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!

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