Jump to content

Jennifer Stell

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    256

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    9

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Jennifer Stell

  1. Jennifer Stell
    I haven't written or been actively posting up anything lately...
    And there's good reason for it. I have a lot going on, we all do. Life here on the recent has been a testament to the true meaning of love.
    The overwhelming outpour of support from FAMILY: YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, has been humbling, and heartwarming, and a big eye opener to just how much impact one person (Richard) can have on a relatively large circle of likeminded individuals whom happen to share the same passion for their profession; or the great clients we get to call friends... We have no choice but to overcome, we always do, we are obligated to YOU. For you have given his heart a second chance, and for that I am truly grateful.
    There have been more tears cried these last several weeks, then I think both of us combined in a lifetime, and, I'm a big crybaby.
    Thank You, It should go without saying, because we didn't ask for anyone to help you just did. And that in itself was truly magnificent, unexpected, and at times still breath taking.
    Thank You...
    Seriously, and Sincerely,
    Jennifer Stell
    PS: If you have a print on order, or are waiting on something, I haven't forgotten about any of it, I am just up to my ears in trying to get the shop legal, take care of my legal issues, take care of my husband, and keep my head on straight.... Bare with me and do not hesitate to drop me an email. Jen
  2. Jennifer Stell
    In general, I love tattooing, but recently hate the politics and judgmental attitudes coming from within the community, I too have been guilty of this....
    A recent death in this big family, "the Body Art FAMILY", has hit me hard. And I have kept this:
    Shannon Larratt is Zentastic › I can scarcely move or draw my breath // Let me, let me freeze again to death
    up for days, reading it over and over and I cry, and sometimes I laugh but more often I just get sad... I tear up right now thinking about it. Shannon Larratt was the THE person to lay the first cornerstone for all body art websites, and forums... And he has passed.
    I knew him on a personal level when he was with Rachel his ex-wife, but maintained a relationship online up until his passing and always kept my eye on his work, as he was a groundbreaker, and one of the few forward thinkers this whole profession, or community had...
    And on that blog, if you read it... You will see some abundance of undeniable truths... He points out a few about his own site community, (some of these truths also apply to this site), and I would like to share that with you all...
    We need to be thankful for everyday we have, especially if you have children. We need to be nicer to one another, and we need a sincere movement toward being a unified presence instead of a bunch of cool guy tattoo/piercing cliques, picking each other apart.
    Once upon a time we were all in it together, even though we were very much alone. I miss that. Hence another reason why we have been building our shop by ourselves and I havn't been posting much work online,also we have had little to no help from anyone, no partners, no loans... Our tattoos, paintings, and prints have funded our buildout. And our hands, backs, and egos have gotten back into check more now then ever. Blood, sweat and tears... But not in vain. Our tattoo shop is built upon tattoos, and the artwork that provoked them.
  3. Jennifer Stell
    I asked my friend Shannon Larratt about what he knew about the laws and if he could see if this site could be held accountable for selling downloads of other peoples original art tattoos, and prints, etc with out the creators consent.... Here's How to deal with it.... Richard has numerous stuff on their site so I am going to have to do this as well...
    THANKS A BUNCH SHANNON!
    I've just had "tattoodonkey.com" brought to my attention, a website that is selling stolen images en masse, mine included (even a photo of my daughter). They are using clickbank.com to charge for it, so I've contacted them, their hosts, and everyone. I would suggest that everyone else do the same if they find their photos. Here is the letter that I sent and who I sent it to. What they are doing is completely illegal and while they are trying to hide behind a disclaimer and DCMA notice. Complete scumbags trying to profit from the hard work of this community.
    ====
    To: [email protected]
    From: Shannon Larratt
    Subject: DMCA notice, site stealing major content
    CC: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
    First of all, if you even have lawyers, you should have been told that you do not qualify for "safe harbor" protection under the DMCA. Your site "tattoodonkey.com" is posting thousands of photos of other people and other people's art without any permission, and it is very obvious that you are wholly aware of this. You are not operating in good faith and can not hide behind the DMCA.
    What are you doing is wholly illegal under US and International law. You surely know that, and your "disclaimer" in no way protects you. Because you are charging for these photos and also filing them under my and other people's trademarks, you are putting yourself up for a great many damages.
    You are using many pictures stolen without permission of me, from my website, and I would wager that not even one percent of the photos you are using are legal. In fact, I would go so far as to say that every single image on the site is stolen. Your site actually came to my attention because of the vast number of tattoo artists upset at the thefts of their photos and designs. There are few well-known -- or even lesser known -- artists who won't find their material stolen on your site.
