Eric Anthony Hinds was born in New Mexico, growing up outside of Santa Fe in the high desert.
Eric Anthony Hinds was born in New Mexico, growing up outside of Santa Fe in the high desert. Coming from a lineage of doctors it is easy to see where his inquisitive nature began.
Due to his parent’s great appreciation of local and International art, Hinds developed a powerful interest in the creative process at an early age. Eric’s godparents are highly respected master artisans of Native American pottery from the San Ildefonso Pueblo. He was six months old when a naming ceremony was held in his honor, giving him the name Tse Pen [Eagle Mountain]. The significance of such actions and growing of age in such a spiritually rich landscape left deep roots within Hinds. The effect of the vast pueblos of New Mexico and the significant art that its inhabitants created is, to this day, an intrinsic part of the history of this great artist.
On the journey towards manhood Hinds spent many days questioning the nature of his home. With a direct view of Los Alamos he felt a great sense of wonder. His wild imagination envisioned the past, Indians and western settlers, an ancient wildness. While surrounded with the beauty of the land and a cultural history as rich as they come, he could feel the faint rumble of nuclear warheads being ignited underground just across the valley. This testing of such powerful tools of destruction opposed the whole nature of the region. This potent and tragic dichotomy would soon become the driving force in a new and passionate expression for Hinds.
A rebellious attitude landed Hinds in a Boarding School located in Downtown Denver, Colorado. Feeling the confides of a strange city and heightened discipline Eric sought refuge through painting. In an attempt to regain the peace of the desert and the spirit he was accustomed to feeling from the land, his hands and mind began to create. Bold colors and sweeping landscapes began to form. His journey as an artist had started. There was a calling, a feeling of home that he had never experienced before. Reflecting back on these times Hinds says, “It’s as if I woke up across the border of my nearsightedness and gained citizenship in the eternal adventure.”
After a brief time at the University of Montana, Hinds transferred to the revered Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) in Denver, Colorado. Under the direction of painting chair Clark Richert, Hinds further refined his skills. Hinds has been inspired by the masterful techniques of renaissance painters as well as surrealism and contemporary masters. He won various awards including Best of Department in the 2002 Annual Student Exhibition at RMCAD. Utilizing old masters’ glazing techniques Hinds achieves a quality to his paintings that are unmatched in many prevailing works. The images he creates transcend cultural boundaries and limitations. His magnificent works are enlightening and bold, in opposition with his childhood memories of nuclear testing. Hinds refers to his paintings as Spiritual Weapons of Mass Construction.
Hinds has exhibited his work in the USA and abroad and since 2007 has received numerous international awards for his contribution to Art as well as Human Rights. This year 2017, he has been nominated by ACCADEMIA “ITALIA IN ARTE NEL MONDO” ASSOCIAZIONE at italiainartenelmondo.it to receive the award titled "Hermes" Award 2022. Hinds refers to his paintings as “Spiritual Weapons of Mass Construction.” “Expressions in my paintings are manifested in order to elevate, transform and transfigure the human mind. In my methods I am concerned with turning potentialities into actualities”. Hinds is a strong proponent of Freedom through the vehicle of art. "Freedom for humanity from oppression and hypocrisy is essential for there to be world peace and true creativity.
