Page 17 - the NOISE February 2016

the SatuRateD neeDle OF SiMpliCitY
BUrlY fisH and tHe MediUM of sKin
ABOVE: A detail of Day of the Dead storY BY
Reaper by Mr. Sans
niKKi ChaRnStROM
With needle in hand and 27 years of experience, tattoo artist and owner of Burly Fish Tattoo & Piercing, Patrick Sans, expresses his artistic passion through the mechanics, craftsmanship and commitment involved with body art. since he was a teenager, he has been
intrigued with the history behind the ancient art form and the cultural affinity attached to a design. It was this “taboo craft” that enticed him, and the die-hard dedication required from both the client and the artist.
“I see a tattoo on somebody and there is this image a person has bonded to for the rest of their life,” Mr. sans says. “There is just something rebellious and cool about that. Tattooing is something you either do or you don’t.”
At the age of 15, Mr. sans was growing up in southern Arizona surrounded by tattooing. The father of a close friend of his was a tattoo artist and it was at that age he began his venture forward. As a skateboarding teen and declared punk rocker, tattooing would become yet another hobby.
“we tried to sneak information. we tried to also see if they would tattoo us but they weren’t having it,” Mr. sans explains. “so we ended up building our own tattoo machine.”
A lizard on the inside of his ankle became the first permanent mark he made on his body and over the years he has covered himself with too many tattoos to count.
when it comes to defining himself as an “artist,” he feels to give himself that title would be a tricky thing to do. “I really feel tattooing was meant for me. The learning, the discipline — everything I had to accomplish came very easily for me,” he says. “It didn’t seem like an uphill battle. It was very natural.”
stylistically, he stands by bold, vivid and simplistic designs. He creates his art in a fashion that even from a far distance is still comprehensible. Focusing on the integrity and readability of his art is essential to his technique, although at times his mood will lend itself to the creation of complex, intricate work. Aside from these aspects, color is his forte. His work is known for solid color that stands on its own and can be recognized from afar. “when I see color, I want it to be saturated. It has to be fully committed,” Mr. sans describes.
Tattooing is a team effort between the two parties, and Mr. sans focuses his methods around the client and “living in the moment.” He believes these are necessary elements that make for a well-rounded tattoo artist.
“when I first started tattooing it was a lot of just focusing on making sure I was doing everything correctly. now it’s more natural for me; it’s almost like a dance between you putting the tattoo on and keeping your client comfortable,” Mr. sans expresses.
His tattooing philosophy is, “Do it for the right reasons. It’s not on you, it is you.” He feels a tattoo should reflect personality and it should be considered a serious act. Often times he finds people can destroy the “sacredness” of tattooing because there is money involved — introducing a sense of entitlement.
“every tattoo you get, whether it’s a dot or a giant back piece, you’re altering your body forever,” Mr. sans ponders. “so you’re leaving something behind and gaining something new. It’s a rite of passage.”
One value Burly Fish upholds is cultural significance and diversity. The shop takes pride in informing its clients of the history and story behind a design, as well as educating them on the ancient ritual they are performing. Mr. sans feels tattooing is an experience that requires attentiveness to the moment, instead of creating distractions.
“I primarily like to focus on Japanese style tattooing. so for me, if you’re going to tattoo a style that belongs to another culture, you should know a lot about their culture — that way you are honoring what it is you are doing in their style,” Mr. sans says.
As a tattoo artist, he feels it is his responsibility to uphold a level of respect and integrity for cultures. “we try to make sure we are really careful about respecting the form of tattooing,
the history behind it, and the cultures that brought it to us,” he confirms. As far as the trends associated with tattooing, Mr. sans believes they are fleeting and therefore chooses to focus his efforts on the lasting form of the craft instead of “breaking the rules of tattooing to keep up with the trends.”
when it comes to consulting his clientele, he uses the phrase, “Being a tattoo-er means educating yourself before the client shows up.” researching and gathering the stories behind artwork are an aspect of the occupation Mr. sans takes pride in. with that knowledge he can elaborate on a design that is respectful to the culture it stems from, as well as educate the client on just what exactly they are tattooing on their body. He says this aspect is important to make the client aware of the respect involved and to explain it thoroughly.
Memorable experiences in his career depend on the session, the individual or the tattoo itself. “I think the tattoos that stand out the most design-wise are the ones where I can find turning points in my career,” he considers. “It’s like graduating to the next level, that’s why sometimes I remember those tattoos.” From level to level, his tattoos continue to evolve as he practices with colors and blending techniques.
“sometimes it’s more about the experience you have with your client, which is one thing I really love about tattooing. It’s not just me tattooing and getting to do art but I get to meet the coolest people,” Mr. sans expresses.
since being heavily invested in Japanese art, he hopes to create and tattoo more character designs as well as arrangements. Considering one problem tattoo artists face consistently is the client’s budget. “what you want to do and what your client can afford to let you do are always two different things,” Mr. sans explains. “This is the double-edged sword of tattooing.”
A majority of his inspiration is found in nature and has been since a very young age. Growing up in southern Arizona, options of where to play were limited; his group of friends found sanctuary in nature through hiking and drawing. “There is so much inspiration off of nature, so much color out there, so many different shapes and different ways to look at things,” he says. Using the illustration of cloud watching, Mr. sans believes doing activities such as that allows one’s imagination to develop. He sees value in training oneself to meditate and using that as a form of imagination. “That’s how you can become a better artist and a better person,”he states.
“A lot of my artwork is organic,” he says. rooted in nature, Japanese art lends way too many types of variations, which he incorporates into his painting and tattooing. His most recent painting of the Mandala Monkey was created with the recognition of the popularity of mandalas and integrating his original idea for a monkey design. “Mandalas are really popular right now; it seems like a hot thing in the tattoo world, so I said, ‘Let’s do a mandala monkey, I think people will respond to it,’” he recalls.
As the new Year is in full swing this month with the coming of the Year of the Monkey, Mr. sans has set out to accomplish this goal to paint more. He feels it is easy for him to become caught up in the development and process of a tattoo, and with that dedication in full effect his personal time to paint is jeopardized. By starting the year off right with the Mandala Monkey, Mr. sans is hopeful his commitment will persist.
As far as the future for Burly Fish, he hopes to see an increased international connection and a new wave of the art form to flood the industry. “It is ready for another growth phase,” he believes. “I think our shop is just going to move forward correctly into the future. we are going to keep up with the tradition of it and keep up with what modern people want in tattoo shops.”
since 1999, Burly Fish Tattoo, 11 south Beaver street, has been a professional tattoo and piercing presence in Flagstaff’s beautiful southside. BurlyFishTattoo.com.
| nikki Charnstrom can sometimes be found documenting the tunnels under flagstaff. arts@thenoise.us
thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news • february 2016 • 17