Screen printing class

So Meryl, Jeannette and I are taking a screen printing class at CAW here in new haven. Meryl and I finished our first print today, and are ready to jump into the "big project" next week. I'll have it up here soon, I'm sure.

Dead birds galore.

I think I've told everyone I've ever met about how I work at the Peabody Museum on Thursdays doing bird taxidermy. These birds are usually window kills (meaning they've crashed into windows and died) and I take them out of the bird freezer, taxidermy them, and then the Peabody uses them as study skins for school classes and things like that. It's really the most interesting place I've ever been a part of, and I think I'll try to continue doing something like it after I move. Natural science as always interested me, but this is really intense hands on work. I bring my sketchbook and draw them while they thaw sometimes, and every once in a while I'll bring my camera. Luckily for all of you, today I did. The merlin (formally known as pigeon hawk) must have just eaten before it crashed into something, because it's crop was full. So I disected it's stomach also, and found the remains of a bird almost the size of the merlin itself. No skull, but there was this entire foot. I am also showing the picture of the merlin's head, sin eyes.
Dead things with wings, it doesn't get any more beautiful than that.

the El 'n' Gee

The El 'n' Gee was a club in New London where lots of rad music shows were put on till 03 or something, when it was turned into Club Hipnotic under a new owner. Well, CT punk rock's Big Daddy Joaquin now owns the place, and set things right by returning it's name to the El 'n' Gee, and it's mission to giving southern CT a place to rock out again.
Aside from seeing some rad shows as a young shawnhebrank, Meryl and I have the Gee to thank for us beginning to date when we did, a billion years ago.
Joaquin needed some new shirts designed for the place, and asked for my help. Taking into consideration the club's location on the water and nautical history, I did up a hard core squid. Not that anything lives in the Long Island Sound anymore. But if you want one, go there soon, or message them on myspace.

Anchors come in waves.

(Ha! That's the best blog post title ever. )
I've been doing lots of anchors lately. Today I did up two on brothers. Here is Rich's on his ankle/foot, the bottom of an already started aquatic leg sleeve.
His brother's anchor is much less weathered looking, but they both have a light colored banner for words that they will be getting in the future.

More stickers ordered!

I had made 3000 of the shark sticker, since I knew they'd go quick, and I needed a lot of them to distribute. However, I only made 250 of the "I heart dead birds" sticker, as I couldn't imagine too many people wanting one for their car or whatever. As it turns out, people seem more excited about that one, and i've almost run out already in just two weeks. So today I ordered another 500.
You can grab the stickers by stopping by the shop on a monday, tuesday, friday or sat, or by emailing me, and I'll send them out for free.

Rose sleeve started

This is the beginnings of a rose sleeve filling out the rest of a forearm, working around the existing prayer and decorative roses (done by someone else). I look forward to doing all the leaves and smaller roses in the next session, which may be as early as next week.

Bugs WIP

This is still a work in progress, but I'm excited about this bug sleeve I've been doing on my friend Megan.
Two more sits, and we'll be done. We have a praying mantis barely shown, 2 bees, a moth, and a beetle. And we'll be doing a realistic spider web on her elbow, of course.
She's doing some screen printing for me, some new designs to come out before summer.
I'll be posting both the screen prints as well as the updates of the bug sleeve as they come.

Best stickering ever.

Tyrant hooked up this bench with one of my new stickers. Just so perfect! You'll have to just enjoy the picture, though, since the bench is in Florida.
If you want any of the stickers I made, send me your address, and I'll mail them out for free.

New tattoos

Working on some really fun tattoos this week, here's one I got to do on Monday.

home from mexico

The trip was awesome. But now I'm back, and the rest of this week I'll be at the shop.