Delphine Shares a Lucky Cat and a Sailor Jerry Design

I met Delphine last week and she shared two of her tattoos with me. First is this piece:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIu0vpFEEAGYX4PjAXFigvOAkWV157qnCxmCvD29LqLbybD5CtTa80PoDCXxNBT95adh7ggnZnscMCZpYQBWB_t0859mr3H4UnrRU83sH__dhFaUkB59c3MTTTXQ8oj2rB4xWW2Bn_EU/s1600/Lucky+Cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIu0vpFEEAGYX4PjAXFigvOAkWV157qnCxmCvD29LqLbybD5CtTa80PoDCXxNBT95adh7ggnZnscMCZpYQBWB_t0859mr3H4UnrRU83sH__dhFaUkB59c3MTTTXQ8oj2rB4xWW2Bn_EU/s640/Lucky+Cat.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><br />For those of you who do not recognize this image, it is a common piece of ceramic sculpture popular in Japanese culture called the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maneki_Neko">Maneki Neko</a>," or Lucky Cat. It is a good luck charm, and is often seen in Asian-owned stores as a totem of good fortune. Delphine explained further that this was her most recent piece and that "I have always loved the Japanese Lucky Cat.  I felt that this would be a great time to get it (due to the economy - cat has a prosperity in Kanji) and as a tribute to the Japanese that were affected by the Tsunami)."<br /><br />She credited her Lucky Cat to artists <a href="http://sftattoo.com/artists/megan-wilson/">Megan Wilson</a> at <a href="http://sftattoo.com/">Picture Machine Tattoo</a> in San Francisco.<br /><br />On her other forearm is this tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQttA7T6MizFPBcwC4uWtajtTxVuv0Mm4w4PNApTl6Edpt2YEuUPWWLX9ibd2DWU0UNyD4SPFIUMRN8AouRVFKVxO88TBMpgpKL1gV0XphyCAwjDPpR8bCBqffA_r725Sm7kRBY24f3IE/s1600/USMC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQttA7T6MizFPBcwC4uWtajtTxVuv0Mm4w4PNApTl6Edpt2YEuUPWWLX9ibd2DWU0UNyD4SPFIUMRN8AouRVFKVxO88TBMpgpKL1gV0XphyCAwjDPpR8bCBqffA_r725Sm7kRBY24f3IE/s640/USMC.jpg" width="344" /></a></div><br />This tattoo is attributed to <a href="http://www.luckystarstattoo.com/artist/anthony">Anthony Gonzalez</a> at <a href="http://www.luckystarstattoo.com/">Lucky Stars Tattoo</a> in San Jose, California. Delphine explains, "My father and I are Marine Vets.  I saw this <a href="http://www.sailorjerry.com/">Sailor Jerry</a> piece and loved it to honor my father and me.  On the original piece it says 'Never Again'.  I updated this to 'Never Forget' - the 'forget' is done in red to look like spray paint."<br /><br />Thanks to Delphine for sharing these two tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Delphine Shares a Lucky Cat and a Sailor Jerry Design

I met Delphine last week and she shared two of her tattoos with me. First is this piece: For those of you who do not recognize this image, i...

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Salvatore Shares a Family Heirloom

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the death of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, so it seems appropriate to share the following tattoo, courtesy of Salvatore:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn7IEa1NZyknfY77qyuXRnP_fwwHsLcMIWArs2UosritIa2isgNndqLEJI0DfmgjotCREZKJbcmHKwXesc3NU2eyquYWkb31dZbV53-cjKr3VjFA2aJV3uEGOu2zsa45VoWuTg0MS4Fw/s1600/Sailor+Jerry+pinup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn7IEa1NZyknfY77qyuXRnP_fwwHsLcMIWArs2UosritIa2isgNndqLEJI0DfmgjotCREZKJbcmHKwXesc3NU2eyquYWkb31dZbV53-cjKr3VjFA2aJV3uEGOu2zsa45VoWuTg0MS4Fw/s640/Sailor+Jerry+pinup.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br />Located on his upper right arm, Salvatore explained that his family emigrated from Europe several generations ago. His grandfather joined the service when he was a young man and served in World War II. His travels brought him, at some point, through Honolulu where, according to Salvatore, his grandfather received the original version of the tattoo above, from none other than Sailor Jerry himself. The design above is a replica of Slavatore's grandfather's tattoo, a Sailor Jerry original.<br /><br />Not only is he carrying a piece of traditional tattoo history on him, he is also honoring the memory of his grandfather. How cool is that?<br /><br />Salvatore is a chef at <a href="http://www.oneifbyland.com/">One if by Land, Two if by Sea</a>, a restaurant in New York's West Village. He is also a personal chef for several mixed martial arts fighters.<br /><br />The Sailor Jerry piece above, as well as his left arm, which is fully-sleeved, was tattooed by Elio Espana, formerly of <a href="http://flyritetattoo.net/">Flyrite Tattoo</a>. Elio now works upstate at <a href="http://adktattoo.com/">ADK Tattoo</a> in Constable, New York.<br /><br />Thanks to Salvatore for sharing this wonderful tattoo, that celebrates both an American tattoo master, and a family patriarch, here on Tattoosday.

