My Toyotama-hime piece by Olliexxx is finally done.

Recently got tattooed by Tony D’Annessa again over at PSC. Can’t wait for this one to heal!

Healed

Originally from Ohio, Tony moved to NYC in the 50′s enrolled as an art student. He eventually found himself tattooing illegally out of his Manhattan apartment to help pay his high rent (which was $185 at the time). Tattooing was banned back then but eventually became legalized and was no longer a secret subculture. Tony opened up a shop in the big city and met his Canadian wife who was just walking by. Moved to Montreal in the 70′s and opened up PSC, Canada’s oldest tattoo shop. You can imagine the great stories he told me of his 53 years of tattooing. I took the opportunity to pick his brain, paying no attention to the pain from the needle poking me. Tony is currently one of the very few old timers still tattooing in North America and just that alone makes me want to go back.

Old photos of Tony and his shop.

“Growing up in the hardcore scene, the majority of my friends are covered in, or at least have their fair share of tattoos. Even though tattoos are becoming more acceptable in society, some still don’t understand why others cover their body in ink. This is a series of photos of people I hold close to my heart giving us a meaning behind the artwork they hold close to theirs.”

Simon Diamond – Construction worker, guitar player for hardcore bands Plus Minus and Enforcers. Yes Diamond is really his last name. Another individual deeply involved in the Montreal Hardcore scene, Simon has been around as long as I have. He was apart of Size Em Up for a few years, starting from the shows at blackdot until the scene changed direction.

Like for most people, tattoos have become an addiction for Simon. When asking him which tattoo is most meaningful to him, he showed me his Biohazard piece on his arm. “Life is death, no one wins” is plain reality for him. He explains that it doesn’t matter who you are, if you a king or a homeless person, in the end you are just going to end up dead. As negative that sounds, it has some truth to it.

“I’m sure that everybody that has tattoos can understand me, when its been too long the last time I’ve been tattooed, at one point i just feel the need to get more. I simply love it and I’m clearly addicted to it.” – Simon

Happy Birthday Simon!

View previous entries of this series.

I recently got myself some more artwork, this time on my inner arm. Ollie has been my tattoo artist for 6 years now, in fact he is the only artist I’ve ever went to. Known for his traditional artwork, his minor details and Sailor Jerry type of work is what keeps me going back. He recently left the tattoo shop world and decided to become an entrepreneur working out of his own private studio. When going to Ollie to discuss my latest addition he was able to put what I had in mind into image but as always he makes it look even better. Skipping his usual 2-3 month waiting list, he squeezed me into his schedule and few days later I was sitting in his chair getting my arm done.

The Triumphal Arcs are found all across Europe. They are the most influential and distinctive types of architecture that are associated with ancient Rome. Invented by the Romans, the arcs were made to commemorate generals and events that led to the founding of new colonies. This piece symbolizes my personal victories, and things I’ve over came. “Pour Moi-Même”, “for myself” written in french because the arc (referenced from Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel) and meaning of the tattoo came to me from a recent trip to Paris. It was then and there where I had decided that I was going to do things pour moi-même.

**Photo of my arm taken the day after being tattooed and had not gone through the healing process yet.

Check out Ollie’s work at goodoldfashionedtattoos.com