    The following images, and I suspect many others that I have not found, are mine and I insist that they are removed immediately.
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/bme-tattoo/zentastic.com*blog*wp-content*uploads*2009*12*bme-tattoo.jpg/
    - A picture of my hand, downloaded from my blog, and even labelled as having been downloaded from my blog
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/bme-tattoo/technoccult.com*wp-content*uploads*2008*05*shannonlarratt.jpg/
    - A picture of me
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/shannon-larratt-is-zentastic-i-couldnt-ask-for-a-better-day/zentastic.com*blog*wp-content*uploads*2010*09*nazi-zombie-tattoo.jpg/
    - Another picture of me
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/shannon-larratt-is-zentastic-pixies-and-new-tattoo-work/zentastic.com*iamimport*2004*11*pixies-and-new-tattoo-work-1.jpg/
    - A picture of my sleeve
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/guadalajara-tattoo-expo-artist-hard-at-work/zentastic.com*iamimport*2004*11*pixies-and-new-tattoo-work-2.jpg/
    - Another picture of my sleeve.
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/shannon-larratt/modifiedmind.com*pics*rt*rtshannonpic.jpg/
    - A picture of my face
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/shannon-larratt-is-zentastic-new-tattoo-injured-troops-ftp-tool/zentastic.com*iamimport*2004*12*new-tattoo-injured-troops-ftp-tool-1.jpg/
    - Another picture of me
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/-her-family-crest-tattooed-on-back-jade-dragon-tattoo-tattoos/zentastic.com*iamimport*2004*11*pixies-and-new-tattoo-work-4.jpg/
    - A picture of me that doesn't even show my tattoos.
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/the-lizardman-tell-me-about-your-tattoos/zentastic.com*iamimport*2006*10*a-day-of-work-doctors-survivor-and-ufc-2.jpg/
    - A picture of my car and my six year old daughter -- how is stealing my personal pictures even relevant?
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/source-zentastic-via-make/odditycentral.com*wp-content*uploads*2011*02*nail-portrait21.jpg/
    - A closeup picture of my face, apparently stolen from a repost by Make Magazine.
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/source-zentastic-via-make/odditycentral.com*wp-content*uploads*2011*02*nail-portrait3-550x586.jpg/
    - A photo of a piece of art that I created.
    I am quite certain that this is only a small percentage of my photos that you are using, but they are the most obvious. I expect them removed immediately, and would like confirmation of this, and want to be very clear that I do not give you permission to use any photos of me or photos from any of my blogs or sites, now, in the past, or in the future.
    If you have sold downloads of any of these images I demand that those payments be immediately remitted to me.
    Again, I insist on these being removed immediately. Searching for terms like "zentastic", "larratt", "bme", "bmezine", show me multitudes of stolen photos to which you have no legal right to post, let alone charge for.
    Highlighting the fact that you are bulk-downloading other people's content indiscriminately, I noticed this image:
    http://www.tattoodonkey.com/-2008-bmezinecom-and-shannon-larratt-tattoos-piercings/b0.img.v4.skyrock.net*b08*carvedinskin*pics*2809502475_small_1.jpg/
    is actually labelled "2008 Bmezinecom and Shannon Larratt" which is from the original copyright text -- "© 2008 BMEZINE.COM and Shannon Larratt". It's shocking the extent to which you are willing to steal content.
    I have CC'd this to your hosts and the EFF as well. I have also CC'd this to BME, a large commercial entity -- who actually does hold legally binding rights to these photos and can easily prosecute you on numerous grounds -- from which you have obviously downloaded pictures from as well. I have also contacted certain media.
    I have also notified ClickBank who appear to be handling your sales. I suspenct they may not be happy that they are helping you to sell stolen merchandise, thereby putting their business at risk as well.
    I hope you will choose to act ethically -- and legally -- on this matter.
    Shannon Larratt
    zentastic.com
    founder and former owner of bme.com
  4. Jennifer Stell
    So, last nite... after waiting on prints to get to the shop, and then waiting for a few people to come and get their preorders so I didn't have to worry about selling someones print at the West Texas Tattoo Convention this weekend in San Angelo, and then waiting for the 5:30pm traffic hour to die down, we finally got on the road, way too tired from waking up and packing, and then having to deal with some shop drama, I was tired, he was deliriously tired, and we were both anxious about the show.... (ALWAYS get pre-show jitters, not sure why)
    We drove two hours, and I found us in my old stomping ground outside of Parker County, TX... A place known for Peaches, and Minerals... I figured, hey, it's dark, my contacts feel like they have glued into my eyes, and I wanted to crash into bed... I pulled over, gassed up the truck, then I looked up and called a motel that I found on my phone that took dogs, as we travel with our puppy... The man answered, yes.... we take pets, and we have king smoking rooms, come on in...
