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Robert Trent

Signing ATEOTT Frame

MFPA Member Artist

Born: 1959
Lives in: Southampton
Painting style: Mouth and painter
Subjects: Scenery, Landscape, Water

Robert Trent was born with arthrogryposis, a condition affecting the joints and muscular development. From the age of 6 he attended Chailey Heritage Special School where he was taught to be as independent as possible and where he first developed an interest in art, encouraged by an early tutor who recognised his potential.

However, painting took a back seat as Rob excelled at academic subjects and was determined to achieve the qualifications that would enable him to be financially independent. After gaining a BSc in Information Systems Rob began working for Ordnance Survey in Southampton and began painting again in his spare time. Rob joined the MFPA as a Student member in 1998 and was delighted to see one of his paintings of the Houses of Parliament chosen as a Christmas card image.

In 2021 Rob became a full Member Artist.

Rob took early retirement from Ordnance Survey in June 2018 and is now free to devote as much time as possible to his painting. Rob is married to Kim and the couple have a daughter, Yasmin. Rob has developed a distinctive style that is especially suited to landscapes. Rob drives his own specially adapted vehicle from his wheelchair allowing Kim and Rob to travel further afield in search of inspirational landscapes to paint.

‘I was introduced to the MFPA as early as my sixth year by a home tutor who encouraged me to paint by holding the brush in my mouth. Since then I have loved painting, and the MFPA has given me the freedom to develop as an artist’
Rob Trent

News Stories featuring Rob

15 December 2023

Artists Stage Event at the Houses of Parliament

The MFPA held an exhibition of international work from 24th November to 1st December 2023.

The Mouth and Foot Painting Artists was presented with a unique opportunity to showcase some of its unique international artists work, in an exhibition of 45 framed prints that were put on display for MP’s and Members of the House of Lords to view, as they went about their work.

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06 December 2023

Mouth Painter Rob Trent In Interview with BBC Radio Solent

Southampton-based artist Rob Trent had an engaging conversation with journalist Lucy Amabache about his background and his work with the MFPA, which was broadcast to over 200,000 listeners in the Hampshire, Dorset, and Isle of Wight areas on 16th November 2023.

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07 September 2021

Artists Sizzle in a Hot Hyde Park

To mark the annual International Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Day on Sunday 5th September, some of the UK artists decided to stage a small exhibition of their work and to provide mouth and foot painting demonstrations for visitors to Hyde Park, London.

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13 April 2021

Beavering Away During Lockdown

As part of the ongoing remote painting classes that MFPA artist Rob Trent has been holding with scout groups around the country during the pandemic, the artist also participated in a recent mouth painting session with some younger, scout Beavers during the Spring half-term break.

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