Times Flies

It has been almost a full year since last time i wrote something in here....I did have an Instagram addiction, I'm coming clean with that!! Somehow the fast and very little text required made writing posts in the blog a lot harder...laziness or need for silence, who knows what it was....but I'm back!!!!

As first thing I just want to thank all the people who made 2012 a very interesting year....all my best friends i went to Japan with and new friends made while traveling.....really amazing times, now that i think back.....Horimomo, Rico and Shion, all the amazing japanese girls the guys tried to seduce, TokyoHiro, Flogging Molly......and then Anthea, Rob and Rudie Abell, Trevor McStay, made me feel very welcome in Melbourne.....being on the other side of the planet and hang out with new and old friends was absolutely great...there's something magical about meeting the same faces but on the other side of the planet!!! Like my besty Naomi Smith, now New Zealand bound....

Adventures aside, 2012 brought a lot of unexpected, some overdue, some just annoying events and probably that made me very reluctant to the idea of writing when everything seemed doomed! But then, apparently, i wasn't the only one to go through a lot of bad luck, so welcome 2013!!!!

Few things happened already, like Milan convention and Brighton convention (this year at the Hilton hotel, and let me tell you, nothing is better than working and sleeping in the same building...makes partying a lot easier....logistically speaking) and the opening of my first solo show!!!
Yep, somebody was that crazy to let me do a solo show with my paintings!!! They are Igor and Meike at LionHeart Tattoo Gallery, in Oberhausen, Germany. Flying out there for the opening was a lot of fun, and if you are near that area, you can still see my paintings (and buy them of course) till the 14th of April...so quite a while still....or you can buy them online....www.lionheartgallery.de

In a couple of weeks I will be at the Mondial Du Tatouage in Paris...and i'm soooo excited about it!!!! I haven't been in Paris for years now....and that city does have a strong appeal.....gotta love a place where revolution never goes out of fashion!!!!

What else???
Oh yes...I almost forgot what probably is the most important bit of news!!!
I WILL BE JOINING BLACK GARDEN TATTOO from April! I'm happy about it cause these guys are truly amazing people and artists, and I will be so happy to spend time with them....not so happy to be back in crazy central London to be honest...I love my hill in North London and if i could I would never leave it!!! But I will tough through public transports no problem!

There are a lot of things i need to announce, but I will make a new post for that......Too much writing and I certainly don't want to bore you too long....so here's a bunch of photos.

Ps...special thanx to Kim Ahn  for being a good traveler companion and booth buddy at Brighton!!! she is wifi addicted but apart from that, loads of fun and energy so a true pleasure to have around!!

One week after the opening....

A week ago we launched KOKORO: THE ART OF HORIYOSHI III.
The party was a great success, people from all over London, Uk and Europe join us to view the beautiful paintings by Horiyoshi III. We had Miki Vialetto, Lal Hardy, Hanky Panky, George Bone (proper old schoolers!!) and friends from Jolie Rouge, Cult Classic, Family Business, Good Times, Into You and more, joining us for a nice evening to finally view this amazing exhibition i worked really hard for. The response was so good, I couldn't be more happy and grateful for the support given from new and old friends.
I really hope that a new idea about tattoos and tattooists will get through the masses and open their eyes to a new world,  through one of the best examples of man's devotion to his work and art: Horiyoshi III.
As a young tattooist that still have plenty to learn, but that have witnessed the change in the industry after the mass medias tsunami, I felt that showing Horiyoshi's paintings in such a tattoo-free environment could open a more realistic and deep view for any type of public, into a world that has been often depicted in a misleading way.
The beauty of his work, I believe, can touch everybodies mind and soul, whether there's a knowledge on what's being shown or not......the paintings can charm anybody. That's when, I think, we are in front of true Art.
So please, if you are going to view the exhibition, forget all you know about tattoos you learned on tv, and go with a light heart, and enjoy the view!

Just one week in, and apparently we had already more then 2000 visitors! Books, prints and photos are selling well, so make sure you get yourself some, as books and photos are numbered and limited to a certain number only!

