Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: November, 2012 (123) Currently Viewing: 31 - 40 of 123

November 8, 2012 at 8:25am

5 Things To Do Today: Tacoma Makes game night, Art and Writing, Pray For Snow party and more ...

TACOMA MAKES GAME NIGHT: Even having a pair of twos is cool tonight at King's Books. Photo credit: Back of Card Design by Chandler O'Leary

THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 2012 >>>

1. Normally, when you go to an art party you can expect certain things: wine (or punch, whatever), cheese (or grapes, or both), people in turtlenecks (with extremely long or extremely short hair) and art (which you may or may not understand).  Obviously you enjoy these things or else you wouldn't be going to art parties. But surely you enjoy other things art-related too - like meeting new people who enjoy art. Say, the people that actually create the art. Wallah! Point reached. King's Books will host a special Game Night to celebrate the release of Tacoma Makes' Tacoma Playing Cards, a unique deck designed by Tacoma artist Chandler O'Leary featuring 14 artists' illustrated interpretations of 54 Tacoma locations, stories and icons. From Go Fish to Poker, every game is Tacoman with these unique cards featuring the artwork of Art Chantry, Audra Laymon, Brian Hutcheson, Britton Sukys, Chandler O'Leary, Chris Sharp, Elise Richman, Jessica Spring, Kristin Giordano, Lance Kagey, Meghan Mitchell, Otto Youngers, RR Anderson, and Shaun Peterson. 7 p.m., no cover, prizes, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma

2. Writers strung up on walls? Not quite. Mixing art exhibit and poetry reading, Tacoma Community College presents "Celebrating Art and Writing" at its library. TCC faculty Allen Braden, Rob Larson and Richard Wakefield will read their words while the crowd strolls nine new works of art from the Washington Arts Commission's "Re-String Project," the work of local sculptor and fabric artist Lynn Di Nino and local photographer Chris Berryman. 1:30-3 p.m., free, TCC Library, 6501 S. 19th St., Bldg. 7, Tacoma

3. Let's all think about snow sports and drink beer together tonight at the Harmon Brewery & Eatery's annual "Pray For Snow Party." And as sure as it will snow in them hills, the Harmon will dole out begins gear and lift ticket giveaways and raffle prizes, snow sports movies and, of course, the human jukebox Steve Stefanowicz who has performed at this party for as long as we can remember. Proceeds from the raffle benefit the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. 5 p.m., no cover, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

4. Timothy Egan's book Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis tells the remarkable untold story of Curtis who, at the age of 32, gave up the life he knew in 1900 and document the stories and rituals of more than 80 Native American tribes before they disappeared. It's a truly amazing story, and Egan will recount it tonight in the Olympic Room. 7 p.m., free, Tacoma Public Library Main Branch, 1102 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma

5. This year's final Conversations Re: Tacoma lecture explores citizen engagement in the process of planning neighborhoods. Leading the a dialogue about how citizens can effectively contribute to the design of neighborhoods, how city staff and elected officials can be more responsive to community interests and how existing planning processes can be improved will be Donald Erickson, AICP, chair, Tacoma Planning Commission?; Randy Cook, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, principal, TCF Architecture?; Justin Leighton, chair, Tacoma's Central Neighborhood Council; Moderator Ian Munce, acting division manager, Long-Range Planning, city of Tacoma. The meeting ($7.50-$10) begins at 6:30 p.m. inside the Tacoma School of the Arts Theatre, followed by booze at the Varsity Grill.

LINK: Thursday, Nov. 8 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 8, 2012 at 9:10am

ISSUE 574: Katy Evans, "Warhol's Flowers," Oly Film Fest and more ...

HOLIDAY HERO: Katy Evans strolls through the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory in anticipation for December's poinsettias show. Photo credit: JASON GANWICH

THE WEEK OF NOV. 8-14, 2012 >>>

In this week's issue, Nikki McCoy chats with Tacoma's civic and arts advocate Katy Evans about her deep love for Tacoma, and the organizations she created or supports. "Katy is a superstar," says Drew Ebersole,executive director of the Greater Metro Parks Foundation. "She has a rare combination of great intuition and an ability to lead fearlessly in her community. She's bright, has clear ideas and follow through." We agree.

