NBAF 2013
ARTIST Q&A
LONGSTAFF JON FAGAN BLACK DOG TATTOO
You've recently moved in to Norwich City Centre - what was the reason for moving from Stratton? When I first opened in Long Stratton it was as a one-man band. Having built things up enough for Enzo Barbareschi and my apprentice Lizzy to join me full time as well as regular guest slots with Mr. Jerrold, I needed bigger premise. When my lease on the Long Stratton shop drew to a close I looked for somewhere on St. Benedicts Street, which was a favourite haunt of my youth way back in prehistory! I like Long Stratton and its surroundings a lot. I've tattooed them from Wacton to Aslacton and Bunwell to as far afield as Bungay!
We're very happy to have you join our thriving tattoo scene in Norwich - what do you think you bring to the party, as a studio? As a studio and as tattooists our main aim is to put on a good tattoo that has been well designed at all stages and fits the client's anatomy. In the main our work begins as a response to the clients ideas, and we interpret them within the parameters of our own drawing styles. We love a lot of imagery from both western and eastern traditions of tattooing.
You've had Olly Jerrold as a guest artist in the shop - what do you think guesting does to enhance the artist and the shop? Does it keep you on your toes? Keep it fresh?! Tey say a change is as good as a rest; guesting certainly does give people a different perspective on what they do. People trade new ideas with one another, and of course customers get the chance to get tattooed by someone who might be quite difficult to reach otherwise.
Why do you personally make conventions part of your yearly calendar? I only do a couple of conventions a year at most. Tis year it's Norwich and Florence - I do them to catch up with people I know and to meet people I don't. Tey're great but knackering!
Finally, are you looking forward to NBAF this year? We are all very much looking forward to NBAF this year, and especially to seeing everyone in the new venue. See you there!
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NORWICHBODYARTFESTIVAL.CO.UK
ALAN PROCTOR
TWIT TWOO TATTOO
After 10 years in the industry, you decided to open up your own studio. What brought you to that decision? After working in several studios and the last couple together, myself and Nikki realised that we were more than ready to take on the challenge of opening our own studio together. It was the biggest commitment we could have made. I knew that in having a studio of my own, I could be more experimental with my work and take more time on creating pieces that I believe my clients deserve, and wanted to be able to offer other artists a space to work from where they can develop more freely and have fun with it all too.
What's the ethos at Twit Twoo? Ideally all we want is simply to have a happy atmosphere and creative space for artists to work from without any politics and to make ourselves accessible to the public in terms of making them feel welcome to visit us and have work done without any attitudes. We don’t think we are out of reach, just hard working artists who are living out our dreams.
As owners of a studio, you have the responsibility of recruiting artists into your team. Tell us about Team Twit Twoo, and what you look for in an aspiring artist? We simply look for people who have a drive to produce great work, have a great work ethic, those with no drama or princess attitudes. We have a great team at the moment and are super happy to be able to offer all styles between the three of us. We all have our preferences: my passion lies with big, bold, colourful old school traditional and Japanese themed pieces. Gary is our pattern work artist; he throws himself into a lot of sacred geometric patterns and dotwork and is our beautiful ginger bearded gent who lives breaths and sleeps tattoos. James, who recently joined our team was invited to work with us after I met him at NBAF2012! I was super impressed with his realism, portrait work and eye for smooth blends and to be honest the way he looks in a dress had us begging him to make the move to Edinburgh.
In terms of your own style, who's the ideal customer to come in to the shop for you? My ideal client is someone who comes in because they have seen my work and are super excited to let me do my thing - the bigger the bolder, the brighter, the better...
Finally, are you looking forward to NBAF this year? Absolutely looking forward to this year’s NBAF; the drive is a long and tiresome one but once we arrive I know it will be ace. Te whole team are working and I know it’s gonna be great.
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