Well what can I say about Breckenridge… I love riding this mountain especially with some good friends… The snow is kind of hard to find this year, the opposite of what we had all experienced last winter. However, with one decent storm that rolled through a few days into my trip made for some well needed turns.  As always my trip to Godspeed is busy with work. I had  my regular’s booked for work on their in-progress pieces and a few old familiar faces getting in on this visit too. I also had the honor of being a guest in Frisco Elementary Schools 5th grade class hosted by their teacher Peder Hansen. This was my second visit to Peder’s class with this year being a new group of kids. This year we were not only focusing on the process of creating but also tattooing as a career(with parental consent).

I wanted to share this with you all because it is so rewarding to me to take a few hours out of my day and lead the class with a still life study. We discussed the definition of Art in an interactive discussion comparing all mediums to create, as well as the process of creating, from inspiration, to preparation. I was so excited that Peder had purchased sketch books for all the kids in the class so that they could all participate.  We talked about lighting/contrast and perspective, as well as basic things like how to hold a pencil when sketching, with drawing practices of rendering basic forms. I also mentioned to them how important a creative space is, how to go about making their work space creative, inspiring and free of distractions. We also worked with drawing from memory, using a few seconds of visually studying the still life then drawing it blindly. Second drawing study we focused on lighting and contrast, turning off the over head lights and using my prop lighting, taking into consideration of what is highlighted by the light and what is in the shadows. Pulling all things we talked about together for a final ‘masterpiece’.

They had such neat questions and answers when it came to talking about the difference between tattooing and painting. Now I know why they have a show titled “Are You Smarter Then A 5th Grader”!  I was excited to hear that the parents were open minded to the topic’s that we were covering that day in class. It is a shame that schools take out music and art classes, as I grew up in a creative environment, playing the violin from the 3rd grade through college because it was available to me, making wooden stoles in wood shop class, learned how to cook and bake in home economics class, sewing class and of course my art classes where I learned my first artistic love, ceramics. From summer camps to dancing school I grew up in an artistic creative community that is few and far between these days. It is nice to hear the students do participate in some form of music and art outside of their school, some students told me they played the drums at home, guitar, or worked on the potter wheel as well as making plaster masks… It is nice to hear that the parents have taken charge in the creative world of their children to help encourage them to create aside from the daily instructed lives in schools. It was an honor to be apart of Peder Hansen’s class, I hope that I made an impact on at least one student, inspiring them to use the tools we discussed and remember the day that I taught them to use their creative outlets, to remind themselves to never worry about what others think because Art is a freedom of expression and an act of creating should never be judged.

 
Stay tuned for next months trip to Whistler BC!! Should be a great snowboarding trip and I am tattooing as well, my first visit to Canada!

“Animal Ink” is the latest book put out by the amazing tattooer Mike DeVries and editor Jinxi Caddel. I am pleased to be apart of such a fun project next to some amazing artists and friends. Animal Ink is celebrating the use of animals in tattoo art, whether on land, in the sky or under water, animals have been such an amazing inspiration to all who create. This book features over 1,500 tattoos in its 304 pages of high quality versatile imagery created by 160 tattooists. This is a keeper!! And I am honored to be apart of it… follow the link to purchase.

http://www.mdtattoos.com/Tattoo-Books/item3413.html

Tattooing at Godspeed, working on Tia's Compass Jellyfish

Hello all! I just returned to Arizona from Breckenridge Colorado, getting some early season snowboarding in and tattooing with my old family at Godspeed Tattoo. Not as much snow as opening weekend last year but still a fun time! I will make a brief visit again to Godspeed at some point mid-winter. Until then I will be tattooing with Club Tattoo at the Scottsdale location, the first 3 weeks of December and the first 3 weeks of January. Keep an eye on my travel dates for February, March and April updates!!

Snowboarding with my good friend Joslin~ ya she's kindof gangsta!

Just a quick update~ Tuesday November 8th is my last day at club tattoo until after thanksgiving, heading to Breckenridge for opening weekend, until the 23rd… with some great appointments lined up…. I am BOOKED for this trip. However, make your appointments for December starting now peeps. Please email me through my contact page here…. looking forward to starting some fresh new pieces!! keep posted on my facebook page for those last minute updates———————>

Happy Friendsgiving. Luv

A fun piece I just finished and thought to share a working photo:

For all of those that have followed this project since April, I can now say that I am finish with “Fragile”, Gia my new niece, and my sister Jaime was the center of my artistic focus. Through plaster molds, photography to the final painting, “Fragile” can now be shown. I am content with my efforts, following my vision from the beginning. The project as a whole and final painting was the most challenging artistic endeavor to date, and the most satisfying int he end. Hope you enjoy the final painting, viewed below. It will be on display at Hell City Phoenix at the end of the month, please stop down and stroll through the art gallery to view it in person. Thanks for viewing xoxo

“Fragile”

