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 Artist Jeff Gogue speaks with us about his upcoming art show with Tom Strom entitled "Shedding Skin". Join us for the opening reception at Hope Gallery on September 11 from 7-10pm

Why is the show entitled "Shedding Skin"?
Tom titled it with the intention of stepping away from "Tattoos" or "Tattooing" as visual artists  and expressing ourselves in other mediums. I have always wanted to be an oil painter. I started painting in 2005 and love it.

What is your inspiration or theme behind these works? 
I have always been enamored with mortality, the inevitability of my own end, and the fact that tomorrow is not guaranteed. Any imagery that exemplifies the fleeting of life is something i can relate to. When I bought a real human skull a couple years back, the thought that it used to house the life and mind of a little girl in China was and is so profound to me that I feel like I could paint it for the rest of my own life. I was also given a human jawbone from an old man which gives me the same effect. I sometimes conceptualize them with other traits like a nautilus, or snakes or masks, all being metaphors of sorts. I also like the intrinsic quality of solitude that comes from them. so I've been trying to enhance that by placing them in larger fields of space, be it darkness or light. I think everyone can relate to feeling alone or solitary. 

What music have you been listening to during your preparation for this show? 
I would usually listen to bands like Radiohead and tool, but lately I've been listening more to bands like Zero 7, Bluetech, Utara Kuru, etc. more electronica styles. They've helped with creating that mood of isolation.

Do you have a personal favorite so far? 
I have a few favorites. the jawbones have been my favorites, I think they leave a little more mystique and wonder.

What's the longest painting binge you've been on since the show was announced? 
Ten days straight, nineteen paintings, I've done 26 so far but not all are going to be present. I have sold a few. Gotta pay the bills... but I plan on just bringing a dozen or so of my favorites.

How do you know Tom Strom? 
I met Tom at the Detroit tattoo expo a few years back. Just blown away by his sense of style and ability to conceptualize. Super cool guy, genuine, talented, driven,  plus he can dance like nobody else. 

Spirit Gallery is pleased to announce an Advanced Sculpee Techniques Workshop this January 10-14th with Hollywood creature designer Jordu Schell.

Students will learn about creature design and realistic execution of the figure as they build their own monster maquette at 1/6th scale.  Using various colored sculpee clays, they will create an entire character in the round.

The class will be from 10am-5pm from Monday through Friday.   Class is $600, and includes all sculpture materials.  Students will be required to bring their own lazy susan to work on.  To register for the class and get information on accomodation options for the week, please contact Blaze at Spirit Gallery via email or by phone, 860-443-0484.

Jordu Schell has been in the film and television industry since 1987. His talent as a designer and sculptor is world renowned, and his credits include: “Avatar”, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”, “300”, “Hellboy”, “Aliens vs. Predator – Requiem”, “Men in Black”, “The Mist”, “Batman Returns”, “Edward Scissorhands”, “Alien: Resurrection”, “The X-Files Movie”, “Predator II”, “Galaxy Quest”, “Evolution”, “Babylon 5-The Series” (on which he designed an emmy award-winning creature make-up and the first fully digital creature for a television series), and many more.

Class size is limited so please sign up early to reserve your space!  This is a wonderful chance to immerse yourself in character sculpture with a master designer, and be inspired by the energy of a roomful of motivated fellow artists.  We look forward to working with you and sharing this awesome experience!

 We just got back from one of the most amazing weekends. Atlanta's Dragon*Con was filled with craziness and we were happy to be a part of it. 

We have some exclusives left over from the weekend, along with some Glow-in-the-Dark Brides! So stay tuned for the announcement on that sale. 

One tattoo convention I have been looking forward to all year is the Mario Barth's tattoo convention in Vegas. It's right around the corner! October 1st-3rd. I'll be working the show with Katelyn Crane, Jeff Johnson and John Pyles from Reflected Art. I have a couple tattoos lined up that I'm excited about, one being a gorilla. The other one is on someone that is a big tattoo collector from Puerto Rico thats flying out to get tattooed, I'm not sure on the actual design yet but I have a couple ideas. Should be a fun and exciting weekend! Come on out and have a good time!

Despite what her picture may indicate, Kelly Doty is in fact alive, and not a zombie. Aside from being alive and well, she also tattoos at the shop full time, not to say the undead can't tattoo, but it's just not the case in this instance. 

1. How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started?

I've been tattooing since october 2007. I'd always wanted to tattoo, but I'm shy and that made it hard finding an apprenticeship. So I finally gave up and was focusing on my comic book career when I went with a friend who was getting some work done, and one of the artists saw my sketchbook. A week later I got a call asking if I wanted to interview for an apprenticeship. I was lucky that way.


2. What is your favorite style of tattooing?

I really like pseudo-realistic color work. I like to take the subject matter and exaggerate certain aspects and play around with perspective or focus to make it more dynamic but still render it in a realistic way. Also I like tattooing animals that look all funny.


3. Who have you been tattooed by and who's on your wish list?

I've been tattooed by Stefano, Jeff Ensminger, Jimmy Lajnen and Scotty Munster to name a few. I have a huge wishlist of artists I want work by. I think I'm going to run out of skin before I'll get everything I want. But I definitely want pieces from Luca Natalini, Nick Baxter, Jeff Gogue, and Nikko Hurtado.


4. If I wasn't a professional tattoo artist I would probably be:

A comic book artist. Probably an inker. Although for a brief period after I saw 8 Mile I thought I could be a freestyle rapper. I might still use that as a fallback if this whole tattoo thing doesn't work. My beats are just too fresh.


5. One piece of advice for someone looking to get tattooed

Don't worry. The more you get yourself worked up the worse you make it for yourself. Also eat a good meal and get some rest before you come in. I know that's technically two pieces of advice but they're kind of related so I can squeak by, I think.