Rick Brown

Rick Brown is the most calm, laid back, fun tattooer I've ever worked around. He has taught me a lot about taking my time and approaching a painting first in my mind. You really wouldn't think it if you met the guy because of his laid back, southern swagger but he is an extremely methodical, Calm tattooer and painter. So good. But enough of the brown nosing!
Contact Rick . He is one of the nicest folks I know.
He works at Empire tattoo In Asheville NC.

www.myspace.com/rickyb_tattoo

Teddy Safarian

Teddy Safarian is a long time friend and an extremely artistically motivating factor in my life. I wouldn't be half the painter/ tattooer that I am with out his help. Take a look at what he can do. Energetic, rugged, simple, Pure awesome in my eyes. The guy is an unstoppable force when it comes to art. At any given moment he could be working on 10 different projects. These are some of his older works. And there will be far more to come. He works at Tattoo paradise in Washington DC.

Hit him up.

www.myspace.com/teddysafarian

New Shirt.

We're going to have shirts for the shop soon. Jae Audett meticulously designed this shit for us. It's so tough... If you get tattooed by us we'll just give you one for free. Why? Because we want you to look as Untamed and barbarous as humanly possible. These will go perfect with your motorcycle, leather jacket and or out-the-front knife.

Research.

I've been doing a lot of research lately.Working my ass off. Painting everyday. Tattooing 6 days a week. Drawing between appointments and playing Xbox 360 at night after I'm done painting. Rick brown was nice enough to draw and send me the perfect wing reference and it's so good I thought I'd share it. The skull and the girl is an old image from a more clouded, CRYPTIC source. I'm going to redraw, update and paint it in the next week or so. I love old tattoo flash so this will be fun.
-Murray

New stuff from the gang

Lots of good stuff this week. Damn.
First up is a piece that Rick brown and Teddy worked on together while rick was in DC visiting.
Second is of a Steely Dan tattoo on Murray By Rick Brown while he was at Flying tiger, the week before.
The third flash sheet with all the satanic imagery is by Marcus Mancini.
The Ever so shiny eagles and skulls sheet is by Murray Sell.
And the the skull with the SS helmet, based on the flash design Murray painted, was also tattooed by, you guessed it, Murray Sell.

SXE Chest peice By Murray Sell

I tried real hard to loosen up my style on this one. Make it less stiff. More rugged. Did this chest piece in 3 hours on Justin.
-Murray

Mcinnis art show in Providance Rhode Island...And a tattoo.

The light house tattoo was done by Murray Sell in two sittings on a real cool kid from Mass named Bill. The paintings are for the"love thy neighbor" Mcinnis Tatttoo art show that's coming up (Totally awesome shop by the way). The skull with the knife through its head and reaper was done by Murray Sell along with the wild as hell Bulldog nun. Those are currently at the framer being custom framed in preparation for the show. The snake and dagger was just finished by Jae Audett YESTERDAY. It is SO cool. This picture really does it no justice. Jae's is one of the most precise anal retentive (in a good way mind you) tattooers we've ever worked with. He is an extremely valuable asset to our family. He is an accomplished painter, and guy's let me be the one to tell you he lays waste to some tattoos. The the tiger head is also for the show but will be made into a shirt for the shop fairly shortly....The amount of energy and productivity in this shop is really exciting to be a part of. Truly inspirational.

The "Love thy Neighbor" show is on Saturday August 8th (2009 respectfully)
At machines with magnets, 400 main street, Pawtucket RI
Shit drops at 5 pm y'all.

www.myspace.com/lovethyneighborartshow
www.myspace.com/mcinnistattoo
www.machineswithmagnets.com

Maximum contrast

Here are a few projects I did recently that I was pretty stoked to do. The Devil Painting was done for tattooer, machine builder and owner of Jinx proof tattoo in Washington DC, Karl Hedgepath. I wanted to take a not so commonly tattooed design, the devil, and put it in the context of a fun house or black light poster. Negative imagery that is both bright and artistically accessible to the average person. No fluff no tricks, just lots of black, retina burning colors, MAXIMUM CONTRAST and an easily readable image. You can tell what it is from 20 paces. And that's what I wanted.
The skateboard heart with roses was fun because I got to hear the magic words, "just make it look good and tough." My favorite thing to hear someone tell me. The Skull and roses with the centipede...Man I could tattoo stuff like that forever. It is not finished but should be soon. I'll post an update when its done.