    Five minutes later, I'm there, it's been unseasonably warm here, so I forgot to put my hoodie on, and being that I am not used to dealing with "Plain Skins", I lived in Santa Cruz, CA for like the last 6-7 years before getting together with Richard, and I forgot, oh, we're not in California anymore...
    Plain Skins - a non tattooed person, with prejudice towards those whom have tattoos, and no want to even try to see beyond skin color.
    Well, I go in, I don't look horrible, ( I didn't think), I had worked at the shop busting a little ass cleaning and running around taking care of some errands, and then the 5 AM packing this morning and load up, I know I was a bit tired looking... As soon as I walk in the lobby there was an African America woman using the computer, and she turned to me, " I love your tattoos, so beautiful", I said, thank you, and proceeded to make eye contact with the front desk guy...
    "Hi, I just called a bit ago, and asked if you guys accept dogs... I would like to get a room for the nite..." He looked me up and down, and then looked out at my truck, and my pups ears popped up and he looked at Richard, who saw him looking, and waved.. "How many people in truck" to which I said "just two, my husband and me". Then, his eyes, said it all, he paused and looked me over again....
    "I have no room I would put you in", shook his head, and put his hands in a crossed fashion across his chest... In my human sexuality classes in college, and in my psych classes, that typically defines a defensive attitude, and a closed decision.
    I knew it was my tattoos, my eyes kinda swelled, but when I have makeup on I try to never cry, I refer to it as "war paint", I always wear my makeup on the floor or at shops we're working at as there is no crying in tattooing... It helps me as it's like a comfort blanket... I shook my head, and then nodded, ok, I see....
    The lady on the computer turned around having heard and seen most of the exchange, said, "I can't believe... Oh my lord." I looked at her, and said, yup... Get back in the truck, Richard, was like did you get a room, I said no, he didn't have a room for me... Richard, "You just called, they said they did... What happened? I looked at him, I should have worn a hoodie in... Tattoo Prejudice. He was livid (wanted to go in), I couldn't handle anymore shit... and I just pulled out and over to get my bearings back, I hate driving and crying, especially when my contacts already suck... Got back on the road...
    Kept thinking about the drama from the shop earlier, then thinking bout the ignorant excuse for a human being at the motel, and used that anger and hurt to fuel my body to get us here to San Angelo before midnight last night....
    My stomach is still turning, and it's just cause my heart took a couple blows yesterday....
    Oh well, I have been insulted by better people for worse...
    Part of me does want to call or write a letter to the hotel chain, and seriously give them a massive wake the fuck up call. But what ever, the show must go on...
  5. Jennifer Stell
    With Keet D'Arms in the basement... then when we were at our wits end, we ended up being layed over in Houston to fly into Tampa, during that show, only to not make it out of the room for two days straight, I finally ended up renting a car, and driving back to Jacksonville...
    Only to wake up the next day on the verge of a nervous break down and none other then my Mother waking me up to get me out the front door to leave Richard, I went home on the premiss that I needed a break to rest. Only I was out of my MIND detoxing, and thank god for Alex Trufant, he flew to Jacksonville to drive Richard back to Dallas, to bring us back together. . . I love the man, I would not have sacrificed everything in my life to be with him back in 2009. It would have been a HUGE mistake. . . I knew I was tired of being jerked around. I knew I was getting tired of the party, I just wanted a shop to work in and mind it as my own... With our rules. Without a feeling like we would owe anyone for it. Partner or None I don't want to owe anyone for my own place. I'm possessive.
    We stayed with Joe and Katie, and then Brian again, working out at SnS, with the boys... Only throw in some old familiars and we got our footing back to normal. . . We took it easy, and worked until we were ready to get on the way back towards home, both of us freaking out, that I would nut, and not be able to stand the site of home. . . We stopped to work in NOLA...This time at Annette's Shop... We left a morning early, and ended up sneaking over to Destin, FL for two days of gorgeous sand, and beautiful weather to doze off in...
    Got back home in April... Stayed put for a few weeks then flew back out to work Oliver and Aarons first Friday the 13th, attend the opening party, and try to get something in writing again... Flew back to Jax sans agreement, to only drive back out for the Masters Invitational Tattoo show ... Which was awesome as stated I think in a previous post... We saw everyone in one place which in itself is magical. . .
