Hank Robinson of Hanro Studios Leaves His Mark on the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas
- 11 Nov 2015
In a classical sense, many consider artists to be those who work with traditional media such as oil on canvas, sculptures carved from stone, or even something more contemporary such as photography. Unfortunately most artists whose work falls into a customary form of art tend to personify the over romanticized idea of a starving artist. However, instead of waiting tables to get by, many artists have found an outlet to express their creativeness in ways that can actually be used to make a living. Photography, while very hard to break into, can be one of these outlets, graphic design is definitely another practical applied art; and then there is Hank Robinson who has literally carved out his own niche.
Prior to 2011 Hank Robinson served 9-1/2 years in the United States Army Infantry. Hank served overseas with deployments in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. After retiring from the U.S. Army Hank soon discovered his true calling. As Hank told the story, while completing a project in a metal working class he found out that he is extremely skilled at engraving. Following that epiphany Hank started Hanro Studios out of his garage. At first his time was spent engraving signs and plaques for friends or family. As word spread Hanro Studios expanded and is now situated in a 16,000 square foot building that is shared with Troy Buck of FX Auto Body. This collaboration allows the two partners to work on projects that blend Hank’s engraving with paint and airbrush.
In 2014 Hanro Studios became sponsored by Dremel, best known for its famous rotary tools, and which Hank now uses exclusively in his engravings. Hank’s talent, combined with Dremel tools, has allowed him to take Hanro Studios to the next level. Hank works on everything from custom motorcycles, to home décor with an emphasis on memorializing the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces. While engraving parts of a car, or motorcycle, isn’t necessarily ground breaking, its Hank’s work on engraving the body of a car that sets him apart from his peers. Hank’s personal ride, a 2014 Ram 1500 Pickup, features engraving on the hood, tailgate, Peragon bed cover, Velocity wheels, and etching on the rear glass; which was all created freehand using a Dremel tool. 2015 has been a breakthrough year for Hank and Hanro Studios. By partnering with automotive aftermarket companies Hank has been able to show case his talents in front of thousands in attendance at the 2015 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Each year, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) presents an enormous trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas Convention Center. While the annual SEMA show is meant to bring the industry together to do business it has also become a vacation destination. As if there wasn’t already plenty to do and see in Las Vegas, Nevada, the SEMA show gathers the finest examples of custom vehicles, industry giants, and celebrities into an area of approximately 3.2 million square feet. Hank said "Dremel has sponsored me since 2014. They have been nothing but supportive and motivating me to keep reaching the next level." For the 2015 SEMA show Hank was able to showcase his talents at the SEMA Show with two live engraving sessions in the Gibson Exhaust SEMA booth. Additionally, Hank’s personal 2014 Ram 1500 Pickup was placed in the high-profile Velocity Wheels SEMA Show Booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center Lower South Hall. Hank’s daily driver was positioned among high-dollar Italian exotics and ultra-premium British luxury cars fitted with the latest sizes and styles of custom wheels. Even with these other vehicles putting up a fierce fight to gain the attention of SEMA Show attendees, Hank’s daily driver, a domestic pickup truck, stood out from the crowd. His truck is named "A Warrior’s Chariot" and it has been engraved with a Viking/Norse warrior theme. "While building my truck I have had the opportunity to work with some fantastic companies such as K&N Filters," said Hank. "I engraved my K&N air intake tube to match the Viking/Norse theme of ‘A Warriors Chariot’ and have been given the opportunity to have my engravings showcased by numerous companies in their booths during the 2015 SEMA Show." More information on Hanro Studios, as well as the ability to contact Hank, can be found on the hanrostudios.com website. Stay tuned for a well-made video featuring Hank Robinson engraving the Peragon Truck Bed Cover and etched back window of his 2014 Ram 1500.
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