Cute for cuteness' sake

I'm working on a new portfolio, since I left mine at Off the Map by accident.
I'm making new stickers and business cards.
I'm wanting a new website asap, but I have a lot of issues surrounding that.

So much to do now that I'm back in Minnesota.
I'll be working hard in between appointments this week.
Planning doesn't leave much time for doing.

I had a very rough start to my day.
My tattoo equipment was locked in my car,
and the only known key was in Meryl's pocket at the University.
After some borrowed cars and special trips,
I had things almost figured out in time for this too-cute giraffe tattoo.



It was two and a half hours of forearm fun.
I let her in on all of my secrets, and she even sat through a critique of the tattoos I did out east last week.
That's a buttload of honesty to witness the first time getting tattooed by me.
Most tattoo artists try and play like they are perfect,
and that absolute trust and loyalty needs to be shown.
I'm more of the feeling that we're all in this together,
and it's exactly what we make it.
So cuteness happened, and we were both pleased.

Back in the MPLS

A title playing off of a Beatles song?
I must be tired.

Yesterday was jam packed with traveling.
Thanks to Kristen for getting up even earlier, and taking me to the Springfield bus station at 4 am.

I fell asleep on buses, on planes, even on hot mom's shoulders.
You can take my window seat for your little brat kid,
but I'm going to be leaning on something.
I hope you don't mind,
but honestly, my embarrassment sensor has always been a little dull.
I woke up with half of my body in someone else's seat, my mouth ajar,
and I didn't feel a bit ashamed.

It's nice to be back in Minnesota.
Except for the hail and sleet that I woke up to.
Our groundhog had four shadows this year, so they are predicting a spring sometime in June.
I can't wait.

I'll miss the Maynard House, that's for sure.
We're going to set up an exchange program with them,
sending selected applicants to the other awesome city for residencies.
All I need on my side is a quality house name.

Now I'm off to Identity Tattoo, where it's a packed house.
Mr Kevin McNutt has been doing a guest spot back here while I've been gone, and he's working some of this week as well.
I have a few hours before my first appointment to unpack my stuff and get back into the swing of things.

The Adventures of Sheldon: A Handsome Devil and He Knows It!

This past weekend Sheldon went to the groomer for his monthly wash, trim and fluff. We splurged for the full service extras: nail trim, an herbal conditioner and teeth cleaning. Sheldon loves going to the grooming salon; his groomer fawns all over him, lavishing Sheldon with praise and hearty doses of petting and belly rubs along the way. Anyway, when he finally returned home he was so excited about his haircut that he ran over to the mirror to check himself out. He is one smart poodle. As he admired himself in the mirror, I swear I could hear him thinking: "I look really handsome". You see, Sheldon looks good and he knows it! Later in the evening I sat down for a few minutes, and he ran over and posed for this picture with me, turning to the camera at just the right angle. He is a handsome devil, isn't he?
-Rick Rockhill

The Final Day

I think I tattooed for 9.5 hours today.
Michelle and I threw down some color in those flowers, and she took it like a champ.
Then Kristen sat through this peony on her shoulder for a couple hours.



When it was Mary's turn, I found myself tattooing next to some very nice tattoos done in a no-outline painterly manner, of which I almost never do.
But when in Rome......
She didn't look until we were completely finished.
I only took a couple of peeks myself.
(kidding)
I didn't get a decent photo, since it was dark outside (and inside), but she promises a photo by email soon.
I think I earned a few points.
Her and her boyfriend are super good people, and I wish them the best with everything.
Off the Map and all of the guest artists are so fortunate to have her.


It's now midnight.
In four hours I'm headed to the bus station.
Then to the airport.
And finally home.
I will probably sleep the rest of the day away,
but will be back at Identity Tattoo bright and not so early Tuesday.

A Rainy Sunday Morning.

It's raining,
and I'm kinda sick.
Maybe allergies?
I'm running at about 75%.
But today is the last day of me tattooing here at Off the Map,
so I only have 3 tattoos left to tough it out through.
I think it's three flowers, too.
Michelle is getting hers finished from November,
then Kristen,
and then Mary the Miraculous Multi-tasker is getting some yet to be drawn up flower and moth creation.

And that one HAS to be hot,
because there's a lot riding on it.
Like the title of "Favorite Guest Artist."
Right now me and Timmy B are running neck to neck.
He's charming, and cute, it's true.
But he's about 3 or 4 shirts behind in the gift giving category.
And none of his super hot tattoos can be found on Mary's skin.
And now every shirt he gives her, and every tattoo he does on her will only be an empty gesture that's an obvious attempt to catch up.
Ha.
So, Mr Timmy B, the stakes are being upped today,
at about 5:30pm.
I will fight through the sniffles, and hold in the sneezes.