    After trying to deal with what was inevitably somewhat of a lost cause, cause we should have just minded our own business... And not gotten involved, we drove to Immaculate to get back to REAL no Hollywood Drama Tattooing...Thank God For Aaron Coleman, he's a real man among all you mother fuckers that call yourselves men, and he can draw for days. Thank you for helping us pull our heads out of our asses and getting us back on track. . . From Mesa, AZ to Dallas, from Dallas, to Little Rock, From Little Rock to Atlanta, from ATL to JAX, from JAX to ROC City for that show. . . From ROC City to Philly to work at the Kadillac Duece Tattoo; from Philly back to Jinx Proof in DC.... From DC to Conway, SC at Jeff Cribb's place: Hero Tattoo... where Richard and me fell in love with a girl named Frankie that we wanted to adopt from Jeff and Cheri, OMG I have been so puppy sick since we left.
    And now we have been home for 13 days now... Lease is up in November.
    His son flies in on Sunday to help us pack, and get tattooed, and maybe head out to San Francisco with us, so we can show him some place not Texas for a change, and figure out where each one of us wants to be...
    Starting at the SFO show we will be on the road full time, until we find a city... then-build, have, keep, work, and love and cherish a shop and home with family of our own.... Make a place unlike any other. Ours.
    So that's what's been up in my life...
    Lessons: Don't believe what EVERYTHING you hear. IE: We have no beefs with anyone. We aren't booked a year in advance, we're not that cool. Drugs, can be fun... But we're already crazy, so yeah, that was enough of that back in March, after said "Nervous Breakdown"... Happiness comes from with in - Thanks Caleb Barnard... for everything. We have family, thanks Oliver, and Aaron, Will and Tammy, Joe and Katie, Josh, and JP...Thanks, Eric, and Susan...Everyone at Jinx in particular, Hedgepath, and Tim... Thanks Woodard, Coleman, Jesus, Aaron, and Joe, Rob, and his family, thanks, Keet and Crew in ATL, thank you Jet, and then Mr. Perfect, and Sir Hooligan. Thank you to the Cribbs... and thank you to folks here in Jacksonville, FL, Jason Harms, and super importantly, thank you to the Inksmith Family, Mike Wilson, Angelo, and Swed... Along with Eric and Bev, thank you for giving us a start over and a good spot to crash for a year or so, and puttin up with our crap, whether it be a wedding or whatever ya'll helped us two get a foundation to start our married life together, and for that, I am truly grateful.
    I hope that's a proper post, cause I won't have another in while... Time to get back to working our asses or to work our asses off somewhere else. Now you know where all the photos on facebook come from, we stay busy no matter what... We love what we do so it's not so much like a job. And were lucky, a lot of us of are... in that way.
  6. Jennifer Stell
    It's been nice being back in the personal space of our own. And it's been nice to actually put the stuff you pay for to use for a minute before packing it all up and leaving on yet another road trip across the states... I am super grateful that I got to do all the shit I got to do, it was a "blast" for lack of a better term.
    Coming up on the SFO show this year, and good lord that time has flown by. I mean it was only this past 25th Richard and I got married. It's been a surreal last week or so being able to process the memories and thoughts, along with the work, people, time, and lessons that I accumulated, and I say that as opposed to learned, because some stuff is still sinking in, or as my psychologist would have put it:
    "Jennifer, you just swallowed a bunch of shit, you seriously took whatever someone gave you and without thinking and acting on your personal behalf you chewed up and swallowed a bunch of shit, it's just now actually starting to digest, but do yourself a favor and shit or get off the poddy..."
    Well this dump is getting blogged, a personal polaroid to hold onto... The "honeymoon poo", Ahhh so pretty.
    I have a pattern of behavior that gets me in trouble: I am too quick to take people at their "word" instead of "face value"...
    This is bad in and among Tattooing nowadays... I need to learn the fine art of detachment, and being objective without taking a side. A lot of people like to talk to hear themselves speak, and it seems that a lot of the last year was a one way conversation with a bird that made you laugh at some times but there was no blanket big enough to toss over the cage to give it a rest, so that peace could happen every so often. I don't like birds, they kinda freak me out...
    I took a pregnancy test today, (not prego), (sigh of relieving comfort), yet a little bummed, I thought, as Richard said, well... That would have meant Texas it is, or staying here in Jacksonville...
    Nope...
    I really feel like I have been in school this past year, tossed back in the ridiculous "high school" doing a "course study" on the road.
    God I am glad I grew up a lot in Dallas, and in Texas back in Richards old shop. I really don't think I would have made it, yeah I'm a little impartial, and (possibly PMSin, in a fluffy emo sort of way.) I mean Vegas is off (for now), well: it's possible, but we both personally see more Bullshit Drama then Actual PERSONAL FULFILLMENT, and both of us were millionaires at one point, at least on paper, and I don't know if I want that amount of responsibility again. I know we want our own shop again.