Salvatore Shares a Family Heirloom

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the death of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, so it seems appropriate to share the following tat...

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Sailor Jerry on the Rooftop

Saturday night found me on a rooftop in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gowanus">Gowanus</a> section of Brooklyn watching the film <a href="http://horismokumovie.com/">Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry</a>, a documentary about the legendary tattoo artists <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_Jerry">Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins</a>. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTGv7NgHYeDArCPx_NiJwLrwMe65g4pYzWb_r2GMbXWsebC9-5ETDT0h3_M_uwhocEpKmZSFEAN23yvt4pfsSJrdJyALttKSvRPHEgi-ypYfsnd-D4aGIeWjgepLR7BZ0xNO-dYVP/s1600/hssj-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTGv7NgHYeDArCPx_NiJwLrwMe65g4pYzWb_r2GMbXWsebC9-5ETDT0h3_M_uwhocEpKmZSFEAN23yvt4pfsSJrdJyALttKSvRPHEgi-ypYfsnd-D4aGIeWjgepLR7BZ0xNO-dYVP/s400/hssj-1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />It was part of the Rooftop Films free festival, yet another amazing benefit of living in New York City. That and hearing a guy with a cowboy hat playing "Silent Night" on his harmonica on the subway in August.<br /><br />A bit about <a href="http://www.rooftopfilms.com/">Rooftop Films</a>, what a great program. I encourage everyone in New York to take advantage of (and support) this series, now winding up it's 14th year. The program champions underseen independent films in spectacular locations.<br /><br />Saturday's show was atop the historic <a href="http://www.nyc.com/arts__attractions/the_old_american_can_factory.685032/editorial_review.aspx">Old American Can Factory</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT_y6UM_HTuponwVNRwT9lqhGnzIx9qhbWqW9wwKN_X3nfZBOGlwAKbqKAgXLFqvqyxOys29rQv0SBw24_Dq8MjkSGkasNHuwtzrvQ3cJFtUQHqUuZEnMQFRGavig-IWx5DUb0E8j/s1600/old+can.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT_y6UM_HTuponwVNRwT9lqhGnzIx9qhbWqW9wwKN_X3nfZBOGlwAKbqKAgXLFqvqyxOys29rQv0SBw24_Dq8MjkSGkasNHuwtzrvQ3cJFtUQHqUuZEnMQFRGavig-IWx5DUb0E8j/s400/old+can.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> Here was my view, initially:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHTrboTehFD8R7EuCFPHcMUvCNPayS32rFWUsvN5hNV6hu7GUsxkIJtknEKrH3xfwv35sHRCp2TDR0n1pqOgvuFrGS5-u2ZKBePpyKrkTVpbOOQv5evkC0l6GBEV0rDCKKpldJEnc/s1600/rooftop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHTrboTehFD8R7EuCFPHcMUvCNPayS32rFWUsvN5hNV6hu7GUsxkIJtknEKrH3xfwv35sHRCp2TDR0n1pqOgvuFrGS5-u2ZKBePpyKrkTVpbOOQv5evkC0l6GBEV0rDCKKpldJEnc/s400/rooftop1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />and then when I moved up to the front row:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFugb_H7C1GWk161PuP65ymiuUv9L-pvxLtgVqDPxq74_Ra4cg5VFWwNBYntOMKARgwAcDy1ohS-sLXzyi9XqQWWdNRA3sKmC8ehwWPmVLb5DzicsG60jrGxcQ0oqLPSZZXoy57Jyc/s1600/rooftop+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFugb_H7C1GWk161PuP65ymiuUv9L-pvxLtgVqDPxq74_Ra4cg5VFWwNBYntOMKARgwAcDy1ohS-sLXzyi9XqQWWdNRA3sKmC8ehwWPmVLb5DzicsG60jrGxcQ0oqLPSZZXoy57Jyc/s400/rooftop+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We were treated to some music from a band called <a href="http://www.myspace.com/cheeseburger">Cheeseburger</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQmoe2V0Ev3XCW_vEHsvz9o6BcnzP6YqXIwySGBdhmtkbeNa0nQ4SZgI0YFRwGz3FqYQbqXEmWM3TILA5-UUYzDGT0MYKK8GBuG2gipSP6do5GA7wkWfLRdOPtES6OogWsidxi6X8/s1600/cheeseburger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQmoe2V0Ev3XCW_vEHsvz9o6BcnzP6YqXIwySGBdhmtkbeNa0nQ4SZgI0YFRwGz3FqYQbqXEmWM3TILA5-UUYzDGT0MYKK8GBuG2gipSP6do5GA7wkWfLRdOPtES6OogWsidxi6X8/s400/cheeseburger.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Prior to the film starting, we were introduced to the producer/director of the film, Erich Weiss. He explained that the film has been a three to four year process. It was initially shown at the 2008 South by Southwest Festival and, after a limited theater run, found its way to DVD in late 2009. "I've met a lot of interesting people," he told the audience, and he also asked us not to talk to him after the movie about our own tattoos and the story behind them. Clearly he's heard more than his fair share of tattoo stories.<br /><br />The film itself was wonderful, and echoed what I consider one of the best tattoo books I've ever read, <span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sailor-Jerry-Collins-American-Tattoo/dp/0945367112?