Holiday Wishes

 

Merry Christmas from the No Egrets Crew and I. I'm a bit behind but I was thinking about you guys and they say its the thought that counts. :) Now lets all enjoy our presents and get ready for the New Year!

What a hoot

Birds are always in demand as a tattoo item. All of the images walk ins who wanted to get bird related tattoos this month. Even the painting was done based on a drawing for a walk in (we did something slightly different and I unfortunately didn't have get a photo of the tattoo to compare).

The feather and the owl with the moon are both cover ups. I have been terrible this month at not remembering to take before pictures so I apologize for the lack of comparison again. The feather is covering small foot prints and the owl initials.

The love birds represent the parents of the client. They apparently love birds and act like a couple still very much on love. :)

The other owl was for a long time customer of No Egrets. She and her sister have been coming to get work done by the artists here since we opened. This was my first time tattooing one of them and it was a great honor. Especially since this peice is for both of her grandmothers who loves owls. I love this owl. It reminds me of old tea coozies for some reason. I think it's the flowers.

The End is Near

 I don't actually believe we're all going to die in a fireball of global doom but I am surprised at how accurate the Maya were at predicting major social change. Each of their Dynasties prior to their loss of power was marked by a huge social change that effected the culture. In some cases it was marked by violence but in others it was more of a shift of perspectives and cultural understanding. If the Maya were still around I feel they wouldn't be surprised at all to note the major changes in our society since the many wars and ages, particularly the industrial revolution, that have lead way to us as a whole now being forced to realize our effects and responsibilities to our planets natural resources and humanity as a whole. If I had to say anything the end of this Maya dynasty marks one of the most important cross roads that we as humanity face as a whole in our combined history. Namely how we intend to handle the major issues of health, rights, economics, and our effects on the creatures and nature of this planet. Do we ignore the signs of our abuse on natures systems or work to create a new culture that works with in the natural laws of our environment.  Do we continue to hold back our scientists, educators and healers allowing the sick become weaker, the poor to become poorer, and the ignorant to remain just so the rich can continue to be richer or do we let knowledge and empathy have a chance to blossom so that we can all have the ability to live full healthy lives filled with understanding. That is the cross road I believe we are at. I have faith that humanity will choose to follow the path of knowledge and growth but in the end we'll see. Its an interesting time to be alive. Thats for sure. 

Phew. Well you might need some fun after a rant like that so if you live on the Atlantic coast and don't have any plans for the 21st you should check out the End of Times show at House of Madness. I mailed off my paintings for the show and can't wait to hear about how they are received at the gala to celebrate the end of all seasons. I only sent off two paintings but they are both themed around the Maya.

This one is based on a tattoo I designed and tattooed on a fellow named Taco in my apprentice ship. I've always gotten a giggle out of it and knew I wanted to paint it eventually but never seemed to get around to it until now.  

This beauty is a reworked drawing from a design I created for a walk-in customer. I'd kind of hoped to have enough time to paint another version of her for the show that I have drawn up but the time never presented itself so for now this is a lone Amazon but she's pretty boss with her jaguar head dress and face paint. 

Hopefully the world doesn't actually end and I can get some photos of gala and these beauties hung with the other amazing work from the other artists participating. 

The painting never ends

I am working on an old design I tattooed on Taco during my apprenticeship. I always really got a kick out of it and since the end of the world art show has a very Mayan theme I felt it was the prefect time to give another life to the image. It still has a ways to go and the date of the show is soon approaching but I am confident I can get it all done and shipped with the other 2 images for the show in time. Funny how quickly the end of the world approaches.

Started and finished this reaper study for Bart's arm. It will be a cover up so I wanted to test out how I wanted it to look before hand. It helps me focus more on each line/ area if I already have a preconceived notion of what I want it to turn out like. Granted changes are always inevitable between paintings and tattoos but it still helps to have a game plan :)

The other is a drawing from a walk in who didn't care for this version and went with another take on it. I still really enjoyed this one so I am painting it up in the hopes of inspiring a future taker on getting it tattooed. :) I will be sure to post it as soon as its done.

Under the sea, Second session

Still at work on Jay's shoulder but we are defiantly moving along. I am excited to continue working on it :)