    We want to have a place where it is our "business" in both senses of the word. Even working in a shop for someone you care about, unless you sign the checks that make sure everything is paid, keep your nose on your face, and remember you are responsible for good work, satisfied patrons, and being happy... Those things truly come from within. Nothing else is really of concern... It's not tangible life matter that satisfies any human need to exist. Just be happy to be a part of the game, even if you are riding the pine.
    So anyways... Yeah, super glad I grew up in Stells shop: been thru the drugs, the big partys, the shows, satan, and the criminals thank god I went thru that whole nude photo thing back in deep ellum... it makes the fact that there are youtube videos, (with comments making fun of me) of last years show where he's tattooing in the blackout, we can't see the tattoo, holding the flashlight, (panicky) not knowing what the fuck to do, just get it done...
    The world could have been ending but that fucking tiger was going to get DONE...
    I'm getting told by him to keep people out of the booth, so I am freaking out telling people to back up ( no I wasn't afraid of the dark- DICK), and YOU never hear Richard talking to me, in his scary whispering voice that really freaks me out to keep these fuckers out of the booth, let me get my job done god dammit, I wanna have a good time too! Yeah that video is out there, coming up on almost a year now. And it's not a big deal... It was pretty funny. Yes I take this seriously ( I can be a bitch, I take this stuff to heart )... I love it, it's in my nature to care about what I do. And to take a personal pride within that. We got it done. Who cares by what means, what happened did, and no one got hurt. . .
    It's been a wild ride.
    Well... From SFO we flew to LA, Worked at True, and Spotlight, and we painted the signs on to the front of Spotlight that visit, that visit was a blur... We had some appointments at True, we did those, then we went to Bob's to Paint... I mean we offered, and it was time to make good on that. So yeah... But yeah it was my first time in a Dick Blick art supply, Bob and Richard and I were buying one shot paint to use, and when paying we finally get up in the line, and the cashier is taking Bob's money, and he pays cash... Well the chick takes 3 minutes each to looks at the 100.00 dollar bills, and I was getting peaved at the snobbery, I looked at Bob, and could tell he was too... I picked up a cute little tin of gum, that had a smartass remark on it that was for sale; I held it up to show Bob, he read it aloud,
    " I need more money and power", and then turned to the little wasp behind the register, looked her in the eye, and finished the saying, "and less shit from people like YOU!". . .
    That in it's self is worth of a blog post. . .
    We painted over the course of 37 hours in a 48 hour time period, fueled on ...., and art. It was pouring down rain... Ray stayed late one night, then Serazio hung the entire night the last shift. We worked up until 30 minutes before our car service was due to show up to take us to LAX to fly to NOLA for Halloween.
    ...(Memories)...
    Ahh, we ended up napping in the Eagles of Death Metals Back Stage Green Room at Voodoo Fest... Tattooed at Nola Tattoo, Watched the party punish the people...
    And ended up back in JAX eventually...
    Bought the truck, paid shit up only to realize we were still uneasy with JAX to fly the coop again... We drove to the Richmond Show in the truck, it blew a belt... Broke down in SC, got it fixed, got to the show, worked our asses off, went to DC after, Thanksgiving dinner with Rachel in Virginia... Thank God for the familiar face... After DC we went to Billy Easons funeral and then we went back to Jacksonville, only to pay bills and pack up to fly back out to Los Angeles, to see Louis C. K. live, do appointments, ended up seeing Josh Homme at the show too (shook his hand), and keeping distance as to not ruin my favorite music for life...As he popped in and out of True that visit.... From there we had a road trip to Vegas... had that whole "opportunity" arise. . . Still weighing in on that whole thing... Xmas kinda sucked, yeah we stayed at the Redbury, it was nice... But I missed home, and my family, so did he, so we buried our problems in work... Painting and working all nighters...
    Well we never quite could get home... After driving back from Vegas, we kept seeking out a solid agreement... Pushing off our flights, we finally ended up having to fly straight to Austin, TX for the convention... then renting a car and Driving to San Angelo... Then Riding with Oliver back to Dallas from the West Texas Tattoo Convention.
    From Dallas we went to Houston after being grounded and stuck at Brian Thurows house due to an Ice storm that hit Dallas, ew... That was horrible. Worked up until it was time to get to SLC to work that show.
    Then we met up with Tony Hundahl to work that gig... We make it thru that show, only to get iced in once again and did some appointments at Lost, with Keet in the.... Next Post...
  7. Jennifer Stell
    Ended up with a majorly long post... So, after a few readings, I have like 4 or five posts to do... So for now, a quick check in with all the last sparrows...
