Sadness

I just found out my friend and fellow artist Anya might be going back to Russia, due to our Govt stupid immigration laws and a dickhead of an ex husband, a very beautiful and talented young lady might be leaving us. NOT FUCKING FAIR AT ALL PEOPLE!!!!! There are not many people I like on this planet, I mean truly like, but this kid is one of them. She's real...down to the fiber, nothing fake or shifty about her at all. Her work ethics are beyond reproach, I don't know any other 25 yr old who could hold a candle to her sincerity and commitment to her craft. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed and sending a lot of light her way!!!

That's all I have to say about it. Not Happy :(

PEACE, LOVE, & MOTHER FUCKING TATTOOS!!!!

Tebori Spring

OK so here we are the day before April 1st. and we just got snow last night. EEEK!!!! I am so sick of being chilly, cold and wearing a jacket and socks!!!

Although it hasn't prevented me from staying busy and productive. After many years and months of preparation I am finally feeling comfortable enough to start offering Tebori to my clients. The is the traditional Japanese art of tattooing by hand. This isn't something I thought lightly about, "what's a white girl doing offering Tebori?" My love and respect for the craft of tattooing in any form kept me coming back to this one thing "Tebori" It's become my obsession. Everything I get my hands on I'm reading, watching Japanese artists at conventions, watching videos, talking with master tattoo artists like Horijo and Horiyen. It's a completely different art form and people who think it's just poking the skin with needles on the end a stick are fooling themselves. It takes great patience and true love of the art of tattooing. Just the amount of energy exerted during the process it completely different. Your precision must be spot on and your technique flawless. These attributes are not unlike electric tattooing, but because everything is done by hand the margin for error is greater. So, on that note I am indulging in this new horizon and have a couple great projects lined up with people who want to experience this ancient and original approach to tattooing. I feel with the recent events of the earthquake I owe it to my love of the Japanese and their culture to further educate my clients in the mysteries of this civilization. As always if anyone reading this would like to contact me about getting a Tebori tattoo please feel free. tat2dgrl@gmail.com http://www.tattoosbystacy.com

PEACE, LOVE, & MOTHER FUCKING TATTOOS!!!!

So OVERrrrr....

I want winter to end, just when we started to see some ground on the mountain, we got another foot and a half of snow...BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! It's so cold!!! And I have recently developed an allergy to extreme cold weather...I shit you not. If I am outside for more than 15 minutes in shit like this I break out in intense hives!!! Now people I ask you, what kinda shit is that? I've been prescribed Clarinex that I take once a day which keeps things under control for the most part, if I have a severe break out I pop a Benedryl or two. I know...let's move to the coldest part of PA. buy a house on a mountain that's situated in a vortex of winter and then become allergic to the cold. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I have to laugh...what else am I to do?!!!

But lets go on with some good news...I've takin on several new clients with some great concepts!!!

A Geisha Samurai half sleeve, a Samurai and Dragon sleeve, a Dragon & Fire with Sakura blossoms half sleeve and Koi and Chrysanthemum sleeve. Keep it comin people, I LOVE IT!!!

Working hard on current projects as well, Christians back is really coming along, we're loving the progress so far, and it's going as planned. We'll be starting the outline of his ribs and stomach soon. I don't want to get too ahead of myself and lose any flow we have, or make things look disjointed.

I recently designed my own Senjafuda, which is a Japanese name sticker.

Basically it's a formal way of saying "Hello my name is ___ and this is what I do or this is who I am or where I'm from. They're primarily used in shrines all over Japan and are somewhat like a western business card. A calling card of sorts but in sticker form. They are paper stickers and I want to keep as traditional to the Japanese way as possible, so sorry friends these won't be something you can slap on your ride, BUT they are beautiful non the less. And can have many fine uses for books, inside window applications or just to treasure cause their cool as hell. I'm planning on having the first bunch printed up by the end of March and will be handing them out. This is a rough color draft right now, still playing around with combinations of red, black and white. Let me know what you think.

OK I'm outta here for now, I'm freezing and gotta get movin!!

PEACE, LOVE & MOTHERFUCKIN' TATTOOS!!!!!

Delayed due to snow...

Waiting for my client Paul from Florida...his flight is delayed due to weather, so let me make good use of the time. We'll be finishing his half sleeve and chest plate and adding onto the other side of his chest with a fresh outline of Ikazuchi. Lots of work to do!! Can't wait to see him!

Studio is packed today, Christian is slammin out a great flag and cross piece, Dave and Linda are piercing and there's some pretty solid jams playing loud. I've been getting together some great guest artists to visit in the next couple weeks. Kurt Deejong will be here from Chicago and then Anya will doing her first guest spot ever here the first week in March. I plan on getting in on some of that, she's adding onto my Geisha piece with this KILLER Goat demon!!! I am stoked.

The remodeling of the studio is in phase 3 and Tim has about 3 more rooms to go before the painting is officially complete. Lovin all of it, and I'm loving all the detail accents he's been adding. This project is long over due.

