Finishing Touches. 04/28/2011
I've mentioned before that one of the reasons I love my job is the amount of time I get to spend with people; real quality, chunks of time that give the opportunity to build relationship. This is even more the case when I get the chance to do a really big piece that requires several sessions.  I started work on Justin's chest over a year and a half ago. He had contacted me because I'd tattooed a friend of his, and he was interested in getting some work done. He gave me a vague idea of what he wanted, and we spent a good few weeks talking about it, and changing concepts around. We knew that we would be taking a while to complete the tattoo – giving the tattoo time to heal between sessions, and allowing the cost to be spread a little. Because of this, we decided to do the tattoo in pieces, so that it never looked incomplete between sessions.  We started with the outlines of the birds, and came back a few weeks later to colour the owl. We did the Phoenix shortly after that, followed by the heart. After we had finished the heart, Justin moved out of the city, and got a new job. It was hard for him to get back in to my studio to do more work, but we stayed in touch the whole time. I had spent more time with this client than I often get to spend with my best friends (especially since most of them are now scattered around Europe and North America). When, several months later, Justin found time to get back into Toronto, it was like meeting an old friend. I was excited to get back to work on the tattoo, and start to see it come to completion, but I was equally looking forward to spending time with someone who I had come to like a lot.  When he came a little while ago to put the colour into the phoenix side of his chest, I was a little sad that our chances to hang out were coming to an end along with the tattoo. During the last 18 months or so, I had come to know Justin's favourite bands and artistic inspirations. I knew about his work and colleagues. I knew what his passions were; about his relationships and his family. We're talking about starting work on a sleeve now, so I don't think the tattoo side of our relationship is over, which is good to know – I like his ideas, and he usually sits pretty well. But I'm pretty sure that we've forged a friendship that would last, tattoos or no. 2 Comments In Memoriam 12/13/2010
  Many of you will know that I spent much of the last year not only tattooing, but working with a boy with severe special needs. Beth had been working with him for about six months before I came to help out too. At the end of October, Owen, who had become a good friend and a huge part of our lives, sadly passed away in his sleep. This 12 year old boy affected everyone that met him in an enormous way, and for those of us that were privileged enough to spend a lot of time with him, totally changed our lives. In the past month, I have had the honour of tattooing two other people that worked with Owen. Both wanted something to commemorate Owen, and the relationship that they shared with him. Jamie wanted her tattoo to demonstrate hope, and to symbolise the caring relationship she had with Owen. She also wanted it to feature penguins, because he loved them. The quote underneath reads "where there is life, there is hope" in Latin. Sallyanne, who I have tattooed many times before, went with a heart. Not only a symbol of life, but one of deep, enduring love. The inscription on the banner says "death is but the next great adventure". Even before Owen passed away, I was thinking about what tattoo I would get to reflect the impact he has had on my life. Now that he is no longer with us, the urge is stronger. Beth and I have been thinking more and more about this in the last couple of months, but we're still unsure what to get. I'll keep you posted as we decide how we would like to commemorate the life of someone very special to us. Love. Private studio now open! 07/03/2010
We have now officially opened the Deeper Than War studio. This space is dedicated to the design and creation of excellent tattoos and artwork. Deeper Than War is a registered with the government of Ontario. The studio meets all health requirements: non-porous floor, all washable surfaces (for tuberculocidal cleansing). We only use disposable, pre-sterilized single-use needles and tubes. We also proudly follow all waste-management guidelines. Welcome to the DEEPER THAN WAR STUDIO. It has a calm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Consultations and tattoos are by appointment only. Drop me a line to set up an appointment. Thanks to everyone who has supported this venture, be it financially, spiritually, relationally, by getting their hands dirty, or cheering us on during the renovation. We love you all a lot. Glory to God! Sign of the times. 06/08/2010
 “Aiden” in sign language; work by Deanna of Katalyst Konsepts For the last year or so, Beth and I have become more and more involved with the deaf community here in Toronto. We both work with a boy who is profoundly deaf, and recently, Beth has started working with another boy with a severe hearing impairment. Not to mention that for the last eight months or so, we have lived with our friend Sallyanne. Sallyanne has a slight hearing impairment, but both of her parents are profoundly deaf, so her first language is, in fact, American Sign Language (ASL). I learned a short while ago that names in ASL are usually assigned to a person by another signing person. Often, the name assigned is the first letter of the person's first name. This letter is then signed in a particular place, to distinguish that person from any other people with the same name. When Beth and I learned this, we decided to ask Sallyanne's mom to give us sign names. Having taken a few days to think about it, she got back to us. She had decided that my name should be signed by tapping the letter M twice on the inside of my forearm, because I am a tattoo artist. Beth and Addie have their initials signed in the same place, as that is standard practice for people of the same family. I'd planned to blog about this a while ago, when we were given our names, but it works out well that I waited, because I had my first deaf client yesterday. She brought two friends with her, who were also deaf. My knowledge of ASL is still very limited, so I wasn't able to communicate as effectively as I had wanted. The experience has encouraged me to work harder at signing, as I think it will be an invaluable resource, particularly in my line of work. On another related note, Beth and I have been thinking of getting sign tattoos. We're not sure exactly what form they would take, but would almost certainly be a series of pictograms of signs, either spelling out a word, or using the signs for words that make up a phrase. The jury is still out as to what they would say. I'll post more on this when we have a better idea. Do you know of any deaf people with tattoos? Do you know anyone with an ASL tattoo? Drop me a line and let me know! Tattoo Tales... 07/19/2009
 I found this on the Reuters website. An interview with a tattoo artist from Portland, Oregon. it's a pretty interesting article. Most of what the guy says is fairly obvious, I think, but it's always good to hear insights from people that have been in the business a long time. More than skin deep... 06/28/2009
I tattooed my wife's name on another man today. Her dad. | ArchivesJanuary 2012 CategoriesAll |
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