Weekly Volcano arts critic Alec Clayton reviews the Andy Warhol's Flowers for Tacoma show at the Tacoma Art Museum. Clayton writes, "We've all seen many of the silkscreen flowers with fluorescent paint, ink and pencil in all their hypnotic repetition and funky-acid colors - the superimposed line drawings like chalk and the layered look like 3-D images seen without the glasses. There are many of these displayed in this show, and they are breathtaking. But there are also things such as a tiny and very expressionistic painting of flowers in a pot that is totally unlike anything I've ever seen by Warhol."

Riding on the successful (sold out) wave of Night of the Living Tribute Bands, the Olympia Film Society keeps the drive alive into the year's incredible lineup of screenins, events, guests and kick-ass gala that is the 29th annual Olympia Film Festival. Nikki McCoy chats with a few key players and drools over Dan Savage's HUMP! night.

Sandwiched between Hilltop Loans and Pho Bac Cafe sits the quintessential neighborhood bar. The Peterson Brothers carry a decent selection brewskis on tap, in a bottle and the obligatory tall boys for $2.50 if you're drinking on the cheap. Jackie Fender has been hearing about Eleven-Eleven since brothers Justin and Robby Peterson opened its doors this summer. In particular she's heard rumors boasting of some damn tasty sandwiches and she simply couldn't hold out any longer.

Christian Carvajal knows it's praising with faint damnation to say Director Pug Bujeaud achieves "good community theater" status at Olympia Little Theatre, but not every show at OLT or any community theater does. Despite clumsy moments and a lighting instrument that flashed Morse code throughout Act II, he enjoyed Night Must Fall more than the Oregon Shakespeare Festival show he attended the night before.

PLUS: The return of Better Living Through Music

PLUS: New drink column Dear Drink

COVER PHOTO: Jason Ganwich

November 8, 2012 at 11:47am

Oh foie gras yourself

WEEKEND FEASTING >>>

Here comes the feasting season. With only the slightest effort, most of us can manage to survive from now until New Year's Day on nothing but mini crab cakes, smoked salmon, artichoke dip and hot buttered rum, not to mention the chocolate-peppermint bark, the reindeer-shaped butter cookies, and countless Hershey's Kisses wrapped in red and green foil. In the season that used to be all about a big meal - the roast goose, the pig with the apple in its mouth, the flaming plum pudding - our modern holiday repasts have become all about food that can be eaten standing up.

Enough grazing.

The best way to ease into the season may be to slow down, take a deep breath, and have a real meal - a decadent feast. The kind you should see set in front of the Ghost of Christmas Past, that jolly big fellow with the holly wreath.

Brix 25 in Gig Harbor sold out its WTF (What the Foie) Dinner in July. The fancy restaurant still believes foie gras is an age-old delicacy that when added to a meal, it can truly transform a meal - make it decadent, if you will. Therefore, Brix 25 will add foie gras to its meals this weekend only. The restaurant secured a limited quantity of the delicacy from Pleasant View Farm in Puyallup.

Live and let liver.

BRIX 25, FRIDAY, NOV. 9 AND SATURDAY, NOV. 10, 7707 PIONEER WAY, GIG HARBOR, 253.858.6626

November 8, 2012 at 12:07pm

Update: Proposition 1 ballot results

Last night as the Weekly Volcano went to press, Proposition 1 - the measure that would raises sales tax within Pierce Transit's boundaries by three-tenths of 1 percent - was still too close to call. If passed, the Pierce Transit board says it will increase service hours from 419,000 to 515,000 by 2017 and restore special event service, such as Puyallup Fair routes, which were cut last year when voters said no to increased funding.

Pierce Transit riders are clutching the bus handrails. A no vote most likely means no night and no weekend service, and a slashing to some daily routes. To those with disabilities, reduced bus service means a loss of jobs.

"As an organization we do not have the resources or infrastructure to provide transportation. There is no viable alternative for people," says Ken Gibson, executive director of TACID, the agency that promotes the independence of individuals with disabilities. "The Pierce County Coordinated Transportation Coalition is working on these issues, but it is extremely complex and expensive - this is a core reason why it isn't provided for privately. It is expensive and seen as a public good rather than a profitable enterprise."

This morning, Seattle Weekly staff writer Matt Driscoll, a public transit rider, posted an update on SW's Daily Weekly blog.

With the fate of Pierce County's bus service literally hanging in the balance, Gig Harbor City Council and Pierce Transit Board of Commissioners member Derek Young said somberly Tuesday night that he remained hopeful later voting returns would save Pierce Transit's Prop 1 from the demise it seemed headed for. Initial returns showed the three-tenths of one percent sales tax hike in Pierce Transit's boundary area failing, albeit it by a slim margin.