    We took off from Jax Beach, FL to go to the Masters of Tattooing Show in Inglewood/LA that Permanent Mark produced along with Charlie Roberts... Well...
    We ended up: Making it to the Masters, (post soon about that show itself), then trying to hang out and get some work and other business related stuff tied up and as per usual, Hollywood had some dramatic irony it threw at us, and we had to deal with it... Even if that meant not actually dealing with it, the issue was acknowledged and addressed... Which was a bummer, but we had a schedule to at least try to maintain...
    Went to Vegas to get that whole thing roliing... it's in motion now. Then We had to get..
    So I drove and gave Richard a break before we hit Phoenix, AZ...
    In PHX, we worked at Immaculate Tattoo, and I love that shop, and crew, good solid guys... (post about that too soon)
    Ended up staying in PHX for a week.... Hauled butt to Dallas, had work, but most of it cancelled... But it was good, Paint nite, and the Dallas guys are a nice familiar circle of family... Worked in Deep Ellum at Elm, and SnS... (post also soon)...
    Headed to Little Rock, did well, and had fun in a new shop, and around new people we hadn't been around... Tattoo Police got called on us, but otherwise, it was good... BBQ was awesome. Had to go to Atlanta, GA Richard had a good amount of tattoo appointments set up at Southern Star, it was a cool shop, I don't know any of those guys except Keet, so it was also a new experience, but good... (again posts soon about the two last mentioned places)
    Home now... Next week is Roc City Show...Which opens up a can of other shops to go take care of business in... Needless to say, I'm still tired.
  8. Jennifer Stell
    This page has had 666 visits.... It made me smile when i saw my page.
    Been staying busy, and keeping my chin up and nose clean. Lot's of website updates soon, and I think I figured out how to take a business I started and change it to where I don't dislike what I created... Sometimes concepts and work takes a life form of it's own, and one has no option expect to watch it and see it evolve all while maintaining it as a business.
    But I took a nice long break from the business of tattooed ladies.. and I learned a few things about myself and what it is I really wanted to do with Miss Tattoo as an entity and how to try to push it in the direction I wanted it to go in the first place. I know that I wish things were like they were back in the old traveling sideshow days of tattooed women. There was an air to the demeanor and showmanship that has been lost over the years. Tattoos are now the SEXY thing that most people in fad fashion society want to see, talk, and have around them making the modern day pinups the new retarded and not as nearly interesting as back in the day sideshow ladies...
    It's become a shtick if you will... Being the tattooed one, or the tattoo artist, is like a notch up on the scoreboard of cool points. Well, I am about to become the uber tattoo snob of tattooed ladies and if people thought I was a control freak before with my pageant, just wait...
    Looks like we are riding the bike out to Ink n Iron with Peck, Bubba, and Arment, plus or minus a few, and then we will be in LA for the ten plus days before and after the Masters Invitational show that Permanent Mark is hosting.
    If anyone wants to get some work, or hang out... let me know, I want to go to a few places and do some sightseeing and whatnot so don't be shy. I'm tired of being so introverted sometimes and need some fresh opinions thrown my way.
  9. Jennifer Stell
    ATX Con, San Angelo Con, SLC Con, The Dallas Visit, the Houston Hell Week, and the Sober Situation...
    Yup Me and the Husband are cleaning up... For good, and for real. Both of us are over a week clean. And with that under our belts and the support of our family, (Tattoo Family & my Folks), the sky is the limit, and the only indulgence we partake in is cigarettes, (for now)....
    Time to grow up, we have a new baby on the way, and by baby I mean tattoo shop.
    Oh and I am slacking on getting my T.A.M. articles in.... Yeah get ready for some crazy shit there... I'm sure Crash will be editing his ass off.
    haha, until next time. Cheers. From the Stells... Currently in Texas.
  10. Jennifer Stell
    Well, first off I would like to preface this by saying two words: THANK YOU.
    To Taki, JIll, Colin, and the rest of the crew at S. O. G. , thanks for having us out, it was my first time as an actual participant, and I was stoked to be a part of such an event. It was like being in a room with all the people you have heard, read, seen in print, but never in person... I knew names, not faces, and I know peoples work but again, I am not so great with names... But it was cool to see all the talent in one room, wait, two rooms.
    For some odd reason I thought I would be able to work on an important website, but we were slammed, and I was helping make sure everything in the booth was taken care of, breaking down, setting up, checking in clients, and being the go-for for Richard, and Clay. I didn't get to walk the floor or check a lot of stuff out, which was good. It means we were busy, and I love working with Richard. Even when he's yelling at me to hold the light and watch what the fuck I'm doing. I'm learning.
    Friday, great warm up.
