncover themes and concepts in a way that a typical daydream or free drawing session doesn’t fully do,” Trevy Metal told the Leaf. He described how it’s not just the state of being high that allows him to connect with his past for ideas, but that it also helps him feel calm enough later to sit and sift through that intense flow of images to consciously decide which idea to pursue. “The afterglow of getting high is when I get most inspired,” he said.
Trevy Metal says his art is also born out of everyday occurrences in life. “I live in a big city on purpose. There’s something new around almost every corner, and you never know what might trigger a memory or idea,” he said. “I can literally get inspired by a pile of trash on the ground if the trash is the right color or texture.”