"There's still a path to victory," Young said Wednesday morning. "The gap narrowed a bit last night, but we need some big movement from tonight's results."

Wednesday evening brought a movement. And then a slight retreat.

Results released at 4:40 p.m. provided the glimmer of hope transit proponents had been waiting for. Though Prop 1 still trailed, the deficit was down to 735 votes. Young told me Pierce Transit officials estimated 110,000 Pierce Transit district ballots were yet to be counted at that point.

If things continued to trend in Prop 1's direction, this meant enough ballots remained for the proposition to make up the difference and take the lead.

To read Driscoll's full post on Prop 1, click here.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO GRAB A SEAT: "I believe that concerned citizens need to attend the Pierce Transit Board meetings and have their voice heard by the officials making the decisions," says Gibson.  "The next PT Board meeting is Nov 19 at 4 p.m. at the Pierce Transit Headquarters in Lakewood."  

November 8, 2012 at 12:56pm

Treos coffee/beer/wine coming to Old Town Tacoma

CH-CH-CH-CHANGES >>>

Ed. note: Treos has opened. Read our firet bite report.

There it is. The sign in the window.

Treos is coming to Old Town Tacoma, in the spot once occupied by Tully's.

Apparently, Treos is a gathering spot serving coffee and pastries in the morning and beer, wine and small plates in the evening. It's about life ... cubed.

Let's see what it says on its website:

What is treos? A gathering Place! Apart from the workplace and home – your third place, a place to gather, rekindle relationships and recharge your life. The name treos is additionally representative of our core values for service. We believe faith is first, friends, family and guests are second and we are third. The manner in which we live our lives – treoslife.

The term “treos life” is a commitment to service and passion for our guests, and our suppliers. We will serve only the finest coffees sourced directly from the farms in regions throughout the world where our roaster has a personal sustainable relationship with each of our arabica growers.

You may like them on Facebook.

November 8, 2012 at 3:51pm

WEEKEND HUSTLE: Video Games Live, Oly Film Fest, Cloud 9, Gem Faire and more ...

VIDEO GAMES LIVE: Video games have risen to cinematic heights. Courtesy photo

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Chilly with sunny intervals, hi 46, lo 42

Saturday: Partly sunny and chilly, hi 42, lo 33

Sunday: Cloudy and chilly, hi 46, lo 40

>>> FRIDAY, NOV. 9: VIDEO GAMES LIVE

Video Games Live is not just a concert. It's an experience. An experience to end all experiences for all nerdkind. An experience that will give every game geek in the land the chance to hear live video game music. An experience that will yank game fanatics from joysticks Friday night in Tacoma. The concert integrates local orchestras and choirs with its extensive mix of media and performance - video footage from the games, synchronized lighting and live performers from soloists to live action sequences.
 — Kristen Kendle

  • Pantages Theater, 7:309 p.m., $39-$94, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894

>>> FRIDAY, NOV. 9-SUNDAY, NOV. 18: OLYMPIA FILM FESTIVAL

Olympia Film Society presents incredible lineup of screenings, events, guests and a kick-ass gala that is the 29th annual Olympia Film Festival. The Opening Night Gala Friday will match previous year's spectacles. The "Glam Gala" gets fabulous at 6 p.m. with glamorous costumes galore. The gala includes a screening of Velvet Goldmine that includes a VIP reception with director Todd Haynes. Other highlights of the event include annual favorite All Freakin Night featuring five freaky films to chill you, Locals Only filmmaker showcase, a kung-fu double feature with Crippled Avengers and Fist of White Lotus, House of Wax presented in 3D, special kids' films and the Best of the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. For a complete listing or for tickets visit www.olympiafilmsociety.org. — Nikki McCoy

  • Capitol Theater, $7-$10 single tickets, passes available, 206 E. Fifth Ave., Olympia, 360.754.6670

>>> FRIDAY, NOV. 9-SUNDAY, NOV. 11: CLOUD 9

The theater musical Cloud 9 jumps from 1880, an era of bridled lust and rigid ideals of the Victorian empire into 1980 and an era of sexual exploration in London. The seven characters, including gender reversals and a ragdoll, inhabit the stage in a story of British-ruled Africa. When the natives prepare to overthrow the British, the whole company is engaged in a non-stop round robin of sexual liaisons. Fast forward to 1980 and for the remaining, surviving characters, it's only been 25 years.  Cloud 9 sounds totally weird and humorous and drenched with sex, history and politics, just how Olympia likes it. - NM

