Trent's Story
This is the video that started the world-wide interest in Trent and his art
At Drawings by Trent we want to encourage families, educate communities, and inspire people to discover and use their own gifts.
But our story is really about something deeper.
Many people think supporting someone with a disability means helping from a distance. Trent’s life reminds us that something far more meaningful happens when we actually share life together. When we live alongside people who are different from us, patience grows, compassion deepens, and our view of the world changes.
Shared lives shape who we become.
Through Trent’s art, people often discover something unexpected. What begins as curiosity about the drawings often becomes a deeper appreciation for the beauty of shared life.
When you purchase a piece of Trent’s art, you’re not only supporting him—you’re helping create opportunities for families and communities to experience that shared life.
Trent’s Story
Trent was born in 1997 and diagnosed with classic autism at the age of two. He began drawing as soon as he could hold a pen which also happened when he was two years old. For years there were animals drawn on the walls of his family’s home—always about three feet off the floor, right where he could reach.
Trent loves to read animal books, listen to music (just about anything!), and watch TV—especially Phineas and Ferb and many Disney films, sometimes in Spanish, Svenska or French.
Because Trent has very limited verbal communication, daily life can sometimes be frustrating. Drawing has always been
one of the ways he finds peace and expresses himself.
Over the years Trent has filled hundreds of phonebooks with drawings. He’ll draw on almost anything—napkins, sketch pads, iPads, couches, trampolines, and just about any blank surface he can find.
Because Trent treasures the original drawings he has created for himself, a limited number of prints have been made of some of his most interesting drawings.
The Heartspring Years
Trent’s View of the Zoo coloring book was created by the incredible staff at Heartspring, an international school for children with communication disorders located in Wichita, Kansas, where Trent attended for eight years.
When Trent began attending Heartspring in 2009, life looked very different. At that time he couldn’t safely be left at home without his father present and could become aggressive or overwhelmed without warning.
Through years of support, structure, and the dedication of many people who invested in his life, Trent has grown tremendously. Today as an adult he is typically compliant and most people who spend time with him find him to be a real joy to be around.
Though Trent Has Difficulty Expressing Himself, the Emotion in His Art Is Unmistakable
Trent has been drawing since he could hold a pen in his little hand. His favorite medium has always been phonebooks—we have hundreds of them (please don’t save any for us!) filled with his drawings.
Trent will draw on just about anything: napkins, sketch pads, our walls when he was younger, his sister’s play kitchen, the side of our dresser, couches, his brother’s drums, his iPad, and of course his #trampolineart.
He just loves to draw.
Trent also loves music. He listens constantly and is a big fan of 80’s music as well as TobyMac. He has many songs memorized—including the album, track number, and song order. Though Trent listens to a wide variety of music, he is not a fan of country… with the exception of Johnny Cash!
Trent also enjoys just about everything animated that Disney has ever created, as well as Phineas and Ferb. It’s not uncommon to catch him watching a show in Spanish or French. He also enjoys movies that feature animals—or animal-like characters—such as the Jurassic Park / Jurassic World series, Planet of the Apes, and We Bought a Zoo.
Trent’s Family
Trent lives in El Dorado, Kansas with his parents.
Trent’s mom, Andrea, is a school psychologist in the public schools. His father, Corey, planted Real Life Church in El Dorado in 2007 and serves as the lead pastor there.
Trent’s older brother, Trevor, is a percussionist and professor of music at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. He will complete his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in May 2026.
Trent’s sister, Tristen, is closest to him in age and serves as one of Trent’s care providers part-time. Tristen also works for Drawings by Trent and for Heartspring, where she provides ASD training to businesses and organizations. Tristen enjoys macrame and hand-lettering art, which is featured on Trent’s “Gather” wall decal.
Tristen’s husband, Easton, also works for Drawings by Trent and helps coordinate events for Trent around the country. They have a daughter, Winry, and are expecting their second child in May 2026.
Trent’s younger brother, TJ, holds the bragging rights of being the only sibling raised with Trent his entire life. TJ is an arborist who enjoys outdoor activities. He and his wife, Brooke, live nearby with their children Sam and Allie, so Trent gets to spend lots of time with his nieces and nephew.
Trent is with his family most of the time—working on the Drawings by Trent business, spending time at home or with his sister’s family, or out in the community. He enjoys going to the movies, swinging at the park, visiting the library, running errands, traveling, and meeting fans around the country.
People often first discover Trent through his art.
But what many come to appreciate most is the shared life that surrounds him—family, community, and the relationships that shape all of us along the way.
