ARTIST OF THE MONTH

JIME LITWALK
A WALK INSIDE THE MIND OF A MASTER





I first met Jime Litwalk on the tattoo convention circuit in Florida about four years ago. I was impressed with his animated style and his overall attitude towards his art. I had been to his shop, Electric Superstition, in Detroit, Mich. Then while on a trip to Las Vegas, Nev. I got to hang out at his new spot at Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company, and I sat down with him to do this interview.


Where are you from?

Southwest Detroit.

How old were you when you got into the tattoo business and why?

I first started hanging out at shops in my teens. At the time, I was drawing and airbrushing. The guys at the shop asked me to draw tattoos for their customers and charged them extra because they were "custom." I just thought it was funny to see my art on other people. That was when I first started thinking about actually tattooing. I officially started working when I was 21, after a year and a half apprenticeship.




What was the first shop you worked in?

Color Master, and I apprenticed under the owner, Chuck Groulx. He was the one who suggested that I start tattooing.

How did you and Chuck Groulx meet?

At first, Chuck and I didn’t get along. I went over to Chuck's one night because my friend Jason wanted to get a tattoo from him. We all ended up partying while Jason was being tattooed. A couple of bottles later, I woke up with my name tattooed on my arm, misspelled. After that, Chuck and I were friends.

When did your tattooing start to head in its current direction?

I didn't really hear about custom tattooing until about two years in. Chuck and I went over to Eternal one day for Chuck to get an Octopus by Scotty S. Scott. Scott took Chuck’s arm and drew a circle on his elbow and some squiggly lines down his arm.After Chuck agreed to it, they got to work.Two hours later and I’m looking at a really cool ocotpus. At that moment, my eyes were open to greater possibilities to what could be done in tattooing.

Who were some of the artists that have inspired you?

Some of the first artists that inspired me were Bernie Luther, Mario Barth, Eddie Deutsch, and Little Vinnie. I really like Jeff Zuck's earlier work, Gunnar, Frank Lee's earlier stuff, Sparky from Calif., Randy Muller, Joe Capobianco, Eric Merrill, Dave Fox, and my hero, Josh Ford.


How is it working at Hart and Huntington?

It's really not that much different from any other shop I’ve worked at. On television you see the drama and the story lines for the public, but when there are no cameras, the situations are pretty much the same as any other tattoo shop. My attitude has also changed concerning shop owners who don’t do any tattooing themselves. I used to have the opinion that if you didn’t tattoo, you didn’t need to own a shop. Now, I see that the owner provides a clean shop with the interest of the public and the employees in mind. I know a lot of tattoo artists that don’t deserve to have their own shops. I like it out here and so does my family. I make a good living so that I can take care of them and that’s all that matters to me at this point.

What’s your favorite pastime outside of work?
My work is my life. I have my family at home and my work family, who I only get to see when I travel, but I wouldn’t trade my home life for anything. I owe everything to them.

http://www.jimelitwalk.com/

CRYSTAL RODNEY

Paul Rodney has come a long way since making tattoo machines out of cassette players and guitar strings. He's moved on to a life of custom artwork, published flash, and a stocked trophy shelf. Along this journey he's also made Crystal a part of his life, as much as he is a part of hers. Crystal Rodney is now the poster girl for Blazin Colors Tattoo in Wilmington, N.C. and Rodney's wife. You can find the couple on the convention circuit, one of the venues where Crystal likes to express herself in a way that lets other girls know that "it is sexy as hell to have ink." But Crystal also enjoys the simple things like hanging out at the beach (with some SPF60), collecting seashells, and relaxing with her family and her Pomeranians.


Where are you originally from, and when were you first introduced to tattoos?

I'm originally from New Jersey. I was first introduced to tattoos when I found out my younger sister got one on her back. I thought it looked so pretty and I wanted one immediately, so I dragged my best friend to the tattoo shop with me one night.

When did you meet Paul, and how has your life changed since then?

I met Paul when he did my first tattoo. I find out later that he didn't do it all in one sitting so he could see me again. I think he may just have liked starring at my underwear. Meeting Paul has made it ok for me to be me, and opened me up to my new hobby of obtaining a more erotic look.

How do you decide what you want tattooed on you?

I get tattoos of things that I have always loved in my life that inspire me, things that are beautiful to me. I get things that signify there is still beauty and hope in this crazy cold world. Paul has done all of my tattoos, and is capable of anything he puts his mind to.

What do you like about tattoo conventions?

Tattoo conventions are a lot of fun. You get to see a lot of great art work, and meet lots of interesting people. And the best part is you get to see all sorts of crazy tattoos. It's a place where anything and everything goes. I think sometimes people express themselves through the artwork they wear, or it may just be a moment in time where they said, "Hey, I want that."

What are your plans for your future tattoos?

I just started a new piece on the side of my left thigh, and it's my largest one yet. It's a sea horse with water and flowers. It goes from my hip, down the side of my leg, to my knee. It's amazing, and I can't wait until it is done, because it has been painful as hell.

How did you end up modeling for David Bollt?

