It was a long day. I’ve got to say –L.A. will always be home, but N.Y’s beauty is on another level.

We spent most of the day making runs through the burrows.

Not sure if my boys had a happy ending?

After little italy, chinatown, St. Marks, Hoboken etc we headed to Soho to go support the brothers over at The Hundreds grand opening of their new store.

Bobby, Ben and the whole crew have always been a big inspiration, not just in what they’ve created but the way they create. I’ve never seen a more coordinated, humbling, and organic group of people that take time to put in the work for quality–together. With that level of hard work and passion, anything’s possible.

Perfect.

And with the homies, it’s all about the longterm, the path onward is set with more good things to come, and NY is just another building block to the future. Congrats to all the brothers of TH.

Speaking of building blocks-back in Jersey at Syndicated, we started off the first session with Chris who came through to continue his collection. You might remember his piece from our last visit…

He wanted to continue the Fu Dog piece we started by tying in the Great Wall of China to an existing  dragon piece he had years ago.

The Great Wall is a classic symbol for strength, and an overall ambition that extends beyond the people of Chinese culture. It’s stated that several thousand people died from the process of building the wall and many are actually buried in the core base sections of the structure. But like with every big task, you always have to be willing to make sacrifice.

And we end at the beginning foundation of the wall-lower upper sleeve. Chris wanted to put emphasis on the  process of the accomplishment by focusing on the construction.

A big thanks to Chris aka ‘Shaou-lin’, who sat through the construction like a soldier.

We are getting ready  for the next few months to pay a visit to our friends on the east coast, and our European friends in London and Spain-details coming soon. Right now I’m running through  the work  you’ve seen on this site for the past few months to bring the showcase up to date on clients that have been coming through the studio and some important things come to mind.

Looking back at each piece I can reflect and break apart areas where I can push the ideas further, and raise the standards that have pushed me to this point with tattooing. I’ve  made it a ritual in the way I work to acknowledge every single client as important as the next, and today that fact is even more important to sustain the level of quality that best represents Black n’ Grey, especially in an industry that is growing at an abnormal rate. The key is working toward totality,  aiming for the long term.

I share an equal passion for tattooing to painting, illustration and art in general, but whenever ‘tattooing talk’ comes up  I’ve ingrained the habit of mentioning the people that have influenced me and have spent alot of time into making opportunities a reality for people like myself to benefit. And in complete truth, the ability to learn-or the rate you learn isn’t the same as grounded experience. The success of work that I’ve been able to experience in the past short 4 years has alot to do with the 17 years, 20 years, and with some who’ve spent their entire lives working to sustain.

With that being said, regardless in what form, all successes is temporary and toxic. Series of actions that lead to an ideal result that have happened in the past may not be the same steps needed for the future. They are what they are-the past. Today brings new sets of challenges that need new solutions to make it work according to this moment. And because this anchors you here, the real ’success’ or the real juice comes from the process that’s needed–The hunt.

The terrain is always changing, like people’s skin-every surface varies from person to person, change is constant, so the way you hunt has to change with it. I point this out to you because all the support you’ve been giving is the drive, and the even more important doubts, is the fire that obligates us to work at the standard in which the art of tattooing belongs-right beside fine art, right beside design, right beside any other category of visual art. And this isn’t about a regional situation, or little shop drama fighting over scraps that really don’t matter-this is about breaking traditions into leading the culture to hold it’s respected weight in history–and maintain it.

So once again, burn it all. They got fat while we starved, it’s our turn, and it’s time to get real honest with ourselves on what the intentions are, and where this is going.

To all my fellow young tattooers, time to raise the bar above it all.

“When your finished changing, your finished.” ~Franklin

Crystal came in to continue the process in this second sitting.

We started this piece not too long ago, and it’s a nice refreshing feel to bring it to it’s next stages. I always point out how woman in general know how to address their emotions internally alot better then the fellas when it comes to pain–and that’s still a fact. Aside from overcoming physical pain, Crystal belongs to the rare group of mentally strong woman.

It’s a man’s world, and Crystal is beyond it. When you come from nothing, with no support, and the environment is set against you, change is mandatory, and along the way you develop the attributes that others can’t understand. Strength, focus, independence and the ability to address and overcome any situation.

We symbolized growth with the tree branches and roots, running through the woman with an abstract surrounding to focus on the fact that change is constant.

Speaking of—Crystal’s man Sam….is the man. He also came through to finish off his piece he dedicated to his mom not too long ago that went along a similar feel.

A final sitting to come with Crystal……