Collin's Gypsy Snake and Time

I met Collin back in August in the middle of Broadway, between 35th and 35th Streets, sitting at one of those tables that New York City had installed in the middle of the street.<br /> <br /> He had a lot of ink, and chose to share this section of his upper left arm:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EQFvo3AoLHGP1I-DpYsvX1_obyNR7RqFVl3cc2XRtjifx8giz4gXQqbhpbLC9QznvKWDgAA-1HInmIF11fjbHbiIvwErSK_jJ-hKZ3tQy0Vl9XIgbZK3Ozp1gD7y3mIuumq2sNWceVw/s1600/gypsy+serpent+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EQFvo3AoLHGP1I-DpYsvX1_obyNR7RqFVl3cc2XRtjifx8giz4gXQqbhpbLC9QznvKWDgAA-1HInmIF11fjbHbiIvwErSK_jJ-hKZ3tQy0Vl9XIgbZK3Ozp1gD7y3mIuumq2sNWceVw/s400/gypsy+serpent+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> This piece, a snake with a gypsy head, circling an alarm clock, was done by Grez at Kings Avenue Tattoo in Manhattan on the Bowery. We promoted the shop opening back in May here.<br /> <br /> Collin explained the elements of this piece that curves around the arm:<br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq">"The clock represents when I was born ... the candle's my life, burning, it's the time I have left ... gypsies are usually known to be good luck ...  the snake is for the fucked up parts of my life and the gypsy head is for the good parts of my life, you know, the future."</blockquote>Collin explained that Grez initially was concerned about all of these elements combined into one piece. "At first he [Grez] thought it was going to be too much," Collin told me, "but it worked out and I'm happy with it."<br /> <br /> The clock is particularly remarkable:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUn2ZPrLyqauGHfZjZWJPkR3ByZ46WTptIEANVc5reocmwEm6qj5TLgMgbTRAxOSkDfSGVr73j7J1kZCaX4YxQJH8GZg3i8In8exhW88TBWY_3CynYvnYHuL0eNCC4HyI3zvXCxFwtrI/s1600/gypsy+clock+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUn2ZPrLyqauGHfZjZWJPkR3ByZ46WTptIEANVc5reocmwEm6qj5TLgMgbTRAxOSkDfSGVr73j7J1kZCaX4YxQJH8GZg3i8In8exhW88TBWY_3CynYvnYHuL0eNCC4HyI3zvXCxFwtrI/s400/gypsy+clock+detail.jpg" width="327" /></a></div><br /> Grez's work has appeared on Tattoosday before, here and here. He's a great talent, and I'm always happy to stumble upon his work.

Collin's Gypsy Snake and Time

I met Collin back in August in the middle of Broadway, between 35th and 35th Streets, sitting at one of those tables that New York City had ...

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Larry's Tattoo Burns at Both Ends

Occasionally, but not too often, I do venture out of the city to places far, and not so far, away.<br /><br />Fourth of July weekend, I was up visiting friends in Woodstock, New York.<br /><br />On July 3, we found ourselves at an outdoor flea market and I met a couple of inked folk, including Larry who has "a lot" of tattoos.<br /><br />When asked to choose one, he offered up this piece on his forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgLQOWbsAZ_Hu1r7yrHyrAq6kSNXShveHfSSc5yVDyTp951v2jsfqWWhxBEq9FHMMHT5Q4UZaARS61QcFvFVOsjNvssm2iRJIXaUXzONkw7wxsJjeza6U-uprqan51QI8MNkG7ldg/s1600/no+tomorrow+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgLQOWbsAZ_Hu1r7yrHyrAq6kSNXShveHfSSc5yVDyTp951v2jsfqWWhxBEq9FHMMHT5Q4UZaARS61QcFvFVOsjNvssm2iRJIXaUXzONkw7wxsJjeza6U-uprqan51QI8MNkG7ldg/s400/no+tomorrow+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The image, of a candle burning at both ends, reminds him that life goes by quickly. The "No Tomorrow" is a spin on the carpe diem, or "seize the day" philosophy.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCi6e_XnvhlW3Y5VOZ_Ewso9Q4Pdiw4RtMbEkk-8sPGslGak7RHAi1A4RxAWyWQHg-YeW3frfX28s3CmFCg7FZCxIqllqiY3yRwE0UcThw8GZXu5kzxHFCMr03HN2xcMoS74YO4Ks/s1600/no+tomorrow+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCi6e_XnvhlW3Y5VOZ_Ewso9Q4Pdiw4RtMbEkk-8sPGslGak7RHAi1A4RxAWyWQHg-YeW3frfX28s3CmFCg7FZCxIqllqiY3yRwE0UcThw8GZXu5kzxHFCMr03HN2xcMoS74YO4Ks/s400/no+tomorrow+2.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />The tattoo was done by JR Maloney at <a href="http://www.vanguardtattoo.com/">Vanguard Tattoo</a> in Nyack, New York.<br /><br />Thanks to Larry for sharing his tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Larry's Tattoo Burns at Both Ends

Occasionally, but not too often, I do venture out of the city to places far, and not so far, away. Fourth of July weekend, I was up visiting...

Read more »