The last couple days have been pretty busy.
Friday night was the get together at Sierra Grill.
Northampton on one side, Wallingford on the other.
It was an awesome dinner, and I'm pumped so many people drove so many miles.
We had a few more than expected, and then a few more showed up, really testing the patience of the Grill.

Afterward, a bunch of us hit up the WWII.
I don't know how to explain it.
A dork bar with dancing and Karaoke.
But not hipster dorks, real ones.
We fit in perfectly, especially when I was on the dance floor.
In my tie.

There's been tattooing happening as well.
Yesterday Sarah and Big Dean rocked the day away.
She's headed down to St Thomas to live, and needed a memory of Connecticut.
Oak trees are the state tree, and who doesn't love an acorn?

Big Dean and I have figured out a healing method for him that works successfully.
Being the main man bike mechanic at Pedal Power in Middletown means he gets a lot of chemicals and serious grossness all up on those arm tattoos.
But the Star Wars sleeve we finished yesterday is looking good.
We did some Tie Fighters, and general background for about 5 hours.


Tomorrow I head back to Minnesota,
where it will be so good to see Meryl
and be back in my very comfy station in Identity Tattoo,
but now I'm off to win hearts and titles in my final day of Off the Map.

Sunday Art Review: Photography of Seth Hoffman

My weekly Sunday Art Review feature has become a popular favorite with regular readers of this blog. Each week I attempt to showcase various forms of art across a multitude of mediums. I never profess to be an art expert or art snob. (Although I did study Art History in college). Regardless, the Sunday Art Review is never pretentous, rather a place for people to be exposed to something different each week. Art is subjective- what one person finds appealing may not be another person's taste. Art can be oil on canvas, sculpture, carvings, glass, clay, architecture, jewelry design, photography and many other forms. This week I am pleased to present The Sunday Art Review: Photography of Seth Hoffman. With Seth's permission I am featuring three examples of his work here on this post. His next exhibit is in LaQuinta, CA on May 3, 2009. click here for details. Seth's work is painstakingly handcrafted in darkrooms in thiocarbamide toned silver gelatin prints. I hope you enjoy his unique work:

above: these palm trees against the sky are beautiful, aren't they?

above: "La Quinta Storm"

above: Big Sur ocean seascape

Thanks for stopping by this week's Sunday Art Review. If you enjoyed Seth's work, please stop by his site and let him know.

-Rick Rockhill

The Saturday Seven: Favorite Paula Abdul Songs

Like millions of others, I am a faithful fan of American Idol. Each season I follow the auditions across the country and eventually begin rooting for my favorite contestants when it gets down to the top 10. This season is no exception- there are plenty of good singers on the show this year! As a side note, one of my favorites was Jennifer Hudson from season three. A few years back I had the chance to meet Jennifer Hudson at a private party here in in Palm Springs. But I digress). I can honestly say that I also watch because I am a fan of Paula Abdul. I have always liked Paula, way back in the 80's when she was on the radio constantly. Despite some of the grief people give her I think Paula is awesome. She is the inspiration for this week's scintillating edition of The Saturday Seven: Favorite Paula Abdul Songs
#1 The Way That You Love Me
#2 Opposites Attract
#3 Forever Your Girl
#4 Dance Like There's No Tomorrow
#5 Straight Up
#6 Cold Hearted
#7 Knocked Out
Here's a YouTube video of Dance Like There's No Tomorrow:

Thanks for stopping by this week's Saturday Seven post. I'll have more news about Paula Abdul very soon....if you want a sneak peak, click here...or here.
-Rick Rockhill

Whale tales.

Yesterday was a big day, since Mr. Rich got his knee to foot sleeve finished.
It's been going on for 5 years.
That takes us way back,
all the way to the Lincoln St shop in Cromwell.
egads.
So we did some filling in, and connecting pieces to make it look like everything was a part of the bigger plan.
And we also added a few gull guys, since I've been doing wings every day, and didn't want to break the streak.
(he also asked for them)

Rich sat so well, he fell asleep.
He seemed slightly embarrassed about it, but I think that's awesome.
Tough guys always claim they fell asleep during their last tattoo,
but falling asleep and passing out aren't exactly the same.

I talk some smack about dudes.
Dudes are usually a-holes.
Unless, however, they are my dudes.
And my dudes are coming out in numbers tonight.
We've made a reservation for 15 tonight at the Sierra Grill in Northampton, MA, but if you want to show up, we'll tell the front person to grab a few more chairs.
It'll be the craziest mix up of people ever.
Northampton meets Wallingford.
Even my sister is showing up,
getting off of a plane from Detroit,
and driving north instead of toward New Haven.

A couple days left, then it's back to MPLS,
with a camera full of pictures,
and the want to plan the next East Coast trip.

