As Clutter Gallery prepares to host Mr. Mento for his first Solo show, “Meant to Be”, we took this opportunity to ask him a few questions to get to know what makes him so fresh and so cool!
Who is Mr. Mento?
My Name is Adam, I go by “Mr. Mento”. I’m from Las Vegas originally, but have spent most of my life in Colorado. I currently live here and work as a Bail Bondsman full time. I originally started that line of work back in 2008. I took a 5 year hiatus from it and went into car sales. Worked in finance for a few dealerships and then into fleet sales. I got into digital modeling and designer toys mid 2020. When COVID struck my life changed forever. I, like many others, found myself with much more time on my hands and took it as an opportunity to explore creative outlets. I started teaching myself how to model digitally and then fell into 3D printing, mold making, and resin casting.
Who/What are your biggest influences?
My biggest influence in my art and character designs is my wife and son. They’re the people I spend most of my time with and I’m blessed to be constantly inspired by them. I’ve also been drawn to a lot of artists since I started creating my own works. Resin Rookie is one of the first artists I came across and really felt inspired by his character designs and immaculate casts. Plastic Pizza have been great inspiration over the last few years and are great examples of a hard working and passionate brand. Steady Craftin is another creator that really inspired me early on and continues to do so. The community of artists as a whole have really been big motivator for me as well. Going to events like Five Points Fest and being surrounded by so many talented artists always leaves me with a lot of inspiration.
Tell us something special about the upcoming exhibition with us.
“Meant to Be” is my first solo show and I’m super excited to get a chance to showcase my art!
My show is inspired by my journey into being an artist and some of the characters that have been a part of that journey. These pieces were inspired by the new found time I’ve gotten to spend with my family post COVID and a reminder to myself of how sometimes the simplest things really are the most important. From getting to make breakfast for my son in the mornings, stopping for a quick donut, having ice cream before dinner, or anytime really! “Meant to Be” is a reminder to myself that when the world flipped upside down and all the plans we made went out the window, it was all meant to be!
What are a few of your favorite tools/materials?
My trusty old hand me down computer and Blender 3D! I enjoy making silicone molds and casting in resin.
How did you find out about designer toys?
My first exposure to designer toys was a video by Steady Craftin’ from there I found work by Andrew Bell, and that kind of led me into the rabbit hole!
What advice do you have for an aspiring artist?
The best advice I can give to any aspiring artist is to go for it! If you feel the passion to create, please create. Make what you want to make. Learn as much as you can or as little as you need to keep creating, but keep learning! Don’t get too caught up in your head and don’t be afraid to share your work. Invest in yourself! You’re worth it.
For those not familiar with your work, how would you describe your style?
My characters have a distinct “Mento face” which is more or less a wide bridged mono-brow and two spherical eyes. I often do characters based on foods but will “Mentofy” pretty much anything. My work is usually on the cuter side.
