Hedon is happy to welcome designer and master painter Christian Moreno Wilkinson to London, where he's now bringing his artistic talent and 16 years of experience in automotive paint to the company's workshop. We asked him about his background and where his drive comes from...

Do you come from an artistic family?

- My mother is British, born in Newcastle, while my father is from Seville, Spain - that's why I have dual citizenship. I've always lived in Spain (until I came to work with Hedon), though growing up I spent Summers and Christmases in Rochester in Kent. My father has a natural talent for drawing and oil painting, while my mother has always been ingenious, dedicating years to sewing. I suppose that from them both I honed my skills, imagination and passion for different forms of manual art.

What first sparked your creative instincts?

- From the age of two or three, I was passionate about drawing. Then as I grew up I found it stimulating to bring back to life things that seemed old and useless, such as sneakers, bicycles, skateboards and surfboards. I like to restore old junk, as well as build furniture and interior decoration.

What was the worst thing you've ever had to paint?

- I studied Industrial Technology, but quickly realized I should have studied fine art. I spent a summer working in the car repair workshop of an acquaintance of my father - almost for free, just because I wanted to learn. I restored classic cars, painted luxury cars and worked with insurance and damaged cars. Without wanting to offend anyone who does it, painting crashed cars could be considered the worst thing I've ever had to paint because it led me to feeling comfortable, so I forgot my creative goals for a while. Even so, I'm very grateful, for everything I've learned, working day after day, refining my technique, and becoming trained as a professional painter and a connoisseur of the subject.

Who or what is your inspiration?

- Since I started developing my creative side with helmets again, without a doubt my great inspiration is Pablo Picasso - who came from my hometown of Malaga. He was a revolutionary artist, sometimes bordering on the obsessive. Not only for his picturesque work, but also his philosophy and ethics when creating. We are all born with some talent, but I firmly believe that passion is directly proportional to excellence. Immerse yourself fully, spend nights thinking about what or how to improve, to the point of being a freak for what you do. Therein lies the difference - and that's when we can call it art.

What’s your ambition?

- My ambition is to be one of the best painters in the world in this sector, so when people hear my name they think of good taste and sophistication, and they see my work as unique. Someday I would like to bid on some old dilapidated Harley Davidson and restore it completely. 

How did you come to work with Hedon?

- I started working with Hedon because I identified a lot with their style, so I decided to try making one of their most famous limited editions on my own just to test my skills. I published it on Instagram and caught their attention.

What do you enjoy about working with them?

- What I enjoy most about working with them now is the creativity that is palpable in everything that's done in the company, right down to the smallest detail. They all participate as a team with ingenuity and imagination, so it's the perfect environment to enhance my skills. I've only been with them a month but I know we'll do amazing things together.