  • Midnight Sun Performance Space, through Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $7-$12, 113 N. Columbia St., Olympia, 360.250.2721

>>> FRIDAY, NOV. 9-SUNDAY, NOV. 11: GEM FAIRE

There are tons of great things to do in Tacoma this weekend, but the Gem Faire at the Tacoma Dome is a rather intriguing event. Quality gems, beads, crystals, minerals, findings and earth treasures will be available at wholesale prices. Yes, you can grab holiday project supplies, get personal treasures or simply browse and look at all the shiny, pretty, sparkly stuff. For the jewelry maker, there will also be tools, packaging supplies and millions of beads. Be sure to enter for a chance to win cool prizes at the Gem Faire with drawings every hour. The last time I witnessed a gem show it was at some hippy rainbow gathering event, and while that was pretty cool, this one is sure to be grander, and much more organized. - NM

  • Tacoma Dome, noon to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, $7 weekend pass, 12 years and younger free, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma, 253.272.3663.

>>> SATURDAY, NOV. 10-SUNDAY, NOV. 11: JURIED ART SHOW

Saturday and Sunday, Patrons of South Sound Cultural Arts (POSSCA), together with Friends of the Olympia Library are once again hosting their juried arts show and sale.  Come meet local artists and see works in jewelry, photography, painting, glass, pottery and more - just in time for the holidays! Admission is only $1 and all proceeds go to funding the Olympia Library and POSSCA's arts awareness mission, including their annual scholarship program, enabling talented high school seniors to pursue higher education in arts, and CAPS program, which provides musical instruments to students who would otherwise be unable to participate in school programs. - NM

  • National Guard Armory, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, $1, 515 Eastside St., SE, Olympia, www.possca.org.

WHAT SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE UP TO

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Theater Critic
I'm seeing Cloud 9 at St. Martin's to review, plus Twelfth Night at Lakewood Playhouse for fun. My sister's launching her barbecue restaurant, Smoking Mo's 2.0 in Shelton - highly recommended! And I'll spend a few hours trying to decide who said the dumbest thing about the election - Chris Matthews or Bill O'Reilly. So far Billo's ahead.

REV. ADAM MCKINNEY Music Writer
Saturday, I've got an annual Big Lebowski party to attend. Like all the other years I've attended, this year I will firmly plant my feet in the ground and refuse to go in costume. Now, if this were a Fargo party, I'd be set. I'd be Peter Stormare - just wearing long johns and eating TV dinners.

ALEC CLAYTON Arts Critic
Starting the Hustle again with one helluva weekend. Friday night I'm catching Leonard Cohen at KeyArena. Saturday, I will see Ordinary People at SPSCC. Sunday, I'm attending the PFLAG gathering in Olympia featuring a retired rear admiral from the U.S. Coast Guard and other guests discussing the end of "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

NIKKI MCCOY Feature Writer
This weekend I'm ready to post-election party. Friday night after slinging drinks, I'm going to let it out at the Olympia Ballroom for a night of Hillstomp and its swamp loving, bucket pounding ways. Saturday is a Thomas the Train toddler party, which shouldn't fair too bad, as long as I don't have too many greyhounds the night before. And Sunday is the usual chores, home-cooked dinner and America's Funniest Videos. By the way, I plan to catch my child(ren) someday giving their dad an unintentional groin punch, saying something ridiculously cute or air-guitaring their way to winning me $10,000, because there are child labor laws in this country and the way I see it, they already owe me at least double that for Star Wars toys and a pantry full of Annie's all natural mac 'n' cheese.

JOANN VARNELL Theater Critic
This weekend is chock full of theater! I will be reviewing Lakewood Playhouse's production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Sunday, I will be heading to Seattle for Wicked, which will make all of my friends happy since they will finally be allowed to talk about how great they thought it was when they saw it (weeks ago). I will be spending the rest of the time trying to get my adorable two year old to learn new party tricks in time for the upcoming holiday season.

TIMOTHY GRISHAM Music Writer
While the Olympia Film Festival kicks off with a glam-rock bang Friday, I look forward to Saturday's run at the theater. Starting with Richard Elfman (Brother of composer Danny Elfman, and member of Oingo Boingo) brings his film Forbidden Zone to the theater. The film also features amazing performances from the '80s party band. Then, of course at the strike of midnight is the all out assault on horror nerd senses, ALL FREAKIN NIGHT! I am particularly stoked for Killer Driller.

