Slow Progress and Shows

This summer is going to be busy for me. I'm excited and nervous.

This Thursday, June 30th is the "Beauty and the Beast" art show at Optic Nerve on NE Alberta St which should be amazing! There are some really incredible artists hanging work in this small space, it will totally be worth elbowing your way through the 'Last Thursday' bullshit to get there.



Im waiting to hear back as to weather I can sneak in a piece or two before the start hanging work up, Its my own fault for waiting so long to submit work. I was going to then chickened out earlier in the spring, I then suddenly grew a pair after being encouraged by a fellow tattooer.

Friday, July 1st 8:00pm - 11:30pm There is a benefit art show for 'Carlos the dog' at 'Side Door' in SE Portland. I haven't had the heart to ask for the details of the story, but something awful happened to this little guy and his people need help with the vet bills. Im going to have a few really small, affordable pieces hanging there so go buy them, Its a benefit after all.



Sunday July 3rd, 4-7pm is some drawing thing at 'The Lovecraft' down in SE Portland. Its the first event there of its kind so I'm going to go down and check it out if I can, its right in the middle of my workday though, so I dunno if I'm really going to make it.

Friday July 8th is the Closing reception for the Dennis Dread's 'Cut & Pasted, Burned & Wasted' show and Im stoked on that! I want to go back in and get a few good photos before they break it down, its way wicked awesome.



Friday, July 29th is the opening for my 2nd annual solo show at 'The Know' on NE Alberta. I'm waiting on final confirmation on the three bands playing the reception then Ill have fliers out for that. It should be a really good time, most of the artwork is band or music related and everything is brand new - never been displayed anywhere before. If I can get my finances figured out in time, Ill have prints available for sale at the opening and throughout the show.

Ill leave it at that for now.

Figuring some shit out...

K. so my big dilemma lately (more for the last two years) has been not being able to figure out what the f%#* I want to do... Not like, this thing or that thing, more like; coming to the point in my life where decisions have to be made and directions have to be taken. If Im going to be a killer custom tattoo artist I have to make a reputation in something or Im doomed to remain floating around in ambiguity for the rest of my career.

This is terrifying. I love drawing things! Everything!

Well, funny story...

I had the good fortune to run into someone last month who is far more established than I in their creative endeavors. She and her husband have been successfully running a fine art studio here in Portland OR for about 5 years or so now and over a few Miller highlife's I finally broke down and asked her;

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO?"

She basically said "if something awful happened, and you could no longer do the things you loved anymore, what would hurt the most? What is the one thing you cant live without?"

...So in about two seconds this stranger (albeit a very nice and generous one) held up a mirror and let me know Ive had the answer all along.

Im a fucking idiot.

So, I think Im going back to the beginning. When I was a little kid I drew bugs and monsters. When other artists used to ask me what I 'did' I always say (with no hesitation) 'I draw bugs and monsters'.

So, thats what Im going to be doing more of. I love LOVE tattooing, why the hell am I so worried about learning to paint in oil? If I aim to do solid, awesome art and tattoos that Im interested in (and better at) and show that work off, then (in theory) people begin to recognize me as someone who is good at the things I like to do. Right?

Yeah, I can do other things too, but only when they're too awesome to refuse, but in the mean time...