Paula Lindo – Our histories, stories, present, future.

Hyperion Design and Tattoo Studios Limited in St. James is the brain child of Melvyn “Mello” Edwards. The company, which was established in 2018, offers a wide range of design and branding services, with a focus on originality.

Edwards said the company began as an experiment while at a previous job. “I created the studio to practice other disciplines in art that I didn’t do at my then-job. It slowly grew over time into something more, as did my passion for new ideas and opportunities. Eventually more people were interested in what I had to offer, and a trusted colleague that I’d known for close to a decade decided to partner up with me to build the company into what it is today. The name Hyperion comes from one of the original 12 Titans from Greek mythology. He was the father of the sun and moon and I’ve found a certain parallel with him being deemed the creator of heavenly light and me being an artist, someone who creates. Design has always been a part of me, and studying art is a passion. This has allowed me to excel in my craft much more diligently. At age 16, I went to a well known signage shop in Point Fortin where I’m originally from and did an apprenticeship with Danny, the owner. Things progressed naturally from there.”

He said that tattooing and piercing are only two components of the studio, as the company does design and conceptual art for quite a few local brands, as well as a few international ones. “Our other disciplines range from story boarding for commercials and film to creative company branding to body painting, etc. WE offer this wide array of services because for a long time, it’s been difficult for a client to get most art based services in one place. In T&T, you usually go to this guy for this specific job, or this woman for that job. We’ve prided ourselves in acquiring some of the best talent in the country, and uniting them under one name, thus offering a much more complete service and eliminating the unnecessary hassle.”

Edwards said there are currently two artists working at Hyperion. “Carlos is our resident tattoo and piercing artist. He’s been tattooing for a little over 23 years and was also instrumental in the company moving forward. His disciplines also include airbrushing and light sculpting. I’ve been in the tattoo industry full time for over 12 years, but I’ve been doing art on the whole professionally for close to 20 years. I’ve been well-trained in airbrushing and body painting, which most people will know me for. I also do logo and graphic design, as well as sequential art. When needed, we outsource the best talent available.”

He said companies and members of the public should come to Hyperion for their design services because “we listen. Our process focuses on developing a good understanding of what our customers are looking for. A lot of companies say they like to think outside of the box but keep going back to their traditional agencies for ideas. Imagine going to a tattoo studio for design work. Now that’s out of the box! The core of our business is the originality of the design work we do, whether it’s tattoos or corporate work. We want to elevate our craft in both areas and become a true partner in the creative process of our customers.”

Edwards said the most requested item by clients is originality. “The great thing about each one of them we meet, is their longing for something new, something different, be it tattoos or design. They understand the importance of individuality, as do we. At Hyperion Studios we pride ourselves on listening to our clients and creating original art that captures what they have told us. My personal philosophy when it comes to design is a triangular relationship consisting of these three things: an exceptional artist; sublime art; and, heartfelt meaning, all in equal parts, forming the triangle. Our clients continue to be very satisfied with our work.”

For more information, go to www.artofhyperion.com, find them on Instagram @artofhyperion and email artofhyperion@gmail.com.