Oil on Canvas 24″ by 40″

About a month ago I was searching online for private or public painting classes. I came across the Barn Studio of Art, founded by Pat Witt. She is a landscape painter I had heard of and looked into what the studio had to offer. After seeing the web site and reading the following I had to take classes here! The Barn Studio of Art is dedicated to cultivating the love of arts in people of all ages and abilities. The Barn Studio of Art will nurture the study of art and nature throughout the community in a non-competitive, creative, developmentally appropriate and positive atmosphere. I signed up for the week long intensive landscape painting workshop. With multiple instructors mastering different mediums and techniques, I came away with more knowledge then I anticipated and more excited on landscape painting then I have ever been. Seeing areas of New Jersey that I have never been to was such a treat. Some of the locations were so mystical and held many stories. I had a 1 hour 20 minute commute  to and from our painting locations. Each day starting at 9 a.m. until 4-5 p.m. depending on how scorching the sun decided to be that day. If anyone is interested in expanding into landscape painting and are in the area of New Jersey, I would take this week long workshop! With amazing instructors and students, it was a very interactive creative experience. Here are a few photos I would like to share of my week.

Wanted to say thank you to Neil from Tattoo Revolution for the nice interview in issue 7. Thanks Neil !!

I just wanted to share in a quick update on my Gia project. As I mentioned below in a previous post, I had made my sister and new niece my primary focus in my current artistic endeavor. I started with driving to New Jersey to share the last few weeks of my sister’s pregnancy with her, and get the plaster molds completed before she went into labor. With 2 molds complete, torso and belly before the birthday of Gia all I had to work on was painting the molds and collecting my props. Going through the 22 hours of natural labor, side by side with my sister; it was an incredible experience. Though at the end of it all the doctors suggested surgery, so they swooped her away. Baby Gia ended up in intensive care for a few days and I wasn’t able to hold her through her plastic cradle until 4 days later. The most tiny strongest human I know… just like her mommy.  A few days after Gia finally came home for the first time, I dove right into my project with the consent of my sister.  This project is not over yet but here is my vision so far that I would love to share with you…. “Fragile”

Well, I hit the road a few weeks ago… driving from my Breckenridge Colorado home to New Jersey for some quality family time. My sister Jaime was expecting a new baby the end of April. My new niece entered the world April 30, 2011 at 5:14 a.m. Baby Gia Diamond has been the focus of my artistic ventures before and after her arrival. Currently this project is still unfolding, yet I wanted to share a few images until my final chosen photographs and future paintings emerge.

My Spring travels have kick started in Bordentown New Jersey’s Timeless Tattoo… What great shop with a tight talented crew! Always so welcoming when I visit here with some great tattoo clients! I have extended my stay so if you are interested in getting tattooed while I am working in New Jersey please send me an email request through my contact page above. Next stop  I have a few days the end of May at Gabe Ripley’s Off The Map Tattoo. This is my first time visiting his Massachusetts shop and looking forward to it! Still have a few openings available.

In June I will be tattooing at Aces High Tattoo in West Palm Beach Florida. I currently have June 9th open.  The end of June I will be back in Colorado but for a short 2 weeks!!!  June 17th, 23, and 25th are open as of now. Those wont last long so hurry…   Keep posted for July openings in New Jersey, August Club Tattoo (fills fast once those dates post) and Hell City Phx I am BOOKED!  Stay Tuned for up-dates and future “Gia” art work. Have a wonderful Spring! See you on my travels xoxo

Well, my long awaited trip to Australia has now come and gone. Leaving the snow for mid-summer down under was not that bad since I am quite temperamental of the heat, until a few heat waves cruised through. But I did enjoy the sun on my skin! Queensland was so beautiful and tropical. I met up with my beautiful, talented friend Jo Harrison and her fella Matt. Seriously, the sweetest couple ever! Surf n’ Ink was new for me, and everyone down there was so welcoming and helpful. Even though it was heavy on everyone’s minds of the horrible flooding that was happening just north of us. Queensland had been hit with so many storms, and the floods were horrendous. Before I even arrived and it is still occurring since a cyclone hit the same areas the day after my departure. Artists from around the world and myself, came together to do a few art fusion pieces, that were auctioned off and all proceeds of sales went to the victims of the Queensland floods. I hope the sun shines on them soon.

The second leg of my trip brought me down to the Rites of Passage Fest in Melbourne. This was held in the beautiful Royal Exhibition Building. I was able to do a walk through Thursday before, thanks to event coordinator Claire Reid… and I was in awe of the interior. “Carpe  Diem”  The Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens were completed in 1880 for Melbourne’s first international exhibition, a product of the optimism, enthusiasm and energy of the people of Melbourne in the late-19th century. It felt all so perfect in Melbourne’s hip city, full of ethnic foods, arts, music and architecture. I did a few really fun tattoos, met so many new wonderful faces and had a chance to catch up with old ones. I can’t wait to visit again, and again. Thanks to Kim for a home away from home! Misses and kisses until next year.
For now February and March I will be here in Colorado. April I maybe making a trip to AZ before heading to NJ…. so stay tuned for updates…see you soon xoxo  p.s. here’s a neat link http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/01/21/285295_gossip-news.html