TATTOO TALES

40. SHANE TAN- Chewing gum & Gangsters

If you follow Shane you’re familiar with his work: bold, striking, elegant in its simplicity. His painting a reference in the industry. 
I recommend you to meet him and his crew if you cross them at some convention, you won’t be disappointed. What I like most of Shane is his ethics and his contagious energy, which make his tattooing 100 times better. Today was great to have a laugh with him and a chat about his upbringing, me eating ass sausage in Paris and how to put a stencil with glue. 

Follow Shane on Instagram

You can find him and his crew at feathercloudgallery.com

Learn more about Stef’s Mentor Program & webinars

Follow updates on the podcast Instagram

39. MICHELLE MYLES- NYC Tattoo history

Are you interested in tattoo history?
Get your pen and notebook because this episode is packed with goodies.


Once again live at the Aachen’s tattoo convention, I had the pleasure of sharing an afternoon with Michelle Myles from Daredevil Tattoo. 
Her professional journey goes all the way back to the days of New York’s ban on tattooing. As she crossed path with some true legends in the business - she tells us of when she got tattooed by Mike Malone to mention one - she also did live and breathe the true spirit of the city’s tattooing and history with the Bowery as its pulsing heart. 

Michelle is a living encyclopedia, I’m still astonished by the level of detail of her research and memory. I’ll have to listen to this interview a few more times myself to get all the info on the various artists that passed through this area, truly one of the birthplaces of modern tattooing. 

 

If you’re in the city you can’t miss on the opportunity of taking one of her NYC Tattoo history walking tours, a priceless experience for those who cultivate an interest in the origins of this trade. 

 

Special thanks go to Andreas Coenen for making this possible and in general to organize one of the best shows on the planet for artists lineup but especially the authenticity of the event. 

 

 

You can find Michelle on Instagram and Daredevil Tattoo

Book a NYC tattoo history walking tour here 

 

Learn more about Stef’s Mentor Program & Webinars

38. ANDREW STORTZ & NICK SWARTZ- Tattoo podcasts

What do podcasts bring to the tattoo world? What to do with haters? Will Andrew produce Nick’s new career into the videoverse? And will I ever try Nick’s power barbecue? 

 

I sat with Andrew Stortz and Nick Swartz, hosts of the two best tattoo podcasts around, to answer these and other deep philosophical questions. 

Find Nick’s podcast on Instagram and Spotify

Find Andrew’s podcast on Instagram and booksclosedpodcast.com

 

Learn more about our Tattoo Mentor Program

Learn more about our Webinars

37. RYAN ROI- The spiritual side of money

For tattooers and creatives the artistic side is not the only factor in running a successful business and giving life to our vision. Money is often a painful note that can stress us out and rob us of creative and productive energy. Ryan, tattooer and financial advisor, teaches us that it doesn’t have to be.

What I find particularly valuable in Ryan’s approach is how he works on the blocks that subconsciously affect our relationship with finances, especially our rooted feelings about money. A deeper work that in the long run is more powerful than just quick investing hacks.

 

You can find Ryan on Instagram, at theartfuldollar.com and on his new podcast

 

Learn more about Stef’s Mentor Program & Webinars

 

36. MICHAEL MORILD- Art supplies: why it’s better to invest in quality

Michael is a Danish abstract painter that has been represented at the Van Gogh Art Gallery and the danish Creative Mind Art&Design.

I’ve know Michael for over ten years, through his previous job managing one of Copenhagen best art supply. 

I’ve always believed that if you really wanna know more about specific paints, brushes and paper you just have to talk with the people at the desk, they’re walking encyclopedias. Michael is one of those, especially as a self taught artist I’ve learned lots from him over the years, stuff you don’t find in books. 

In this interview, originally part of the Food Bank project - a series of Live Zoom talks with various artists to raise money for food banks across the world - we explored different mediums and materials. The goal was to shine some light on some of the most common questions we have as artists, regardless of the level, so to help you understand better at the moment of choosing the right stuff. 

You can find Michael on Instagram

You can read more about the Food Bank projects and all the other charity initiatives here

You can get more info on my painting seminars, where I go into depth on some of these topics here  and on the webstore

 

35. RUSS ABBOTT- Innovation within tradition

Tattooing and everything connected to it changed profoundly in the last years: the rise of social medias; the opening of a once underground world to a wider audience, with a controversial spectrum of consequences; the distribution of information. These and more aspects of this art form are being redefined and one of them is particularly present in today’s modus operandi: technology.

The traditional approach has been disrupted by the advent of iPads and Procreate.

 

Russ has seen this shift before everybody and created TattooSmart, a company that provides tattooers with digital tools specifically related to tattoo iconography and designs, establishing his company as leader in the field.

 

Today we talked about how technology and progress are something not to be feared but a helpful tool to optimize process, the evolution of business models, the future of TattooSmart and how to implement know-how from other fields to propell our businesses into a new era.

 

You can know more about Russ and his projects on:

tattoosmart.com

Inkanddagger.com

Instagram

 

34. BERNIE LUTHER- The smile of a kid in an old timer

For this episode we found ourselves in Aachen at the Kaiserstadt Tattoo Expo, as always flawlessly organized by Andreas Coenen.

The show opened with a pre-party exhibiting the life work of Bernie Luther, a mind-blowing array of flashes produced over four decades of traveling the world. 
On the following day I had the pleasure of recording this interview in front of a lovely audience, which made the energy of this afternoon very special. 

Bernie shared with us the recollections from  his 40 years tattooing carreer, filled with laughter, priceless anecdotes and with the joyful energy that makes him unique.

 

You can find Bernie on Instagram

Find the Aachen’s convention on Instagram

33. FREDDY CORBIN -When kindness meets talent

There is a reason if everybody likes Freddy Corbin.

His experience and contribution made him well known all over the world but that only doesn’t bring you that type of respect. His kind personality makes him connect joufully with people, instantly making you feel at ease. Even from a brief chat you can sense that he cares.

 

Needless to say it was an honor and a great pleasure to have him spend an evening with us, to share his story and insights.

If you have the chance don’t miss on visiting his Temple Tattoo in Oakland, a Mecca in the Bay Area’s tattooing.

 

Find Freddy on Instagram and at Temple Tattoo

 

 

32. NICK COLELLA & ROBERT RYAN- The Off The Wall Project

This episode is part of the OFF THE WALL project, an initiative to put the spotlight back on flashes as foundation of traditional tattooing. 

Learn more at @stef_bastian_presents

 

Today’s guests are Nick Colella and Robert Ryan.

Two veterans of traditional tattooing, these artists give us an insightful look on what it means to immerse yourself in the tattoo culture, what makes a design impactful and balanced and share some tattoo history from their respective backgrounds.

 

Above all, they set an example of humility.
Humility towards the timeless designs and who came before us but especially towards the most important element in this dynamic: the people that get tattooed. 

Find Nick on Instagram, at @chicagotattoohistory and at Great Lakes Tattoo in Chicago

 

Find Robert on Instagram and Electric Tattoo

31. OMAR EDMISON & BOBEUS- The Off The Wall Project

This episode is part of the OFF THE WALL project, an initiative to put the spotlight back on flashes as foundation of traditional tattooing. 

Learn more at @stef_bastian_presents

 

In these interviews we talk with Omar and Bobeus about their own personal approach and experience and how to make the most of flashes in the learning process. 
We mention tattooers that influenced the art form deeply(like Greg Irons, Bob Shaw and JD Crowe); the importance of Purpose behind every line; the purity of folk art and much more. 

 

Find Omar on Instagram

Find Bobeus on Instagram