Also, there's and article on the Guarding with a good video about Horiyoshi III you might enjoy.....
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/video/2012/mar/20/japan-tattoo-studio-horiyoshi-video?INTCMP=SRCH
  
And if you need any infos on opening hours or infos about the Somerset House
www.somersethouse.org.uk

Before leaving you, here are some new pics of work, exhibition opening night, paintings and more.....

love

KOKORO: THE ART OF HORIYOSHI III

As every valentine's day, Brighton and Milan convention are gone and i survived both of them and enjoyed them loads.....I saw some old friends and made some new ones, done some tattooing and learned something new.
For the first time i managed to be in the same room at the same time with both Horikitsune and Horimatsu and discuss the final touches for Kokoro: the art of Horiyoshi III exhibition......we are really getting close to it now, and we can't wait for it.
It's been an ongoing project for months now, and i almost can't believe it's actually becoming true and at the same time i can't wait to have you all done at the somerset house and appreciate the beauty of Horiyoshi III paintings and Horikitsune and Horimatsu photographs.
The exhibition will be open to the public from the 21 march 2012 till the 1 july 2012, what better way to welcome spring!!!
Please, visit the somerset house.....it's as amazing as it sounds!!!



please feel free to re-post the flyer and spread the voice around!!!

....and as i hardly post something, i will make the most of the occasion and post some new work i did recently.....some still ongoing of course, but just to show you what i've been up to!

Horiyoshi III exhibition and new tattoos

These past few months had been very intence, not only for the daily job, but also for convention, exhibitions i took part to and exhibition i'm organizing for 2012.
On top of that, my weekly commitment to my Japanese Art History course and my yoga practice!
ok.....one thing at the time.....

Here are some pics of my last tattoos from Florence Convention (my god the food was gooooood!!!!! and the people lovely :) !!), ongoing work and my first face with spray paint on wall which im quite proud of to be honest, because ii normally do flat letters and i actually have fun with it!

Jam in Newcastle with the Girls On Top.......so good to see them !!

I did this today at Jolie Rouge, I really enjoyed it and this is one tough lady...first tattoo on ribs and she didn't flinch for 3 hours!!
Neck tattoo at Florence Convention
Forearm tattoo on Jon in Florence
Another Florence convention tattoo...have fun with this too!


Ongoing tattoo at Jolie Rouge....I'm doing more this week, no need really to post it, but i like it already! Thanx Gary, always a pleasure tattooing you...good taste and keep still all the time!!

This are some little eagles I had fun painting, i think i will sell some little prints soon so you guys can make your loved ones some nice presents! don't forget i still have some prints and scarfs for sale!.............. wink wink!

I did this one a while ago at Jolie Rouge and i really like it, just different from the usual gypsies...fun!!!



AND NOW THE HOOOOTTTTTT STUUUUFFFFFFF!!!!!


I kept it silent for months now, as any good supersticious italian would do, but I've been working on the organization of the next European exhibition of Horiyoshi III latest work. The exhibition will have a private view and opening on the 20th of March, to the public from the 21st till the 10th of July at the Somerset House in London.
The exhibition will be very different from what most would expect. There's going to be little about tattoos...well, this actually isn't true. I had been given the chance to choose a selection of pictures that will aim to give a feel of the meaning of KOKORO.
Kokoro literally means "the heart of things", and in the end it's the essence of what makes Japanese culture so unique. It always amazed me through the years how everything is so strongly linked together in Japanese art (in all of it's forms and in it's highest expression) as in the routine of daily life. There's always a recurrence of silent quaint respect and dedication in japanese art and traditional life style that it's hard to find in other cultures.
I studied and looked for years books of images and i knew that dedication, determination, focus, will power, were not the only answer or the name of "it". KOKORO is. I can't explain it with words yet properly, and i don't want just yet. The porpouse of this exhibition is to make you feel that vibration, very subtle but strong and constant, that is kokoro.
To "make you feel" there will be not only amazing photographs by Horikitsune and Horimatsu (some of them already published in Kokoro book by Kofuu-Senju Publications) but also examples of zen calligraphy by Horiyoshi III and 14 amazing kakejiku (painting on silk scroll) by the master himself. Last week I went to Alex Reinke (Horikitsune) and we opened and photographed all the scrolls and I was stunned by the beauty of them all.....so so so amazing.
For the first time we will have colour paintings too, and they are just beautiful. All the painting needs to be seen and appreciated live. NOT TO BE MISSED.
I will be posting more updates about the exhibition, so please come back......now i will spoil you with some cheeky previews of what you will be able to appreciate at the Somerset House next spring!






