ETF’s & Solar flares

Photo dump and writing

Lately, life has been revolving around past, present, and potential conflicts. Talks of finance, listening to close friends winning the daily battle with sobriety. Taking coffee dates with loved ones that have a few days in town. Bridging the gap from client to friend in some cases with talk about travel plans and building a stronger marriage.

Growing into my mid thirties has me wanting to save more and reduce the unnecessary things I’ve accumulated in the past few years.

I’m not sure if things like clearing out a storage unit and planning a wedding influence my tattooing on a large part but it has made the priority list of things I find important much smaller.

This blog feels like a punctuation mark on the ebb and flow of my tattooing and life outside of work. I start a few projects, then finish a few more and it’s fun to look back and see how much good stuff was happening. Lately it feels like there is not a whole lot to recall on that isn’t some heinous war crime or undeniable evidence of corporate greed along with some random act of violence.

If you’re reading this thank you, I’m rambling at this point ….but maybe consider writing down a few nice things going on around you to look back on when you’re feeling reminiscent.

Lychee fruit funeral and google reviews

Like everyone else I sometimes have a difficult time managing my time ,and more so my aspirations to be accountable to time I have actually spent. Compartmentalism is a survival tool I used in highschool to learn how to figure out how to get my homework done while I struggled with my innermost thoughts and turbulent environment.

I find myself using this tool in my adult life and career life. I often times over explain myself and don a overly boyish or goofy persona , feeling as though I haven’t yet lived up to the version I need to be for my partner ,clients , and friends. As if I can just explain a bit more the feeling of “I’m good enough , I swear it” . Other times I don’t explain enough and conceal myself with a stoic mask in hopes that I do not displease others around me by sharing what I truly feel/ think.

Creating this blog is a vehicle to deliberately make time to share what life I’m actively creating rather than responding to.

The work I focus on isn’t instant, it takes months…. Usually years to complete with another person. Making a departure from Instagram to share more or less than short form content…..

So here’s what I’ve recently finished, am currently working on, or recently started: (P.s. I regularly see a therapist to better work on this stuff)

7/11 speed run

Hey! Recently My friend Preston and I recorded a podcast with Nicholas Coyne and Robert Menje the two tattooers who run the “Tuff Luck podcast”

It was a blast to hang with them and record. It’s not serious in the slightest but still hopefully some topics most tattooers probably think about from time to time got brought up.

Click here for a link to the podcast on Spotify as well as Nicholas and Robert’s Instagram.

-Adam

Bart Simpson vs Tom hardy

September has passed and autumn is showing it’s face in Tampa.

Im channeling that scene in dead poets society. thinking of 2008-2012 and the tattooing I was learning about.


The people I was motivated/inspired by we’re Phil holt , Brad stevens , Darcy Nutt, Yutaro, Lori from New York adorned, Nick stegall and few more..

here’s some paintings



Walson’s Law

This year I’ve prioritized the people I love and principles I find most rewarding. One principle I’ve focused on is seeking new information. Luckily for me learning how to do things differently in the tattoo world is actually really cool.

In 2021 I went to the Knoxville tattoo convention. I was fortunate to have scheduled a full sleeve appointment with a new client for the convention. Before the weekend was done I made sure to reach out to would be shops that I could return to keep the in progress work going. I really only had one shop in mind though. Riverside tattoo, it’s owned and run by a tattooer named Nick Moran. I met Nick in Baltimore years ago when I was traveling with my mentor and ended up trading some hand painted flash. Nick was traveling a lot and had a good vibe to him and that stuck with me.

I walked into riverside Sunday morning the weekend of the convention to see if I could have a place to work for a few days in the coming months. I’ve come to learn that a straight forward question is generally returned with a straight forward answer. The answer was yes.

Now back to august 2022. I’m on my way for my 3rd visit at Riverside tattoo. I have 2 in progress clients working towards finishing sleeves and a new client I’ll be working with on a 3/4 sleeve he wants to complete that he started in Japan.

All this to say every time I leave for a trip I’m reminding myself to stay open and observe. Looking forward to what traveling the last few months of 2022 will bring.

Nick Moran’s Client at Riverside tattoo in Knoxville Tennessee

Nick Moran’s Client at Riverside Tattoo in Knoxville Tennessee

Work load flow

Other than getting to close the lid on a few projects life has been pretty ordinary, in the best way possible . Generally it feels like a lot of in progress stuff is the norm, so the recent push to finish some bigger pieces has been great. I’m grateful to the clients who trust me to work with them!

Japanese tattoo in St. Petersburg Florida Tampabay
Japanese tattoo in St. Petersburg Florida Tampabay Tampa
Japanese tattoo finger waves leg tattoo in St. Petersburg Florida ta
Japanese Tattoo in St. Petersburg Florida Tampabay

Of mice & men

Is the need to be validated important? Can being interested without being interesting be a virtue?

Not sure.

This week Pat Blum came by Electric gold downtown to take some video and photos for friend & coworker Skyler Burnham. Here is an unrehearsed picture Pat took of me while he had a moment of downtime

I like talking to Pat when he’s around. He seems like a hard worker, has passion for creating visual art, and an eye for cool clothes.

Check out Pat Blum’s work here



Mr. Lucas ford tattoo machine

Had a chance to break in this beautiful new machine from Mr. Lucas Ford. The Machine builder and Tattooer does the type of great large scale Japanese work that I gravitate towards. Mr. Ford also founded a supply company based in British Columbia Canada.

This dude is an example of what I love about tattooing, the get shit done attitude along with keeping a contemporary & classic balance to his personal work. These are all reasons why I was stoked to get a hold of one these machines.

He currently offers custom orders for coil machines while offering a few proprietary design rotary machines. The detail in packaging along with the hand sized full color die cut stickers and hand written note speak volumes to how much time is put into the world of tattooing he has created for himself.

Simply put, this machine fucks. I should have bought two….

Bart Simpson made me do it

This month I traveled up to Knoxville from St.Petersburg Florida to tattoo some clients at one of my favorite tattoo shops, Riverside Tattoo

The team there is great, every one is so dialed in and they paint a lot.