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sailor Jerry Collins: American Tattoo Master</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0945367112" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.Much of the book is the actual correspondence between Sailor Jerry and a young tattoo artist named Don Ed Hardy. The film intersperses snippets from the correspondence, typed out across the screen, with a voiceover representing the artist's voice, with interviews from Don Ed Hardy, along with a veritable Who's Who of Old School tattoo legends like Lyle Tuttle, Mike Malone, Zeke Owen, Bob Roberts, and the scene-stealing Philadelphia Eddie Funk.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">Because Sailor Jerry was so suspicious of "outside forces" (i.e. the media), he never gave interviews, and the only exposure we get to him are still photographs and a rare recording of his voice from a radio program.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">I found the film doubly interesting because Sailor Jerry was based in Hawai'i, my home state, and I really had an understanding of the Hotel Street area of downtown Honolulu where the tattoo shops were located, and I remember how seedy that part of town was, even as late as 1984. I also loved the one artist speaking pidgin, "Eh brah, wheah da five dollah poke stay?" This, of course, translates to, "Excuse me, where can I go for a five-dollar tattoo?"</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">The film illustrates the man for who he was, warts-and-all. He was a political conservative who thought Nixon was too liberal. He exhibited what today would be considered racism, but back in the Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies was considered a typical prejudice toward Asians that was molded by experiencing World War II in the Pacific. Yet, through this all shone his artistry and his commitment to the craft of tattooing. The fact that he has been dead for 37 years certainly allows one to focus more on his contributions as an artist, and less on what many would call his shortcomings.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">After the film, Erich Weiss did a brief Q and A, with the audience. He seemed to channel a bit of Sailor Jerry, as he continued with his polite rant against people who want to talk about the stories behind their tattoos (sounds like he would not be a Tattoosday reader!). He railed against "tattoo snobbery"  and said he "loves the fact that my tattoos are so shitty". </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">What Weiss was saying is that tattoos are art and the personal aspects should be just that, personal. He cut his teeth with this film dealing with old school tattoo artists, many who have seen their art form go from an exclusive club to a worldwide fad. About Sailor Jerry, Weiss said, "I think he would have hated what tattooing has become in our society," referring to the tattoo-reality shows and the trendiness of the art form.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">The irony of the event being co-sponsored by <a href="http://www.sailorjerry.com/index.php/rum/">Sailor Jerry Rum</a></span><span id="btAsinTitle"> was not lost on me. I could almost see Norman Collins looking down from heaven (or up from hell) and shaking his head at the spectacle.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">Speaking of rum, there were free drinks after the event and an after-party in the building courtyard. I had a cup of rum and ginger and looked at some of the beautiful flash that was being displayed in huge frames. My favorite was this one:</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LSm47byBjMrZoUTP61I_yOGMKKJx_nC7cvkbH8kutJ-CggL2a10-yWoD0btghb8VJhk9N0MuWNcq2Rlj57kyoU_2YPNAZ87q0r5pUPj6-NZ6Z92YLwLM6StW9nIvcPKbQU17kt3I/s1600/Sailor+Jerry+flash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LSm47byBjMrZoUTP61I_yOGMKKJx_nC7cvkbH8kutJ-CggL2a10-yWoD0btghb8VJhk9N0MuWNcq2Rlj57kyoU_2YPNAZ87q0r5pUPj6-NZ6Z92YLwLM6StW9nIvcPKbQU17kt3I/s320/Sailor+Jerry+flash.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">The whole experience was quite enjoyable, but the star of the show was Sailor Jerry. I recommend the movie to anyone interested in the art of American tattoo, and encourage people to check out Rooftop Films and support this amazing program.<br /></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bill03-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0945367112" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bill03-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B002H083UK" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>

Sailor Jerry on the Rooftop

Saturday night found me on a rooftop in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn watching the film Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry , a documentary about the...

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