I just want to say how grateful i am to be working at such amazing project and I want to thank Horiyoshi III for that, and even more my friend Alex for trusting me and letting me be part of it.
I feel blessed.

Few new pieces and updates!

Hello peeps

so....i've got quite a few news...first thing first here's the conventions i'll be working at in the next few months...and so far confirmed guestsposts.....

4-5-6 november 2011 Florence Tattoo Convention

28-29 January 2012 Brighton Convention

7-8 february 2012 Guestspot at Milano Ink

10-11-12 february 2012 Milano Tattoo Convention

27-28-29 april 2012 Melbourne Tattoo convention rites of passage


I've also started some new pieces that i'm quite excited about and quite a few are lined up for the end of the month, so get ready cause there will be juicy new pics soon!!
here's some of them......



ANNNNNDDDDD.........

i was almost forgetting to remind you all of my 100% silk scarfs!!!!
Now you can by them on the SHOP page, along with my paintings and prints......





I apologise for the blog...i'm changing the layout so it doesn't look too good!
These past six weeks have been crazy......London Tattoo Convention happened and it was amazing!! I saw sooo many old friends and made some new ones.....

...i've got tattooed by Shion from Daruma Goya, Japan...after a week of not sleeping it was sooo painful but soooo worth it!!!

Ah.....I almost forgot!!!....we will have a new tattooist at Jolie Rouge working with us, he's name is Mario, please check out the shop updates on the link on the right.....he's very good.....WORD!!!

We had Adam Hays staying with us for a week and it was fun, specially after work ;)....

Meeting of styles in London last week!!! and my mega talented friend Peeta showed everybody how to do a piece in 3 hours that most couldn't even dream of!! You can see his work this week end at MONIKER ART FAIR..............

I will be leaving for Italy tomorrow afternoon for the opening of an exhibition i'm honored to be part of.......all the best artists i know from Padova and some from Europe, will be there....only one will be missing and missed.......
The exhibition is called URBANIZE ME and will be up till the 20th of November




here's a little preview of what i painted for it..........it took me a while, but i'm happy with the result! fingers crossed, people will like it too!!!

It's called Memories...it's a tribute to Jeos of course....I think he would have liked it....as usual all the flowers and elements in the paintings are simbols that have been used in the past.....i love to use simbols.......it's somehow very human.....


Hope you are all well and i leave you tonight with a video that at the moment I can't stop watching...the song just makes me sooo happy.....I love the london-ness in it......and it's positive......bring on positive and happy i say!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my6pB7iq4jY&feature=player_embedded


ok i'm off to do some yoga......night!

getting back to normal life is not easy but here we go!

well, here we are again!

these last few months had been crazy, in so many ways......i put together a few pictures of ongoing and finish pieces that i enjoyed doing...some painting to go on tshirts or printed....a video that really inspired me.....and a yoga pose that i'm close to do properly!

on going backpiece



this is on my buddie naomi....i did it a while ago and forgot to post the picture......



this is on my mate alex fakso which second book is out.......FAST OR DIE, check it out!


this will go on tshirts soon and will be available at Tattoo Jam in august and maybe earlier in here!


painting i did for Sunday service for Japan last april




and here's how to do it....
http://blogs.yogajournal.com/challengepose/2011/04/challenge-pose-compass.html

please check this video, it's about Neda.....and freedom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F48SinuEHIk