A few birthday wishes,
going out to Mr Lucky Lambright,
and my Northampton Handyman Jamie.
38, and 29, respectively.
I'm all dressed up to celebrate,
getting older and not casual friday.

Philatelic Friday: Stamps of Noteworthy Women

Welcome to another edition of Philatelic Friday, this week's topic is Stamps of Noteworthy Women. I've featured stamps of other women in prior Philatelic Friday posts, so I won't repeat those. Instead, I've searched low and high, near and far and all around for an interesting variety of women to include in this post. The feature stamp here is of Eva Peron, former first lady of Argentina and later immortalized in the Broadway musical, Evita. Controversial, idolized, vilified and admired by millions, she remains an interesting figure to this day, even 57 years after her death. The rest of the women featured on stamps below are a true cross-section of society. I hope you enjoy this edition of Philatelic Friday...

above: Eleanor Rathbone, Great Britain

above: Anna Julia Cooper, USA

above: Margaret Mead, USA

above: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, USA

above: Martha Washington, USA

above: Women's Progress: Elizabeth Stanton, Carrie Catt and Lucretia Mott, USA

above: Princess Ka 'iulani, from Hawai'i (pre US)

above: The Queen Mum, Great Britain

above: Blues singer 'Ma Rainey, USA

above: athlete Wilma Randolph, USA

Thanks for stopping by another edition of Philatelic Friday, have a great day!

-Rick Rockhill

Hangin' With Ben & Nat

I've been super busy this week, with scarcely any time to breathe, never mind blog. This photo is from last weekend, when we met up with my friend Ben and his lovely wife Natalie for breakfast. They were in the desert for a few days, visiting from Indianapolis. Ben and I are old buds...we used to work together but still keep in touch. The cool thing about this dude is that even though we don't talk that often, when we meet up we just jump back into it like we saw each other a day or two ago. We have a special bond through someone who is no longer with us, but I won't get into that now, it is still too painful to think about. This day was a happy occasion. We joked. We laughed. And most importantly, we ate. I had some delicious pancakes and cawfee...gosh I love breakfast. Oh check out the SWEET Stevie Nicks t-shirt I am wearing in the photo above. Look below for a close-up of it...

above: Here is a zoom up of my Stevie Nicks t-shirt. This is one of my favorites. Well that's all for now. Have a great day.
-Rick Rockhill

My, how the time does fly!

Tina made me promise that I wouldn't post this picture.
Of course, then I felt obligated to post it twice.
So, I compromised, and only posted it once.
I'm sure all parties will find this outcome most agreeable.



Tina and Jay come out wherever I am.
They bring bags of vegan treats and cases of Dr Pepper, or take me out to dinner.
They've come to Northampton before, and Boston, and I stayed with them over the holidays.
This time, however, Jay thought he'd switch things up a bit, and actually get tattooed.
I think I met at least some of the criteria he asked for with this piece.




The top half was mostly stenciled, while the legs and everything below them were Sharpied on.
Jay sat like a champ, and it took about 5 1/2 hours.

Dean also came up for the day.
He and Jay are a dangerous combination for tattoos.
I was laughing so hard a few times, I had to stop.
Other times, I probably ought to have stopped but didn't.
I fought through the tears, and got it done.
I'm sure the time went by way faster for me than Jay,
but that's what he gets.
Time flies when you're having fun.

Day 2, and already busting out skull carrots?

Both my customers today not only used to get tattooed by me in CT, but they both have visited me out in MN at Identity Tattoo for more work since.
Today they've added MA to their list of states where I've tattooed them, and they don't know each other.
Crazy.

Rob sneakily by-passed my normal booking process and scheduled a spot with me by giving the shop a call and a deposit over the phone.
That meant I was overbooked by a lot, but I moved some things around to make it work.
I also tattooed 10 hours today.
He came to the shop with a music note that his friend drew for him in 2005, and somehow we did nothing even close to that.
Instead, I Sharpied this brutal bunny and carrot piece, and it just seemed a better fit.
Really?
I thought so.






(Maybe it was the carrot soup Eva bought me for lunch.)
Kyle Mack, the purple was for you.

Today is Jay Mcmanus' birthday, so tomorrow I tattoo some "time flies" themed stuff on him.
He might be bringing a few people.
And Albie Rock might drive down from his mountain and meet up with us as well.

So much good stuff is going on.
It's a lot to pack into a week.
So far I'm keeping up.

"Who will thresh the wheat?"

Tyrant and T were there when I landed in Boston,
rocking a Mr Hebrank sign.
Nice.
I'm pretty sure that's a first for me.
We hit up the vegan restaurant Grasshopper in Allston, MA on our way to Northampton,
which is a must if you're in the area.
It's all vegan, and next to a vegan pizza place as well.

I was dropped off at the Maynard House, where awesome folks and good food were waiting for me.
Heather, who doesn't even live here, made a soup for me that was in the fridge and literally had my name on it.
Vegan lasagna and zucchini bread from Amy and Jaime.


