Got a quick break from the studio to support the big man Estevan Oriol’s event at the Rogue Status store in Venice, and as always the work is flawless.

The Gumball event brought about some cool cars, lots of followers and supporters for both Estevan and DJ Muggs.

Check out brother big Lucky and his boy- after generations, after generation, and the things these men have seen, ups and downs, still the friendship is unbreakable! 

And the big boss Phil Kennedy  from Circa, and brother Matt Blondell was also out with us to support…

…. “The Wild One Hundreds” ? sounds good, but we’ll ask Bobby about that one…

Congratulations to the big homey Estevan and DJ muggs.

The big homey Larry came through for yet another session. Larry has been committed to sealing off his collection and is pushing for it diligently!

Keep moving brother.

Here’s a peak at one of ten studies in the works that marks the no beginning, and never ending process of a series in the near future. Oil on Canvas. I have to point out a contemporary artist, one of my personal favorites, (who many seem to hate), is a living embodiment of old master painting, and who influenced this specific study, ODD NERDRUM.

To really appreciate Nerdrum is to understand formlessness with and without form and process, and through the psychology of space of an empty mind. All tools and materials are disregarded, and as a result, the brush is rarely  used; knives, sandpaper, and the tubes is applied with direct unhesitating strokes. What appears to be a figure from a few feet away,  is an  abstract ordered chaos of paint up close.

But as deep as an artist can get in “technique” or “strategy” or “traditional” or whatever “way of doing”  things is missing the point. The tools and medium serve as a tool to remove “the painter” out of  the situation. Trendy or otherwise marketable things like style or look of a painting, end up meaning nothing but show us a space to “self”destruct.  Instead of being concentrated or approaching a segment of the piece with a particular style or method, being aware of it’s totality reveals clarity that wasn’t there before-or at least seen by the conditioned eye.

In past earlier stages, it was hard to absorb mentally and emotionally the cycle of politics of Art, including illustration, tattooing, and fine art. Who, where or what side to listen to, who’s better, who’s not. But artists today like Nerdrum,  and many, many others,  past and present show us that these are  nonexistent categories, and by trying to place each other in one of them is masturbation. Only when we strip off what seems to be very real goals- ‘wealth, prestige, fame, style ‘ can the artist get to the human and be that human. When Art ceases to become a business of external products, and begins to be a tool for eternal awareness then  the painter, the tattooer, the apparel desginer, the animator or whatever is truly free. Simple, ever-changing, unconditioned truth! 

More on this study to come.

“Adequate form requires individuality rather than imitative repetitiousness, brevity rather than bulkiness, clarity rather than obscurity, simplicity of expression rather than complexity of form.”-Bruce Lee

Hip-Hop’s master producer Jermaine Dupri  gave me the honors to add onto his collection. JD has a variety of work from legendary, and one of the godfathers of black n’ grey,  artist   Mark Mahoney and several other artists. He decided to work his lower right rib cage with the classic Virgin Mary, with a little twist…..

The rib cage is by far one of the most sensitive areas to get tattooed, but Jermaine took it like a soldier.

Recognize this holy woman?

Jermaine’s Queen Janet Jackson takes the role of man’s spiritual savior. About three hours into it Janet walks in stunned to see her face on her man’s side.

It was a big honor, thanks goes out to Jermaine Dupri, and a belated Happy Birthday to Janet Jackson. In case you’ve been sleeping, check out JD’s GLOBAL14.COM. 

The good homey Vince came through to begin his upper right sleeve, with the classic good luck symbol of Buddha on the frog.

The fat Buddha image is originally from Chinese culture but spread throughout Asia as a iconic figure for hundreds of years, and is still relevant today, and especially to Vince. The concept for this piece is freedom mentally, physically and spiritually from wealth, both asian currency (coins under fong) and U.S. currency-soon to come. 

Still another good session ahead for this piece, stay posted to watch Buddha make $ rain..

The great drummer, Joey Castillo from Queens of the Stone Age came through and gave me the honor to work his arm.  Check out this clip: “Go with the Flow” (motion graphics are ridiculous!)

Joey already has a strong collection from work by the greats; Cartoon, Kat, Juan Puente, and other great artists who take the majority of his sleeves. After traveling all over Europe and performances for a few years, there was still some space open…..

The classic mother Mary and rose takes the right lower sleeve. Joey is one of coolest people… 

along with his lady, master piercer Pixie and their baby Sid. Don’t miss Joey Castillo with Eagles of Death Metal at this year’s INK N IRON  tattoo convention on float at the Queen Mary, where Bob Tyrell, Jack Rudy, Brian Everett, and the Lowrider Tattoo family will be tattooing!