Tattoo Artist (best in the world!)
I MUST give credit where credit is due.
I have lived in 17 different towns, 3 different cities and 4 different states. In NY, where I grew up, I had a friend do my early tattoo's. He was my stable artist from 18 yrs old until I moved here to NH, at 22. I was sad, and was lost for a good artist. Then it happened, I found him! The BEST tattoo artist (for ME anyway).
Alternative Sun/Spider Bite is 1 of the most reknowned "Beauty Salon's" in all of New England, and are known all over the world. John, the owner/founder, is a very dear friend of my old man, as well as our neighbor, anyway, he was the groundbreaker in Manchester- John is the 1 who fought to have tattooing legalized in the town. Andy Ellis, the 1st artist to work legally in Manchester, NH.
Andy Ellis, he has worked on me since the 1st week it was legalized, in May 2004. I gave him my drawings, and told him my ideas, and gave him the freedom to do what he pleases with me. Andy moved to Mayhem Ink in Nashua, and I followed him there, where he worked for a while. But he left there too, it's ok, because no matter where he goes I will follow. He is currently working in Manchester again, and that's super cool because I live in Manch!
Andy Ellis
Good Times Tattoo & Body Piercing
1662 Elm St., Manchester, NH 03101
603-669-6969 (gotta love the play on #'s here, he he)
If ever you are in NH- you MUST have Andy do your work. He is amazing, and a great person as well. He has become a dear friend to me, that happens after spending soooo much time with a person in such an intimate way.
Andy fixed a bad tat I had, as well as added onto & modified pre-existing pieces. My rt. shoulder was a fairy holding a violin, just her head & arms were there, she just kinda floated there, without a purpose. She had meaning to me of course, she was representative of my Grandpa- who, moments before passing away, revealed to us that the woman with the violin was in the corner waiting. My Nana told him to go with her, and he let go. So, the violin is for him, an instrument he taught me to love, the fairy is my interpretation of what an angel is. She now has a body, and is sleeping in a gorgeous flower. She looks completely different, and I must say, BETTER.
Below (the above piece), is my other fairy, I drew her as well, she represents the angel that came for my Nana, 1 yr. after my Grandpa, she's extended & reaching above, holding the violin, in a supportive manner, she is on her way to see him. She was plain, B&W, barely shaded, and rather androgenous, the artist (also in NH- but he sucks so I will leave his name out) really screwed up my drawing. He messed the wings up, it was as if he had never seen a naked woman before, no shape, boyish & no nipples! I never went back to have it fixed, because, well, he sucked! Andy was able to make her beautiful, gave her a shape, gave her dimension, brought her to life. Her wings and her body are completely different now.
The bottom fairy, the largest of them, I drew as a randition of me. She is my vulnerable side, naked, for all to see, she sits in a bed of flowers, with huge colorful wings. He took my drawing, and he made it better- I love it.
My right thigh was also B&W shaded tropical flowers, they were done when I was 19, and I never went back for color. Andy retouched the entire outline, gave it more dimension and colored it in, each flower represents a portion of my personality:
The Daylily, whose scientific name is Hemerocallis, which is based on the Greek words for day and beauty, which reflects my love for Greek tradition (I am Greek Orthodox), and my inner beauty.
The Daffodil, whose scientific name is Narcissus, which is derived from that of the narcissistic youth of Greek mythology called Narkissos, it represents death, which then leads to rebirth, new beginnings.
The Orchid is an exotic, sensual flower with a musky aroma. It stands for refinement and elegance. It represents who I believe I am.
The various Hibiscus, indigineous to my native Hawaii (born in Maui), they are in memory of my Biological Father, but also have a deeper representation, the scientific name is Mutabilis, which in Latin means "to Change" and I am constantly eveolving.
To tie all of them together, from shoulder to thigh, Andy did all the flowers FREE HANDED! He does great work, bottom line.
Check him out, he's the shit!
I MUST give credit where credit is due.
I have lived in 17 different towns, 3 different cities and 4 different states. In NY, where I grew up, I had a friend do my early tattoo's. He was my stable artist from 18 yrs old until I moved here to NH, at 22. I was sad, and was lost for a good artist. Then it happened, I found him! The BEST tattoo artist (for ME anyway).
Alternative Sun/Spider Bite is 1 of the most reknowned "Beauty Salon's" in all of New England, and are known all over the world. John, the owner/founder, is a very dear friend of my old man, as well as our neighbor, anyway, he was the groundbreaker in Manchester- John is the 1 who fought to have tattooing legalized in the town. Andy Ellis, the 1st artist to work legally in Manchester, NH.
Andy Ellis, he has worked on me since the 1st week it was legalized, in May 2004. I gave him my drawings, and told him my ideas, and gave him the freedom to do what he pleases with me. Andy moved to Mayhem Ink in Nashua, and I followed him there, where he worked for a while. But he left there too, it's ok, because no matter where he goes I will follow. He is currently working in Manchester again, and that's super cool because I live in Manch!
Andy Ellis
Good Times Tattoo & Body Piercing
1662 Elm St., Manchester, NH 03101
603-669-6969 (gotta love the play on #'s here, he he)
If ever you are in NH- you MUST have Andy do your work. He is amazing, and a great person as well. He has become a dear friend to me, that happens after spending soooo much time with a person in such an intimate way.
Andy fixed a bad tat I had, as well as added onto & modified pre-existing pieces. My rt. shoulder was a fairy holding a violin, just her head & arms were there, she just kinda floated there, without a purpose. She had meaning to me of course, she was representative of my Grandpa- who, moments before passing away, revealed to us that the woman with the violin was in the corner waiting. My Nana told him to go with her, and he let go. So, the violin is for him, an instrument he taught me to love, the fairy is my interpretation of what an angel is. She now has a body, and is sleeping in a gorgeous flower. She looks completely different, and I must say, BETTER.
Below (the above piece), is my other fairy, I drew her as well, she represents the angel that came for my Nana, 1 yr. after my Grandpa, she's extended & reaching above, holding the violin, in a supportive manner, she is on her way to see him. She was plain, B&W, barely shaded, and rather androgenous, the artist (also in NH- but he sucks so I will leave his name out) really screwed up my drawing. He messed the wings up, it was as if he had never seen a naked woman before, no shape, boyish & no nipples! I never went back to have it fixed, because, well, he sucked! Andy was able to make her beautiful, gave her a shape, gave her dimension, brought her to life. Her wings and her body are completely different now.
The bottom fairy, the largest of them, I drew as a randition of me. She is my vulnerable side, naked, for all to see, she sits in a bed of flowers, with huge colorful wings. He took my drawing, and he made it better- I love it.
My right thigh was also B&W shaded tropical flowers, they were done when I was 19, and I never went back for color. Andy retouched the entire outline, gave it more dimension and colored it in, each flower represents a portion of my personality:
The Daylily, whose scientific name is Hemerocallis, which is based on the Greek words for day and beauty, which reflects my love for Greek tradition (I am Greek Orthodox), and my inner beauty.
The Daffodil, whose scientific name is Narcissus, which is derived from that of the narcissistic youth of Greek mythology called Narkissos, it represents death, which then leads to rebirth, new beginnings.
The Orchid is an exotic, sensual flower with a musky aroma. It stands for refinement and elegance. It represents who I believe I am.
The various Hibiscus, indigineous to my native Hawaii (born in Maui), they are in memory of my Biological Father, but also have a deeper representation, the scientific name is Mutabilis, which in Latin means "to Change" and I am constantly eveolving.
To tie all of them together, from shoulder to thigh, Andy did all the flowers FREE HANDED! He does great work, bottom line.
Check him out, he's the shit!