    Saturday, it was getting hot.
    Sunday, just as the evening was getting good, (Richard was putting one of the best tigers I have seen him do), hell he's been doing this painting over and over since coming up with a crazy black cat stance at (spotlight during LB QM 2010) that transitioned into a series of 5 panther paintings, then a set of around 7 tiger paintings... and he busted it out, got the outline and all the black in. Stripes, et all.
    Then BOOM lights out. I have no idea what time the lights blew, but it was before 5:30pm. No big deal reserve lights from the generators kicked on, and the emergency lights popped on. But no power for machines.
    FUCK. -We don't like unfinished tattoos, especially at conventions. People travel, spend hard earned money, and sit in crowds of unruly people, and in uncomfortable spots, to get work by the person of their choosing. So letting the knee to ankle piece just go wasn't a fucking option. Not to mention it was opposite of a Horiyoshi III piece.
    I get back, and there's some random dude (Bill S.) sitting in the booth. Along with Mike Wilson and Clay Decker. He has rotary machines he's showing to them, like little bitty jewels they were cute. I have been taught they have no soul, and I believe that, and will go by what I am taught, as I am just a student.
    Richard get's back, still no power.
    Well, the guy says his machines would run off a USB cord, and we had two laptops in the booth, (Nerds).
    Well Clay Decker spliced, and diced ( the man's gotten a bad rap, but like any person with ideas, and a lot of trust, he's been ripped off a few times, and is now making a comeback), it happens, but he's a brilliant mind, and a loyal and great friend of ours we trusted Clay, so. Richard set the machine up, I sat there and got nervous.
    It was dark. And the sensory elements that I know Richard uses were about to disappear he knew it, thus the reasons for him publicly not liking them... Ok, so here goes, Richard uses a rotary, for the first time since 1982, PURELY out of necessity. And if it was me, I would have been like hell naw. I have no idea about the mechanics of the device.
    Instead of freaking out majorly, I asked, after being snapped at, to tell people to get the fuck away from Richards back, and let him get some room to work. I had no idea that many people were behind me.

    I held the LED light so he could see better. I tried to focus on the angle of which he was working, and tried to not shine in his face or make a glare. He went after the tattoo, and he worked it. The machine was quiet. the machine had no give, the machine was a machine. It was not what we are used to having. The feel, the give that the spring allows, the sound, that ever so important buzzing vibe, that speaks to you and tells you that the track you are on is ok; was missing...
    Richard looks at Dennis, and asks, how's it feeling... Richard adjusted according to his response. The client was also an artist, all the way out from Providence, RI... and thankfully he wasn't a drinker or on any pills. So he knew what he was feeling. Okay, I was seeing the colors get in, and color by color, the tattoo got done.
    We drained Clay's Battery. Then I plugged it into my laptop, and adjusted power settings to make the battery last longer... It was back on.
    Well, if he would have had his "bulldog" it would have been done in about 1/3 of the time.
    The rotary was pretty, but not, they don't communicate very well with the person running it. I mean Richard has been doing this for 33 plus years, and he knows what he's doing and that's the factor that kept this tattoo from being pitted, or sliced. He knew his client wasn't feeling right, and the client was an artist, and the communication was the key to the tattoo not being jacked. He finished that tattoo with 13 minutes left on my laptop battery. Richard goes to smoke. I tend to the client, and clean up.
    I let the nerves settle, go outside and snap some shots: See Below.
    No bloody mess, the typical seep, I looked at it closer and closer, it was ok, I was glad it wasn't torn, or over worked. Dennis was happy. And he was not only a good sitter, he was a nice guy.
    I will say thanks for lending the machine Bill. But even more so, thanks Clay, we got the job done. And met a nice guy from Providence. Who was happy with his work, while everyone else packed up, except for one person who hand poked the remainder of her tattoo on her client, we finished up. We lost the last two appointments, but quality over quantity.
    Wished the floor had a no limit on time. Cause I like walking back and forth between Richard, and Jack Rudy, seeing who's doing what, it's been a habit anytime they are both working the same show. I missed seeing him on the floor, but he was on another floor, and luckily we all ran into one another at the end of the show. It was always a toss up on who would be on the floor the latest, in August, we beat him out the door one night by 10 mins, haha.
    Richard and Jack were talking I guess it turns out the power went out at the Houston Tattoo Convention in 1996, and guess who was the only person tattooing in the darkness, CLAY DECKER.
    So.
    Lesson number one, expect the unexpected. Lesson number two, use the tools you have to get the job done, but only if you are capable of using the tools properly. And lesson number three: Adapt to the situation, or become a byproduct of the situation itself.
