#Skin deep tattoo shop skin#

One of her contributions to вЂњThawвЂќ is the Goth-inspired oil painting вЂњStar Stuff,вЂќ anВ image, in part, of a skull whose eye sockets are filled with glittering celestial colors and light.

#Skin deep tattoo shop skin#

вЂњWe paint on skin - my needles are basically my brushes.вЂќ вЂњMy goal is to integrate more of the fine arts into my tattooing, to look at things like contrast, light, and perspective,вЂќ Laabs said. She later took up oilВ painting and block printing, and though she didnвЂ™t earn a college degree in art, sheвЂ™s continued over the years to take art workshops and to study on her own. The tattoo artist, whoвЂ™s originally from Arizona, says sheвЂ™s been drawing вЂњever since I was old enough to hold a pencil.вЂќ ItвЂ™s the kind of show Off the Map likes to stage on a periodic basis, shop owner Gabriel Ripley says, both to give staff a chance to display their вЂњoutsideвЂќ art and to remind customers and the public that tattoo artists are just that: artists.ДЄ fine arts background of some sort, says Ripley, вЂњis pretty important in this kind of work.вЂќ If the shop isnвЂ™tВ necessarily looking for peopleВ with art degrees, he notes, вЂњwe like to see some kind of equivalency.вЂќД¬onsider Nicole Laabs, who organized the new exhibitВ and has contributed work to it. Thematically, itвЂ™s work thatвЂ™s been inspired by winter, with a little hint of early spring thrown in for good measure. вЂњThaw,вЂќ which is on display at Off The Map through early April, offers a range of paintings, prints, drawings and other work by the parlorвЂ™s resident artists and support staff. When they arenвЂ™t crafting designsВ on someoneвЂ™s skin, theyвЂ™re often working on paper or canvas with a paintbrush, pencil, or pen and ink. Image courtesy of Off the Map TattooДЇew acts are more intimate than tattooing an image on someone elseвЂ™s skin, but itвЂ™s often an act thatвЂ™s done in private - in a tattoo parlor.ДЄ newВ exhibit atВ EasthamptonвЂ™s Off the Map Tattoo aims to introduce the public to the artists behind the scenes, many of whom bring considerable training to their work. вЂќa вЂњI Felt a Funeral in My Brain,вЂќ pen and ink drawing by Natalie Kassirer. Nicole LaabsВ hangs illustrationsВ byВ Natalie KassirerВ of Amherst for вЂњThaw,вЂќ an exhibit by resident artists and staff at Off the Map Tattoo in Easthampton.В At left isВ вЂњSteambreatherвЂќ and at right 'I Felt a Funeral in My Brain.вЂќ GAZETTE STAFF/JERREY ROBERTSДЄ tattoo designed by Nicole Laabs, a resident artistВ at Off the Map Tattoo in EasthamptonВ whoвЂ™s organized a show at the shop of paintings, drawing and other work by staff. Nicole LaabsВ hangsВ вЂњAlfredвЂ™s Last Evening,вЂќ a fabric work by Jo O'Lone-HahnВ of Northampton,В for 'Thaw,' an exhibit of art by resident artistsВ and staff fromВ Off the Map Tattoo in Easthampton. Off the Map Tattoo shop in located in downtown EasthamptonВ in the old Majestic Theater building. вЂњStar Stuff,вЂќ oil paintingВ by Nicole Laabs.

Laabs has organized a show of work by the shopвЂ™s tattoo artists.

Nicole Laabs, of Holyoke, creates a rose tattoo on the thigh of Kate Churco, of Southampton, at Off the Map Tattoo in Easthampton. вЂњUntimely Beginning,вЂќ oil painting by Maximilian Rothert.