“Show me a man with a tattoo and I’ll show you a man with an interesting past.”
~Jack London
Tattooing has been something that has been around for hundreds if not thousands of years. With its origins beginning in the Neolithic period; there it was used to tell stories of the hunt, monsters as well as a treatment for arthritis. China, Egypt, Japan; this form of art making has permanently left its presence on the history of the world as a way to remember glorious days and long lost sorrows all the way up to our 21st century. The styles and technology may have changed, but the process is still the same, needles loaded with ink, penetrating flesh. That’s one place that Isabelle Rodriguez, our last RAW Hartford Artists draws inspiration from.
Originally from Western Massachusetts you can now find Isabelle putting ink to flesh at Hartford County Tattoo, where she works to make its patrons bare flesh more aesthetically pleasing. But what was it that drew this RAW artist to the world of tattoo? “I was working summers at a theme park doing henna tattoos when a co-worker suggested I look into tattooing; at first I was terrified, but within a year I decided I’d give it a shot.” So after leaving college behind her and jumped head first into working towards an apprenticeship she started down the road that would eventually lead her to a promising career as a tattoo artist. But the question you’re all asking is, “what about the work?”
And you’d not be disappointed, working in a bold, colorful, and graphical style, inspired through a love of comics “I tend to gravitate towards traditional and neo-traditional tattoos I find thick outlines and bold colors to be very aesthetically appealing”. Isabelle’s work tells a history of herself, at least to this viewer. Images of carps and skulls prominently featuring a fully open “third eye” speak of an artist who has herself opened her “third eye” and tapped into the raw and fearsome power of her own inspiration. While images of keys and locks hint that there could be still some doors left unopened or that what she has already found are the keys to unlocking those doors. All of these things coalesce into artist whose found happiness through putting art on people.
You can find Isabelle’s work along with the rest of the Hartford County Tattoo team at http://www.hartfordcountytattoo.com/page/artists/izzy and while you’re there why not give them a call and see what RAWsome artwork they can put on you today!
As we say goodbye to RAW Hartford and like the phoenix of legend burning brightly, we rise up and become something greater, RAW: Connecticut! So be sure you don’t miss out on any of our upcoming showcases or all amazing RAW artists at our new location, the New Haven Russian Lady. Next month, come and be a part of our next showcase “Expressions” on Wednesday May 29th. Doors open at 8 and remain so till midnight, for tickets, information about our artists and more about RAW can be found at http://www.rawartists.org/hartford
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