 June 2010 |
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The years flow by like drops of water through our outstretched fingers-yadda, yadda, yadda. Actually, 2009 was a rather bumpy twelve months, wasn't it? The economy began to plummet, the banking industry went kerplunk and the housing market basically evaporated. The big ray of hope, of course, was having a new President in the White House, but that didn't seem to calm things down politically and it certainly didn't affect the tattoo world. In fact, not very much ever affects the tattoo world. While a few faltering shops gratefully bit the dust, new ones were opening on a weekly basis, and those with world-class reputations and talent seemed to continue as if nothing had happened. Sure, the guys and gals who based their income on walk-ins had diminished, but big-name artists were still booked months in advance and, if anyone dropped out, the waiting list was there to fill the gap. To celebrate getting on the other side of 2009, we have compiled a collection of the best features, photos and columns from the past year. You'll get to jump aboard the SKIN&INK time machine to revisit conventions at the Alamo, Richmond, Virginia and Beijing, China; tattoo shops in Boise, Idaho and London, England; Tattoo Road Trips to Simi Valley and Berkeley, California; Dana Brunson's flash collection from our special October Flash Issue; Lars Krutak's visit among the world's indigenous tribes; a tribute to legendary lenslady Jan Seeger; plus hundreds of photos and columnists, columnists, columnists. Yes, sir. One hundred and eighty pages, from cover to cover. All this plus a special yearbook poster created by our very own art director, Frank Cafiero. I just can't think of a better way to pay tribute to the past and kick-start the future. -Bob Baxter, Editor in Chief SKIN&INK |
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