Baby Portfolios of Cuteness

This is the 500th post.

Which normally would be an accomplishment to be proud of,

but I'm friends with Albie Rock, kids,

and he's way ahead.

Like 800 posts ahead.

And he started after me, too,

at the less-than-gentle prodding of yours truly.

(really, i just started it for him one day)

And since there's no catching up,

500 is just a minor milestone along the way.



But anyway,

since I'm heading to Oregon to work at GogueArt for 3 months,

and having to build a mostly new clientele out there,

I decided to make up these mini portfolios sans shop info.

Just links to where I live in the online world,

my website, this blog, tumblr, etc.

That little thing on the front is a qr code for all your robotphones,

and sends you directly to shawnhebrank.com when scanned.





For some reason I didn't take a photo of the backside

(and that's always the best part, right?)

















































































The idea came from my Japan trip a year and a half ago.

There was a shop there called Cat's Claw that gave away printed portfolios,

and a restaurant that had a mini accordion style menu.

You combine those two ideas,

and ask the awesome Robyn Seguin for her graphic/layout expertise,

and this happens.

You need some printed material, too?

Email her: seguin.robyn@gmail.com

She has a lot of skills with this type of thing,

she just doesn't tell anyone.

Too many words...

...no room for photos.



Plans.

I've made some serious plans for the rest of 2011,

and the first few months of 2012.

I'll start with the new year plans and work backward.



In January, Meryl and I will be headed West.

Back to Grants Pass, but this time we'll stay for 3 months!

We'll be living out there,

and I'll be working at GogueArt,

Jeff Gogue's tattoo shop and art gallery.

I'm beyond excited,

and I feel like the luckiest,

most fortunate tattoo artist in the world right now.

Jeff is such an amazing and inspiring person,

and I look forward to four months of growth in both tattooing and painting.

Obviously, I don't have a Grants Pass clientele,

so I might be doing some guest spots occasionally in Portland,

but otherwise, that's where you'll be able to find me.

Then, in April, we'll be moving back to Minneapolis.



So with that departure date in mind,

I have committed to only two (tattooing) travel plans for the rest of 2011.

In September (15th-18th) I'll be doing the Paradise Tattoo Gathering at Jiminy Peak in MA,

and in November (13th-16th) I'll be at Optic Nerve in Portland, OR.



I will also be doing a big tattoo project the first 11 days of November.

I'll be doing one 5 hour(ish) tattoo each day,

starting November 1rst,

and ending November 11th.

(11/11/11)

I'm almost done with the 11 drawings for that,

and will have them at the shop for viewing and booking soon.

If you already know you need one,

contact me for more details,

and to save your spot.

And then after November 11th,

I'm thinking of printing up a little art zine

with the drawings and finished tattoos in it.

.

.

.

Aside from all of that,

if you're working on some tattoo projects

(that you want finished before January),

come by Identity Tattoo and have Handsome Adam book a series of appointments.

The rest of August is booked,

and September is filling up, too.

And if you're unable to come into the shop to leave a deposit

(let's say you don't live in MN),

I can take paypal deposits now, too.

Just email me.



That's pretty much everything.

Minneapolis and both coasts,

tattooing and moving and all of that.

out of this nettle, danger, we grasp this flower, safety

My days out here in Grants Pass are way different than back home.
I start walking to the shop at 8:40 am.
Today was the first time I've been outside when it hasn't been raining,
so I took some photos along the way.
Moss grows everywhere out here,
and makes for some interesting compositions.















I get to the shop by 9am,
and it opens at 10.
When I got there this morning,
Jeff was putting the finishing touches on his latest painting,
and then took it outside to photograph.













My good friend Johnny drove down from Eugene today,
and he got "Buddy Tattoos" of stinging nettle plants with his pal Ashley.
So I did two of these today,
and worked till 8 something.

Johnny's such a riot,
and we all had a lot of fun.
(except maybe Jeff,
since I kept making his client laugh with my dumb stories,
and that doesn't make tattooing a bazillion dragon scales any easier)























Tomorrow's a painting day,
and I'm super excited for it.
Hopefully I'll have something to show tomorrow night.

People to see, Places to go.

My friends took good care of me the second my plane landed in Portland.
Elias picked me up from the airport,
we headed right to a vegan restaurant,
and met up with a bunch of old friends.
The next morning we were all together again,
eating brunch at some different vegan joint.
Portlandia, kids.
A magical place, and a vegan's delight.

Then Julie and Korel drove me the 4+ hours down to Grants Pass,
(with a quick detour in Eugene to stop at Sweet Life,
a bakery with tons and tons of vegan goodies)
It was about 250 miles,
and a beautiful drive through some serious mountains.

Today was my first day at my GogueArt guest spot,
and it was pretty awesome.
Jeff's not only super talented,
he also the nicest dude, ever.
We've never previously met,
but I already feel welcome and at home.

I worked most of the day on a sleeve for Julie,
pussy willows starting at the wrist,
plum branches from the shoulder,
and everything meeting near the elbow.
She sat for a brutal 6.5 hour session,
and we got really, really far on it.
I'll try and get some photos of it in the morning.























Korel was not only the photographer and professional hand holder,
she also got her first tattoo, and did great.
They leave early in the am tomorrow,
since they don't just have a long drive back to Olympia, WA,
but they both have to work tomorrow, too.
That's 7 hours in the car just to get to their jobs.
That's also some of the best kind friends you could ask for.
Thanks for the ride and the time kids,
have a safe trip home.

Headed West

I did this black and grey tree tattoo in December,
right before I headed out to my East Coast trip
(and Off the Map Tattoo guest spot).
And then we added to it yesterday,
right before I head to my Gogue Art guest spot.
We didn't finish, but I was happy with the progress,
and wanted to post.
And it's a good way to show
what a black and grey tattoo looks like healed vs fresh.






















In this abandoned shed addition,
you can see the little bit of tree in the bottom right.
We have a bunch more to do,
especially with all of the sky, horizon, clouds,
and we'll likely finish it off in March.






















Right now I'm headed off to the airport.
Next stop, Portlandia.

New Orleans, Part 2 (ish)

I know, it's been a little bit since NOLA.
But when Meryl and I lost the camera,
we lost some of the photos from the trip as well.
Luckily this tattoo was on Erica Flannes,
a rad tattoo artist in New Orleans,
and she was kind enough to send me a photo.

I added another guest spot to the travel plans section.

I'll be headed West this time.

I'll be in Grant's Pass, Oregon from February 14-19th,

and am starting to book up now.

It's actually an amazing opportunity that fell into my lap-

thanks to Off the Map's Mary Bowen.

(in case you didn't know, she's the best ever)

Gogue Art and Tattoo, Jeff Gogue's studio,

has kindly offered to have me guest spot there for the week,

and I couldn't possibly be more excited.

(he's so dope)

6 hours South of Olympia, and 4.5 from Portland.