JOSH RIZEBERG Music Columnist
Friday I'll be chilling with The Family, observing Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath. Saturday, I'll trek to Kent and drink at The Central Ave Pub. They have live hip-hop and stiff drinks. The bar is a good mix of locals and Tacoma residents checking the local music out. Sunday, I'm smashing to Oly to hit-up hip-hop at the South Pacific Restaurant. The show is booked by Remex. He's a good, young dude doing some quality booking in the Oly area. I'll be looking to catch Heretic The Heathen's and Cam the Viking's set. Heretic is a freestyle beast from Oly.

JENNI BORAN Features Writer
I plan on finding a corner at Anthem Coffee and catching up on my NaNoWriMo. ... I'm about 1,600 words behind. And once I catch up? THE SESSIONS opens at The Grand Friday. I'm so there.

LINK: Even more local events that we recommend

LINK: Comprehensive South Sound Arts & Entertainment Calendar

November 9, 2012 at 9:00am

5 Things To Do Today: Second City Chamber, "Twelfth Night," Tim Meadows and more ...

KIM ARCHER BAND: Someone will bust out the Hustle tonight at Jazzbones.

FRIDAY, NOV. 9, 2012 >>>

1. Who really knows jack about Zen? Apparently the Second City Chamber does. Tonight it presents "Zen Pathways," a concert featuring meditative musical landscapes by Claude Debussy, Sophia Gubaidulina, Alan Hovhaness and Michio Miyagi at the Tacoma Art Museum. Some have scoffed at Zen. But don't be fooled! There's something going on here, something powerful and clandestine. You must infiltrate the center and report back with all Second City Chamber's secrets. You must tell us of all its inner machinations. We are trusting you with this reconnaissance mission - just you. 7:30 p.m., $10-$27, Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.TUNE

2. Mozart's The Magic Flute is a perennial favorite that lacks the depth of Mozart's collaborations with librettist da Ponte, but it is hard to resist the broadly drawn characters and brilliant writing. A great beginner opera, especially for mature children. Check it out tonight inside Lagerquist Concert Hall. 8 p.m., 8 p.m., $5-$15, Pacific Lutheran University, Parkland, 253.535.7411

3. Shakespeare was totally punk rock. Almost four centuries before rock and roll was invented, he was writing about sex and drugs. He messed around with gender roles long before David Bowie and Iggy Pop; he didn't shy away from discussing how horrible and violent society could be; he thumbed his nose at the establishment by weaving coded messages about the rebel Catholic underground and making fun of the upper class. Tonight, the Lakewood Playhouse presents Shakespeare's tale of love, lies, gender-bending bouts of mistaken identity and mustaches that is Twelfth Night. The Playhouse warns there will be audience participation, romance and occurrences of bawdiness. Yes! 8 p.m., $18-$24, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd. SW, Lakewood, 253.588.0042

4. Former Saturday Night Live funnyman Tim Meadows has stayed busy lately on Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office and The Daily Show and brings his standup act to the Tacoma Comedy Club tonight. 8 and 10:30 p.m., $20, 933 Market St., Tacoma, 253.282.7203

5. The Kim Archer Band will fill Jazzbones with R&B and blues beginning at 7:30 p.m. $7-$10, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169

LINK: Friday, Nov. 9 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

November 9, 2012 at 9:23am

TOMORROW: When jewelry becomes super "Sempervivum"

SWAMP THING: Lisa Kinoshita's "Sempervivum" will be celebrated tomorrow at the STAR CENTER. Courtesy photo

LET'S GATHER AND LOOK >>>

Get ready, Tacoma - there's some new public artwork coming atcha!

The piece, Sempervivum (Latin for ever living), blooms at Metro Parks' STAR Center. The afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 10, it will be officially dedicated at a free public event. Come meet artist Lisa Kinoshita and learn more about the artwork and how it offers tribute to the natural wetlands surrounding it.

Both the STAR Center and the grounds are unique. The grounds are a former swamp, but ironically where the sculptures went in was a mix of hard clay and rock that required jackhammers to break through. STAR Center is a facility that brings together three entities - soon-to-be LEED-certified STAR Center, Boys & Girls Club, and Gray Middle School - that share their facilities for activities in the community.

"Two things really attracted me about it," says Kinoshita, "the little-known history of ‘the South Tacoma Swamp' and the changing identity of the area, exemplified in some ways by the STAR Center. There is a rich historical legacy built on transportation in this neighborhood, but it doesn't have immediacy for younger people."

