Hellbent  (New York City) “New Coat of Paint (Tom Waits)”, 2016 Casino Building, Asbury Park NJ
Hellbent is a New York based street artist whose known for his vibrant use of color, decorative motifs and pattern in his vivid abstract paintings and murals. Music is at the core of Hellbent’s art with its brightly color strips and contrasting patterns.  Not only did he base his street name off of the punk musician, Richard Hell, but he names his works after songs that he listens to while creating them. His intense love for music spans a variety of genres that include punk, country, and indie rock. Besides his floral patterns and incredible stencil work, Hellbent’s work is sometimes distinguished by a jaw bone. He explained that the jaw bone idea came to him after reading a story about Freud’s battle with jaw cancer. The story goes that Freud was saved from a sudden hemorrhage by his hospital roommate – who happened to be a dwarf! Hellbent explains that the jaw also suggests the importance of basic human functions such as speaking and eating.