I had been dying to do a photo shoot, and a visit with David Bollt is just what the doctor ordered. He is so professional, and made me feel comfortable. It took a few hours, but it could have gone on all night. Almost every position he puts you in is a new pose. It was tiring, but the pictures came out great, and it was well worth it. I can't wait to do it again!

Has that turned into anything yet? Are you excited that you might see yourself as a Bollt painting?

I am completely flattered that such a great artists might be inspired by a picture of me, and make something out of it. It is really exciting just to know that it was a thought, and I am very thankful to David. If you like what you see check out more pictures of me and some great tattoos at Blazincolors.com.

THE 2ND ANNUAL
ICELANDIC TATTOO AND ROCK FESTIVAL

by Chuck B.
From the August 2007 issue of PRICK Magazine.



Getting to go to the first annual Icelandic Tattoo and Rock Festival last year was an out of the blue, random act of God's grace. Going to the second annual Icelandic Tattoo and Rock Festival was a deeply anticipated, dream come true. The first time I experienced Iceland it was a whirlwind trip that only lasted a few days. Of those days, too many were wasted on flight delays and the actual travel time. This trip I decided to take more time and explore all that is Iceland.




Ossur and his wife Linda along with Dave Greninger once again put on an event that was nothing but first class. Shortly after getting acclimated to the time in Reykjavik, on the Thursday before the fest kicked off, I met up with the American artists that were working the show. Ossur set us up in a very well appointed apartment and left us like excited kids in a candy store to explore a bit before a very busy Friday.

We set off to the waterfront to soak in the majesty of Iceland.The huge mountains and dark blue water is a perfect backdrop to a city that looks and feels more like a resort or perfectly planned community. There are only 300,000 people on the entire island of Iceland and for the most part these islanders are smart, good-looking, and cool. Iceland is one of the most expensive places to live on the planet.Why? Because it’s worth it! Reykjavik has the best aspects of the US and Europe combined, with its pristine and utterly pure environment. The ancient Viking spirit and blood line remains untainted among the people, and they are proud of it. We made our way back into the heart of the city and visited a couple of shops including Svirrir's House of Pain Tattoo, and made plans to explore some of the countryside Friday Morning.

Friday morning (after some "light" partying Thursday night) we drove off with quite possibly the craziest couple in all of Iceland, Svirrir and Dillah.We went across the narrow winding roads of rural Iceland to the continental divide and original House of Parliament meeting place. It was an amazing sight. It was sort of a mini Grand Canyon but more Lord of the Rings looking.After a few minutes of gazing we raced off like criminals on the run back to the city to set up for the show.

The festival kicked off and the artists settled into their booths.Tattoo enthusiasts and the general public began to file in at a good pace.The day grew more intense after a few live radio interviews with the artists hit the airwaves on the local rock station 97X.The buzz in the room grew louder by the moment.The enthusiasm of the tattoo collectors in Iceland is like none I have ever seen before.There seems to be a sort of cultural renaissance taking place in Reykjavik. The whole Icelandic hip scene is very arts driven, so people are getting large pieces and letting the artists be artists. Friday, the tattoo artists produced a ton of killer work, and everyone seemed pleased with the turnout.The fest closed at midnight and it was time to cut loose a little more.The nightlife in Reykjavik is world class and the locals take the party very seriously. Since it doesn't get dark in the summer the good times come to an end in the extremely A.M. hours.




Making it to the fest on time Saturday proved to be a bit more difficult than I expected and the day was even busier than I expected. The machines never stopped running and the appointments never stopped booking up. All the Icelandic artists in attendance were creating masterpiece after masterpiece, and they worked together as if they were in an art guild workshop. There were several Icelandic pride types of tattoos done by the local artists as well as a few from the Americans. Saturday ended with a bunch of aching wrists and backs. The tattooing never stopped, the awesome Icelandic hospitality never subsided and the party kept rolling throughout the entire weekend at Bar 11, the best and only real rock 'n' roll bar of Reykjavik. Sunday the artists were so booked up they had to keep tattooing after the show was over for a few days out of the local tattoo studios.

As if the amazing tattoo festival was not enough to blow my mind, I took a few more days to explore the coastline. My crazy cousins from N.C. came along for the party this year as well, so after a game of midnight golf on the tip of Reykjavik we set out on our cross country journey. The sights and landscapes of Iceland are breathtaking and extreme: beautiful waterfalls hundreds of feet tall, massive white water rivers, and glacier runoffs. Ancient lava fields from the world's largest lava flow ever recorded stretch as far as the eye can see up to massive rock cliffs and peaks. We saw black sand beaches, lava rock beaches, salt pillars and caves straight out of a movie.




The final leg of our road trip took us to the Glacier itself where we watched school bus size, crystal blue icebergs break off and slide into the ocean. On the way back to Reykjavik we stopped by a geyser the likes of Old Faithful and drove through miles of rolling hills and farms filled with sheep and horses. It was truly Zen-like.Then it was back to the uber-sheik city of Reykjavik for one last party. It was a truly amazing adventure. I can’t even put into words how awesome everyone is that was involved in putting this festival together. I can't wait until next year's fest. It is already lining up to be even bigger and better.