I've been plugging away on some paintings, I will post pictures when I feel I have something worth showing, a lot of my effort so far this year 2011 is just getting back into the groove of things after the Holiday. It's only been a month but man it's flown by!!!! But, I'm getting there...

Totally sick of the snow already...yes and I know it's barely begun...but damn give us a break already. We have about 18" at the house, every morning we get a nice new dusting of powder, maybe an inch or two. They're calling for another storm coming Tues. night, but this isn't the fucking weather channel so I will leave that topic alone!!! LOL

PEACE, LOVE, & MOTHERFUCKIN' TATTOOS!!!!!!!

Anothr Year Down...

Had a lovely time at my in-laws for Christ-mass, and now I'm kicking back with a week to do whatever I want!!!!! Yes the wonderful yearly winter vacation is under-way! LOVE IT!
I'm going to work on some paintings, sleep, watch some movies, sleep, relax, sleep, play some xbox, sleep, get the tops of my hands tattooed, sleep and generally have a good time and sleep.
Starting after the new year the studio will have new hours of operation, noon to 8pm, perfect for the winter. They're calling for snow today, but I think they're full of shit, they've been wrong all year, Linda says "they're reading tea leafs" HAHAHA I tend to agree with that statement.


I have some great new projects starting after the new year, double sleeve designs on my new client Diego, a little black magic and New Orleans tribute. Starting color on John's Dragon/Koi sleeve I just started a couple days ago. Continuing work on Joanna's back piece, and Shupes back, I'm keeping busy as usual, so there won't be any cabin fever going on at the studio that's for sure. I just finished up Gene's Samurai and Tiger back and I couldn't be happier with the result, it really came together nicely. Gene and I have begun dialogue about half sleeves and front panels.

We'll be going to Aki on New Years with Jan, Jesse and Aidan to celebrate. It'll be Aidan's first dinner out, and first time trying Sushi, I think he'll dig fish eggs. What a big boy now!!


Well enough for now I want to put my feet up and relax and continue my vacation. I hope all my clients and friends had a great Holiday in whatever ritual they participated in.

PEACE, LOVE, & MOTHERFUCKIN' TATTOOS!!!

I get tattooed too!!!

Finally had my piece started by Anya Gladun, she works out of DC Ink. A super great day, I got tattooed and then I worked on her back. One of the many perks of being a tattoo artist, getting to trade with other talented tattooists. The tattoo that Anya is doing for me is a Japanese forbidden tattoo. It's a tattoo to show ones devotion to their lover. I've been planning this tattoo for a super long time, but it wasn't until I saw Anya's work that I knew she had to be the one to do it. Her unique pin-up style and twist on reality is going to make this concept perfect for me. By the way, anyone who knows me knows I HATE GETTING TATTOOED!!!! IT FUCKING HURTS!!!! LOL

Well that's it for now my peeps. I hope everyone is staying warm!!!

PEACE, LOVE & MOTHERFUCKIN TATTOOS!!!!!

In One Week

I spend about 40 to 50 hours a week at my studio, 24 or more of those hours is spent tattooing, the other hours are spent, answering emails, quoting tattoos, fucking around on my computer and doing consultations with clients. What I noticed this week was a flux of new clients coming in that were looking for cover-ups. I do a lot of cover-ups, I mean a lot and what I'm noticing lately is a large concentration of people regretting their tattoos, some from tattoo parties, some from other studios and some from just talentless tattooists. It really makes me wonder if people think about their choices...do they just see an image and think to themselves "yep that's it", it's obvious that that's what happens. But what they're failing to do is take the time to find the right person to do the tattoo. There are thousands of extremely talented tattooists out there, but just because someone put an open sign up and has themselves a machine doesn't make them the right person to do the job. Frankly, I'm sick of being a miracle worker for other peoples sudden urges and spur of the moment events. It doesn't mean I won't do your cover-up, that's not my point at all. I myself have a cover-up from a mis-spent youth so I know what people are going through when they get "tattoo fever" but for fuck sake, slow down. Take your time, do your research and by all means look at the pictures these people present as their portfolios. Just because someone is known for being a "good drawer" doesn't mean they're a good tattooist. Are their lines, sharp and crisp? Is their color work solid and concentrated? Does the design make sense, can you tell what it is? Does the panther look like a panter or does it look like a lizard? Does the Angel face look like a real face or does it look like your 2 year olds construction paper drawing? Think of it this way, when someone walks into a gallery and there are paintings on the wall, that buyer knows a few general things about what their going to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on. They know the artists name, maybe their background, their style, a few things about their technique and of course they know the quality of the painting they are buying. When you as a collector of tattoos is shopping for tattoo work, you should know what you're looking at, you should know someting about the artist you're buying from and you should know their work. Unlike a painting, if it goes out of style or doesn't match the furniture anymore you can burn it, throw it out, shove it in a closet or attick. With a tattoo it's there FOREVER, and there may not be a way to fix it, or cover-it and sometimes laser removal doesn't always work. So, get educated about your life altering desisions, don't rely on just your friends to tell you who is good, or cheap or available now. Take responsibility.
That's all for now folks!!
PEACE, LOVE & MOTHER FUCKING TATTOOS!!!!