The Great`s Art

Jumat, 09 Desember 2011

Gift Givers, this is your jam.

Hello friends!
Just want to shout out about the Holiday Gift Givers Sale we're hosting at GroundSwell Gallery this Saturday (tomorrow) from 5 - 9pm.
There are 10 amazing designers selling their hand-crafted wares (including jewelry, accessories, art, toys, etc.).
Also, it's the holidays after all, so we'll warm you up and sweeten your teeth with a cup of home-made chai and a cupcake from the Shoppe! Looking forward to seeing you all!

I made these Heads-N-Tails toys! These little critters' heads and tails can be swapped from one to the other allowing you to create funny little foxy-turtles and hippo-fish.

Seth's Phoenix

Yesterday's post featured a sleeve from a guy named Phoenix. Today we have a sleeve that centers around a phoenix.

Anyone who's spent any time in New York City could tell you that bike messengers have a lot of great ink. Not all, of course, but quite a few. Fixtures in the city streets, especially in warmer months, if they're not zipping by on their bikes, you can often catch a glimpse of something cool. However, I've featured very few of these folks, just because they're usually in such a hurry, it's hard to catch them.

Fortunately, I spotted Seth securing his bicycle under Madison Square Garden late one afternoon back in September, and I had a chance to compliment his sleeve, at the center of which is this phoenix:

Sleeves are often challenging to portray on Tattoosday, as they generally require multiple shots and several takes, preferably in a controlled environment, like, say, a tattoo studio. But I always try to do my best to capture more than just the central element.

Seth credits his work to Jacob Redmond, when he was at Oddball Studios in Portland, Oregon. Redmond has since moved to Atlas Tattoo, also in Portland.

Thanks to Seth for sharing his phoenix with us here on Tattoosday!

If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Kamis, 08 Desember 2011

Phoenix's Sleeve is Out of This World

Back on August, I met a man named Phoenix in Penn Station who shared the sleeve on his right arm.

The work starts near his shoulder, with a traditional-style pin-up girl straddling a rocket in an outer space motif:

The cat perched on the rocket in front of the woman represents Phoenix's love of animals.

The centerpiece of the sleeve, however, is lower on the arm and represents his love of astrology:

From a practical purpose, he had his natal astrological chart wrapping around his limb. In theory, he told me, anyone who knows astrology could come up and read his arm and gain insight into his astrological makeup.

Phoenix was born with the Sun in Aries rising in Leo and with his moon in Gemini.

This work was done by Lou at Third Eye Tattoo in Park Slope, Brooklyn, about six years ago. Lou's handiwork has been featured many times over the years here on the site and can be seen here.

Thanks to Phoenix for sharing his spectacular sleeve with us here on Tattoosday!

Rabu, 07 Desember 2011

A Tattoo in Memory of Erin's Mom

I always feel privileged when I meet someone who is willing to share a tattoo that carries deep personal significance. Back in October, I met Erin while she was waiting for her train during the late afternoon in Penn Station.

Last fall, Erin told me, her mother passed away. When her mom’s next birthday approached, Erin and her sister planned a fitting tribute. A year ago today, they got this tattoo on their left biceps:

This design incorporates a heart, a triquetra (Celtic trinity knot) and something unique – their mother’s handwriting ("Love you always, Mom), including the x’s and o’s representing hugs and kisses.

This is a shining example of the type of memorial that has led to an increase in the popularity of tattoos. The inner left biceps is an ideal location due to its proximity to the heart.

Erin credits Brian Marsman at Powerhouse Tattoo Company in Montclair, new Jersey, with this piece. A piece by Brian also appeared here on the site a couple months ago.

Thanks to Erin for sharing this very personal tattoo with us here on Tattoosday. On behalf of our readers, I wish her happy memories on this anniversary of her mother’s birth.

Selasa, 06 Desember 2011

Allison's Tattoo Has Cutting Edge Style

Last week in Penn Station, I ran into Allison, a hair stylist at Revolver Salon's Upper West Side location. She was sporting this tattoo on her inner left forearm:

This is one of four tattoos she has, and she credits this piece to Greg at Electric City Tattoo Emporium in Great Falls, Montana.

Allison explains:

"I was in beauty school and I've always wanted to be a hair stylist. Whenever I get a tattoo it's always been a poignant time in my life, so I wanted to commemorate the fact that I was actually pursuing my dream ... I got it with a bunch of friends that I went to school with, and we all got a pair of shears (not the same ones) ... I designed it and the tattoo artist mate it even better."

Thanks to Allison for sharing her cool "tat-tools" of the trade with us here on Tattoosday!

Senin, 05 Desember 2011

“I like to think that some of my work at least will stay in the present tense.”

Ellsworth Kelly at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Not his usual paintings, but his wood sculptures. Just wanted to link to this NYTimes Article including some statements from Kelly himself. I am especially interested in artists like this who are interested most in remaining in the present tense. This image is of Spectrum V, 1969. I remember seeing this on a visit to see art somewhere in the world... Anyway, I remember loving it.

Sabtu, 03 Desember 2011

Amy's Feathers from Hawai'i (updated)

We're tying up some loose ends from earlier this year, and figured we'd share this cool tattoo:

This piece, on the back of a woman named Amy's leg, came to us in March via e-mail from the island of Hawai'i. Amy was a student of my mother's at the University of Hawai'i, Hilo campus. Mom snapped this photo, with Amy's blessing, for Tattoosday.

We don't have any further detail on the tattoo, like the name of the artist, and the origin of the design. There are peacock feathers, and I'm guessing eagle feathers, but I can't identify the other plumage with certainty. Nonetheless, we thought it was worth sharing, and clearing out our "in" box.

Amy credits Delshay at K-Town Tattoo & Body Piercing in Kona, Hawai'i with this tattoo. She added:

"I came up with the concept. Delshay put it all together for me. It's my bouquet of feathers.

The feathers range from peacock, bustard, macaw, flamingo, blue jay, pheasant and myna.

The story is mine."

Here's another photo from the artist's tumblr page:

Mahalo to Amy for sharing this tattoo with us here on Tattoosday! And thanks to Mom for sending it our way!