    It was great to see The Spotlight Crew, the Krak, Boltz, and the rest of the usual suspects.
    I read Jill's new book. Oliver's chapter made me cry, and so did Richard's. It was an all out good weekend.
    I'm proud to be a part of the Stell and Decker team, and even more so proud of my husband. Who for the first time, I think realized just how good of a person he is. He isn't an asshole. He can be, but only if you are asking for it. But everyone I know, says he's a nice guy. He's just intimidating.
    And he's modest, which is rare in a world full of ego, especially in the limelight world we know exists in the tattoo community. I think the only person you should truly seek acceptance from is yourself. Friends are hard to come by, and always have been. I don't have a lot of friends. But I am lucky to be able to count them on one hand. I saw a lot of stuff, and heard a lot of things. I still have enough friends to fit on one hand. And I am truly thankful.
    Even more, I am really proud of my Man, he used no one to get to where he is, he has built a reputation on hard work, quality work, and not fucking anyone over to further his skills, or self. I look up to him in so many ways and always have. Since the time he kicked me out of the shop when my parents wanted tattoos at Pair O' Dice back when I was a kid.
    He has principles and morals, and sticks to his guns on life and work matters. If you read Jill "Horiyuki" Mandelbaum's Book: Tattoo Artist, A Collection of Narratives, read his chapter, it was a dark time in his life, I know, I could feel it, however, it's a part of him that she captured, and like any gemstone, we people have many facets, without them we're just pebbles.
    The man is the epitomy of a tattoo, he's beautiful, crazy, intelligent, unapologetic, and lives his life, not passing judgement on others, only himself, always striving for that perfect drawing, painting, tattoo, etc. "A Constant Creator", Doug Hardy explained to me, as I was struggling to understand the obsession to paint something 8 -10 times. He creates. He doesn't copy, he may take an idea but he changes it to make it his own until it fits him.
    A tattoo may be beautiful, or ugly, but it is a mark of permanence; everlasting, with or with out a story behind it.
    I'm lucky he's taught me as much as he has, and looking forward to learning more from him each and everyday that I get with him, he loves what he does, and he loves tattoos, and if you are one of the lucky ones, you get some of the magic he exudes, and the knowledge he can't help but divulge, he cares so much about this "Parlour Trick", (as he calls it) he doesn't want it to go to shit.
    To all the people I have been hearing about from Richard, it was great to finally shake your hands, and meet ya'll. I only wish there was more time to hang out. But we came to work, and we did.
    SFO 2011, hell yes, we will be there with bells on.



  11. Jennifer Stell
    So, I've never been to VA.... A lot of history in our country here, and I had no idea how many people I knew that are from this place... But, I had been asked to come do a pageant at Mr. Eason's show like two -three years ago... I declined, I was west coasting it, and it wasn't cost affective, and I had no idea about the community out here or the market.
    But... We were busier then a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. Richard and I were splitting a booth with Keet D'arms, which was cool, but then we get there and our entire row is full of people that were like family... It was cool. I'm not used to that sort of familiarity, I'm pretty shy, and tend to stick to work, or keep to myself. But um, the music wasn't all crazy, the PA wasn't over used...Richard and I were both pretty hesitant, cause we've never been to that show... But all I gotta say is I have mad respect for Billy Eason.
    It seems I have less and less time to work on the computer, I spend most of the time watching him work, or making sure all things are set for the tattoo to be done comfortably, and the client to be somewhat cozy enough to sit still.
    I was kinda bummed about a client taking an idea I had to another artist, but whatev's...
    But offerning coffee, shorting on the minimum claiming broke, then seeing ya down the ailse getting my idea tattooed on ya by a different artist ehh, I lost respect right then and there. Don't lie.
    I have a million ideas, and if someone snags one or two, ehhh, I guess they were hard up, and essentially by telling that person, I am giving them the idea, it's not intellectual property... Just a bummer, when you get shorted on a few levels, but I am just a student, got lots to learn, even with a decade under my belt in a shop...
    Speaking of.... I have to get the truck ready to go to DC, Richard is guesting up at Jinx Proof, and I need to get a jump on it while he's still snoozing.... This is not a proper entry, when I get more coffee, and a better mind set, I will try to delete and post a new and more objective review.... It was a good time though, I saw some good looking tattooing go on. And I thought smoking in lobbys was banned everywhere.... It is in Vegas...but Virginia ain't Vegas.
    Now it's time to scare the old people in the lobby raiding the bananas, and bagels.... After DC we attended Billy's Funeral... Mad respect, and love for that man forever....
    He went out like a true hustler... Grip of bills, and boots still on. RIP Billy E. You will be loved forever.
×
×
  • Create New...