I have way more than my share of awesome people around me.
Generous and loyal kids who go way out of their way to make sure you got what you need, and then some.
I've weeded out by now the people who Albie Rock refers to as "weak sauce".
I know the Little Red Hens of the world, making that tasty bread.
Pockets filled with scraps of paper,
to-do lists and books to read.
I'm glad to be able to share stories and hugs with friends of friends who are immediately new friends.
Everyone that I'm close with seems to be working on a big project right now.
Finding good company, working hard, and keeping each other focused.
I think somehow all of the many plans we have are tied together.
I surround myself with those who contribute.

Things were pretty easy at Off the Map today.
Amber got crows above each of her elbows, but I didn't get a picture.
She's an animal fixer and an amazing photographer.
It was nice to hang out again.

Amy wanted a couple of cute little pine cones, so that's what we did.
We did the pine needles in a greywash only (to keep them subtle),
so I'll try and snap another photo of it later on in the week.
Don't mind the yellow Sharpie around it.
I'm sure that will wash off.



I have drawings to do for tomorrow.
Planned tattoos and unplanned.
It's 1 am, but only midnight my time.
I took it easy today, and will make up for it tomorrow.

An Evening with Buddy Greco and Lezlie Anders!

Saturday evening we had a fabulous night out on the town. We went to a place that has quickly become one of the hottest tickets in the Palm Springs area, Buddy Greco's Dinner Club. Founded by the world-renowned artist Buddy Greco and his lovely and talented wife Lezlie Anders, the club is reminiscent of the old supper clubs from the early days of American Jazz dinner clubs across the country. Buddy Greco has recorded 69 albums and 100 singles in jazz, standards and pop format similar to the style of Frank Sinatra or Bobby Darin. This past year he toured with the BBC Big Band performing the great jazz standards. Both Greco and Anders star in the show at their club, an intimate setting that has the energy and feel of a jazz club in Manhattan.

I borrowed this photo below from their website, showing the lounge/bar area:

above: From this photo on their website, here are Buddy Greco and Lezlie Anders enjoying cocktails at their lounge.

above: the club has a wonderful old Hollywood club feel, complete with dramatic black draperies and this fab chandelier....

above: inside the club, the walls are adorned with memorabilia of Buddy Greco's long and illustrious career. On the right wall are album covers from some of Buddy's 69 albums.

above: I took this photo just before the show began. Being the Palm Springs Savant, we had front row seats...

above: before dinner we enjoyed wine amid soft candle light, accented with fresh white roses on the table.
A Delicious Pre-Show Dinner

above: I had Chicken Marsala

above: Cousins Peg and Rich had Osso Buco

above: John had the Salmon, with fresh raspberries

above: and for dessert, chocolate raspberry cake! (Bee it was delicious too)

above: Once the show started, I enjoyed a delicious Pomegranate Martini to get in the mood.

above: the club has great old photos of Buddy Greco, here is is with Dean Martin (left) and with Frank Sinatra (right)

above: These photos are of Buddy Greco with Marilyn Monroe.

above: I didn't snap any photos during the show myself, but this photo is from their website. Lezlie Anders performs with Buddy Greco.

above: a very blurry and disappointing photo of me with Buddy Greco. I'll have to swing by for a new photo sometime...I saw this site of the Buddy Greco fan page. Here is an old clip on You Tube of Buddy Greco singing his siganture song Lady is a Tramp

If you are ever in the Palm Springs area, I recommend a visit to Buddy Greco's Dinner Club, you'll be glad you did.
-Rick Rockhill

Sunday Art Review: Study of Grapes

It has been a relaxing weekend at home in the desert, quiet nights outside, enjoying the crisp dry desert air with a nice glass of wine. Last night we enjoyed a bottle of St. Clement Oroppas, a 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon which was delicious. As I stared at my glass of wine, I found inspiration for this week's Sunday Art Review: A Study of Grapes. Regular readers of this blog know that I enjoy wine. While primarily a red wine household, we have been known to have our share of white wine on hand, especially for a warm afternoon when something cool, light and crisp is a refreshing way to pass some time at home. I thought it might be interesting to feature a few images of grapes and their relationship to wine. Enjoy...

above: "Feeling Wine", by Sommers, oil on canvas

above: "Grapes" by Karen Wright, oil.

above: "Pinot Noir Grapes" by Anna Knights

above: "Cabernet Grapes", photograph. Artist unknown.

above: "Grapes" by Tsunetomo Morita, oil on canvas.

above: "Grapes" by Vivian Hershfield, painting

I hope you enjoyed this week's Sunday Art Review: Study of Grapes. Which do you like best and why? Please leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you. Enjoy the weekend!

-Rick Rockhill