-Murray

karlhedgepath.com

The first five paintings where done by Me (Murray Sell).
The 6th painting was collaboration for Magnetic Tattoo in Loveland Co. By Marcus Mancini, TC Williams and myself.
And the final painting is by Marcus Mancini.

Tattoos by Shawn McDonald

Here are some fantastic examples of my friend Shawn McDonald's work that he sent me recently.
He will be doing guest spots at our studio periodically so contact flying Tiger for availability.
I've known Mr. McDonald for a number of years. While owning a studio in Loveland CO, he still finds the road and the nomadic lifestyle of some tattooers appealing. Meaning, at any time he may be all over any part of the country working. The guy just loves to get out there and search. Shawn's tattoos are uniquely very "Shawn". Maybe with a nice glaze of Chris Conn bad-assness. At least that's the way I see it. He is extremely talented, driven and most of all a good person. But enough with the accolades. Check him out. Shawn can be emailed at: evadeson@yahoo.com
Or Contacted through his myspace at: http://www.myspace.com/shawnfive

Learning. Listening. Experimentation. Collaboration.

Lately I've been really trying to expand my horizons. Reading, following instructions and listening to people in an effort to improve and sharpen my artistic edge. When I first started tattooing there where times where I wouldn't produce anything really legitimate for weeks or months. I blame it on complacency or just outright laziness on my part. However recently I've felt a wave of creativity rush over me. I don't think I've really been this productive in my entire life. Maybe it's the people who I've been lucky enough to work around over the past 12 or so months. Maybe since taking over the shop with my friends the stress of owning a tattoo studio has forced me grow up and put my artistic nose to the grind stone. Maybe I'm starting to finally "find my voice" or hell, maybe it's a brain tumor growing inside my head. Whatever it is I feel compelled to really get to work and put brushes to paper and work my ass off. I'm not satisfied with simply doing names all day to make a living. I honestly desire to see what it is I can essentially create from nothing but hard work and imagination. What else is there to life? Having fun? vice? There's already too much of that in today's society. And I've rejected that entirely. Besides, Painting and tattooing IS fun after all anyway. And far more gratifying on top of that. So that said, complacency is no longer an option for me. Now there is only results. Taking ground. Hard work and striving for perfection.
A few weeks ago A friend introduced me to the Japanese concept of shuhari. Simply put, it describes the stages of learning to mastery. "Shu" Meaning to obey. "Ha" meaning to break with tradition. And "Ri" meaning to transcend. I pondered this for many hours to myself. What does it mean to follow? To do A B and C. To really listen? Why was that concept so foreign to me? As an apprentice a few years ago I was always taught to strive for originality and to develop my own "unique" style. But now it seems the more I read and study and draw and paint, the more direction I want to obtain. The yoke of order and discipline seems more of an attractive aesthetic in my mind. And so the journey goes.....

The first painting I put up was a collaboration with Marcus Mancini who works with me at Flying Tiger tattoo, myself and infamous Rick Brown of Empire tattoo in Asheville NC.
We did this over the week Rick was with us tattooing. I had such a good time. Rick Brown and Marcus have some serious moves up their sleeves. I learned a ton.

The second painting is of a rose of no man's land that I did as a gift for Shawn McDonald of Magnetic tattoo in Loveland Colorado. Later I was lucky and got the chance to tattoo this on the girlfriend of a tattooer at the Philadelphia tattoo convention.

The last painting I put up is a sneak peek of a project my shop is doing for Shawn's shop as a gift. TC Williams, Marcus Mancini, Jae Audett and myself have been working on this painting for many many many hours.
Rick Browns myspace page- www.myspace.com/rickyb_tattoo
Marcus mancini's Myspace page-
www.myspace.com/bucephalus13
TC Willians Myspace page-
www.myspace.com/tcwilliamstattoo
Jae Audett's Myspace page-
www.myspace.com/hauntedandhaunting