Australian tattooer, Onnie O'Leary, joins the show this week to chop it up about smut, art inspiration and unwanted face tattoos.

You can find Onnie at TLD Tattoo in Sydney, Australia

Get your limited BOOKS CLOSED "Tattooings Not Dead" T-shirt designed by Taki (@stateofgracetaki)

• This episode is sponsored by GoReminders
• BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz
• Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz & Epidemic Sound

This episode, Andrew is joined by tattooer and reluctant podcast guest, Justin Olivier. They discuss growing up in New Orleans, escaping hurricanes, the benefits of traveling, and why he likes to keep his head down and focus on his work.

Recorded at Worship Tattoo in Portsmouth, NH

BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz

Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz

& Epidemic Sound

Coming at you from a big historic mansion this episode, Andrew sits down with Juli Moon and Erick Lynch to talk about tattoo history, collecting tat stuff, and how their pasts inform their futures.

This conversation was made possible by Historic New England and their exhibit “Loud, Naked, & In Three Colors.” It traces the popularization of tattooing in Boston through the stories, “flash” art, memorabilia, and ephemera of the city’s leading tattoo pioneers.

See the show for yourself through Oct 30, 2022!

Recorded at Eustis Estate Museum, Milton, MA 

Follow Juli on IG @julimoonstudio

Follow Erick on IG @ericklynchtattoos

BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz (@andrewstortz)

Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz
& Epidemic Sound

Thank you for tuning again after an extended hiatus! This episode is somewhat of a "drawing room discussion" that happens often at my shop. I thought it would be fun to record it and make it into an episode after being radio silent for a while. Lots of room for discussion on this one since we are mostly just spinning our wheels from one topic into another.

Recorded at Worship Tattoo in Portsmouth, NH

Follow me on IG @andrewstortz 

Follow Billy on IG @billychop 

www.booksclosedpodcast.com for more info about past episodes, or just subscribe to this show!

Tattoo artist, Sharky, talks about how travels and adventures have prepared her for almost anything, how that same spirit played into the start of her tattoo career, and about her friendship with Lyle Tuttle. 

Find Sharky at Classic Tattoo in San Marcos, TX.

Catch her new IGTV show live every Monday night at 9pm EST, “Welcome To The Backroom” and watch archives on @richfie page.

This episode is sponsored by:

HIRING NOW AT:

High Priestess is one of the Pacific Northwest's premier piercing and tattoo studios, with 5 locations in Oregon.

• They operate high volume shops, providing their tattoo clientele with both walk in and custom work.
• They are looking for artists that are interested in working in a safe and all-inclusive environment, AND they are willing to compensate or assist in relocation fees for serious candidates.
• If you're an outdoor enthusiast, Orgeon will not disappoint.

Go to Highpriestess.com for more info about the shop, and inquire directly to @resttattooer

BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz (@andrewstortz)

Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz
and Epidemic Sound

Books Closed Voicemail Line: (857)444-0662

The past year has been riddled with shutdowns and uncertainty in tattooing and the rest of our lives. Andrew takes a look back at some unpublished interviews from last May, as well as some current stories from a couple tattooers who are still feeling the effects of the pandemic in different ways.

This episode's guests:

Lauren - Diamond Mind Tattoo (Massachusetts)

Adam Hays - Dedication Tattoo (Colorado)

Freak - Deep Seas Tattoo (California)

Jasmine Wright - Kings Avenue (New York)

ERoy - Texas

This episode is sponsored by:

Oak and Iron Tattoo in Buffalo, NY is looking to hire a tattooer now! Reach out to them if you are interested in applying.

Old Crow Tattoo in Oakland, CA is also looking to hire a tattooer.  Apply now!

BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz (@andrewstortz)

Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz
and Epidemic Sound

Books Closed Voicemail Line: (857)444-0662

Nikko Hurtado is one of the biggest names in the tattoo industry. We discuss the path that lead him there, side effects of the pandemic, new trends in social media, and what's up with Fred Durst?

Find Nikko at Black Anchor Collective in Hesperia, CA and  Black Anchor Gallery in Hollywood, CA.

This episode is sponsored by:
DOS-M
Digital Optimizations For Tattoo Artists
Head to digitaltattooers.com to get your FREE strategy session setup today!

BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz (@andrewstortz)

Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz
and Epidemic Sound

Books Closed Voicemail Line: (857)444-0662

Tattoo artist Hanna Sandstrom talks about her career that has brought her around the world, and how she has slowed it all down to focus on her health and what is truly important after getting a cancer diagnosis.
 

Follow Hanna's work here and find more current info about her here

BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz (@andrewstortz)

Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz
and Epidemic Sound

Books Closed Voicemail Line: (857)444-0662

Have you heard about the ink ban in Europe? After seeing some conflicting information online, I talk to Selina Medina about what is really going on. What does it mean for tattooers? Will the US follow suit and start regulating tattoo pigment?

Check out the resources that Selina shared with me HERE.

Get your copy of "The Science of Tattooing"

Read the NPR article about the ink ban here

Watch this full episode on YOUTUBE

Do you know Fred Durst? Help me get him as a guest on the show!

BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz (@andrewstortz)

Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz

What do you think about this episode?
Leave me a message on the Books Closed Voicemail Line: (857)444-0662

In this episode, I talk to Chicago tattoo artist, Faith (@americanflesh), about how she walked away from tattooing for over 2 years to undergo conversion therapy through a church, what it was like coming back to tattooing afterward, and her inspiration to open her new shop Wish Me Luck Tattoo.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro
(00:17) Do you know Fred Durst?
(02:50) Faith’s 2.5 year break from tattooing
(05:23) Conversion therapy
(12:32) Starting to tattoo again after being ex-communicated from the church
(18:35) Inspiration to open her own tattoo studio
(27:03) “Old School” reaction to using GoFundMe to initially fund a tattoo shop
(36:51) Scarcity mentality in tattooing
(42:22) Is a lack of openness hurting tattooing?
(51:15) Setting boundaries and time management
(58:27) Specializing vs. street shop tattooing
(01:00:30) How much influence should we have on our customers?
(01:05:28) Covering tattoos for free in certain cases
(01:07:36) Hopes for 2021
(01:13:32) Outro
(01:15:27) Bonus post-interview clip; Is using personal identity a gimmick?

BOOKS CLOSED is hosted by Andrew Stortz (@andrewstortz)
Graphics by Jeff Donlan
Music by SAKURA @sakura.beatz
and Epidemic Sound

Want to join the discussion? Leave a message for me on the Books Closed Voicemail Line: (857)444-0662

This episode's sponsor:
My search for Fred Durst! 
This isn't a joke, I want to talk to Fred about his time tattooing in the 90's. If you know him or a way I could reach him to inquire, please DM me @andrewstortz or email: [email protected]