She hopes that her project's integration of the area's natural history and green design will help change that.

The sculpture features three large metal pieces with plants all around them. The metal sculptures imitate a plant called a sedum, which Kinoshita chose for their extreme hardiness.

Kinoshita previously mostly worked in jewelry. She came to the project via the PA:ID program - a program that educates artists on the world of public art - and says that moving from jewelry design to outdoor sculpture was a surprisingly natural leap.

"Much of my jewelry is architecturally inspired, and the Sempervivum sculptures echo some of my favorite jewelry forms - they are very structural and echo the natural symmetries found in nature," says Kinoshita. "I worked closely with my metal fabricator, Quinn Honan, who is an amazing artist and truly has a gift for bringing two-dimensional drawings to life."

STAR CENTER, SATURDAY, NOV. 10, 2 P.M., 3873 SOUTH 66TH ST., TACOMA, 253.404.3939

November 9, 2012 at 10:29am

Soundgarden's Seattle shows to go on sale

THIS JUST IN >>>

Three days before the release of its first studio album in 16 years, King Animal, Soundgarden announced it's brief North American theater tour will hit Seattle's Paramount Theatre Thursday, Feb. 7 and Friday, Feb. 8. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 at LiveNation.com, Tickets.com, 24-hour kiosk at the Paramount Theatre or charge by phone (877) STG-4TIX.

Soundgarden broke up in 1997 while touring behind the previous year's Down on the Upside. Its members reunited in 2010, playing concerts (including a headlining slot at Lollapalooza and issuing a greatest-hits collection called Telephantasm.

November 9, 2012 at 11:50am

SOUTH SOUND SIDEKICK: First tattoo advice

WIZARD GARRETT: "Don't listen to your friends."

South Sound Sidekick series offers advice from experts living in the, well, South Sound. It posts every Friday. Today, tattoo artist Wizard Garrett has advice to those seeking their first tattoo. Garrett has been tattooing since 2001 and has worked in comics since 2006. The focus of his work is on the aggressive and rapacious approach in the dark side of human nature, the magic and phantasmagoria that dominates the fantasy, horror and Gothic themes of the late 1800s.

Wizard Garrett writes,

When getting your first tattoo there are usually lots of roadblocks, hurdles or unseen complications that make it hard for a client to get into the chair with a design that makes them and the artist happy. Imagine bringing your own recipe printed off the Internet to a restaurant requesting the chef to prepare that particular meal instead of what he was trained to do or even knows how to do.

Now, most of the time artists tell their clients to go through portfolios to find the perfect tattoo artist for them. In theory this makes sense. In reality, in most cases, clients don't know exactly what they want. They find themselves searching for subject matter that comes closest to what they want tattooed on them - not quality of lines, blends, values of shading, saturation of colors, composition and flow of design.

Why would anyone coming in for a first tattoo look for these things?

I will tell you, it's because it's not their job, just like I have no idea what seasonings to use when cooking certain main course meals.

So, what does a first time client need to do when getting their first tattoo? Trust, faith and good intuition. Let the professionals worry about the technical blueprints of creating the perfect design for you. Most trained artists understand the importance of the body's anatomy and why it's relevant to designing your tattoo.

Quick don'ts for any new tattoo client: Don't bring your child and/or big group of friends with you for consultations or procedures.

Don't speculate that just ANYone can do your simple (lettering, logos or single lined) tattoo, the simpler they look the easier they are for someone with little experience to mess up.

Don't price shop for your tattoo. Make the investment the first time so you don't have to spend more to have a different studio cover or fix it. Rome wasn't built in day; we understand the importance of forever just as much as client is concerned. Most studios will try their best to accommodate their client's budget.

Don't listen to your friends, co-workers, family members, the Internet or other tattoo studios when it comes to the aftercare of your fresh tattoo. Listen to whatever aftercare instructions your particular artist gives you and follow them. Most artists guarantee their work and will do a touch-up if its necessary, but if you start playing mad scientist with the healing of your new tattoo then you might not get that understanding artist with your she said he said story.

Do eat an hour or so before you come in. Might be a good idea to bring a sucker or two, that way if you get light headed you can help level out your sugar levels to prevent from passing out. (Also, it can be nice to have something to bite on.)

Do dress appropriately for where ever the tattoo may go. For example if your getting tattooed on your back you should bring a zip up hoodie to wear backwards exposing the back for the artist to work but still providing a professional and comfortable atmosphere.

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