This Saturday, July 7th, Sacred Gallery in SoHo, NYC opens a double header exhibition, with a collection by Martina Secondo Russo entitled "Tots with Tats" and Angie Mason's "Project 30: The Hand Picked 10." Curated by Frankie Velez, the shows are distinctly different in style, medium and method but are equally compelling.

Sacred offers more on these shows:

In TOTS WITH TATS, Martina Secondo Russo presents a new series of life-sized tattooed babies. She cuts the figures out of plywood and paints the skin tones in acrylic. She then applies all kinds of "tattoos" with enamel markers. Most of the "tattoos" are drawn from Traditional American Flash, but she also uses Halloween decorations, found images, or her own drawings. The "tattoos" are used to tell a story and create a new kind of visual dialogue. Each "Tot" has his own personality, which is reflected through his tattoos.

Read more on the work here. 

For Angie Mason's PROJECT 30 THE HAND PICKED 10, Sacred says:

This idea started as a social media art experiment, a way for the artist to interact with fans who follow the her work. Fans were asked to "hand pick" their top ten artworks from the 30 original drawings which Angie created for Project 30. Encouraging fans to "Be a part of the process!" by liking and commenting on their favorites. Project 30 - The Hand Picked 10 was utilizing social media platforms as way to interact in ways never used before during Angie's creative process. It was a fun interactive project that now is coming to the moment of truth the solo exhibition showcasing all 30 drawings and the Hand Picked 10 paintings.
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Focusing on twisted combinations and dual opposites (such as sweet vs. sour, happy vs. sad or life vs. death) she paints truths about being human. Varied influences are found within her work ranging from such things as nature,love, relationships,dreams,memories,humor, loss and health to name a few. These mixed influences cause a balance of light and dark that intermingle with each other creating a visual playground, bringing to life quirky characters that are beautifully rendered yet with a painterly hand giving them an innocent raw touch. Mason's works are both horrific and humorous, yet speaks of what it means to be human.

The opening on the 7th is from 7-10pm and the show runs to August 3.

Continuing our posts on noted upcoming events, on the East Coast, Sacred Gallery in NYC presents "Immortal Until Death: The Cemetery Landscapes and Portrait Photography of Nathaniel C. Shannon." The show opens this Saturday, Nov. 5th, and runs until Nov. 27th. The opening reception is Saturday from 7-10 PM. More info on Facebook. 

Like the Idexa Stern and Aurora Meneghello collaboration, Nathaniel has documented the work of a renowned tattooist -- the godfather of neo-tribal tattooing Leo Zuluetta -- and his images are also featured in "Tattoo World" and my first book "Black Tattoo Art." But in this exhibition at Sacred, his photos from cemeteries are the focus of the show. Here's more background on this series:

As a child, each Memorial Day my parents and I would visit the graves of our ancestors at various cemeteries in Michigan. I always enjoyed these trips. They connected us as a family, helped me better understand my family history and provided perspective on who I am today.

Over the years, I became fascinated with cemeteries: the intricate architecture of mausoleums and headstone designs, the landscaping of the grounds and the expression of legacy present with each burial plot. As I grew older, I would frequent the cemeteries of Ypsilanti, MI, where I was raised, and wander aimlessly by myself for hours, enjoying the solitude, studying the tombstones and the names etched into them, creating stories about the dead.

Visiting cemeteries became a peaceful escape from the stresses of the living world, the cemetery gates serving as a portal to history. Naturally, as my addiction to photography grew, I brought my camera through that portal with me.

Because the photography of cemeteries is a very spiritual process for me, I prefer to be alone while I shoot. If the living are nearby, the tombs can't find me. I follow a personal code of ethics in these places, one that I choose not to share with others. The cemetery is not my home, it's the home of the dead. I respect the dead and am drawn to the energy of specific graves. When a grave does not want to be photographed, one way or another, its inhabitant lets me know.

My goal is to portray of these headstones in the same way I do the living: as a vital element of their position in space and time. After all, we are all suspects.

See more of Nathaniel's work on his website and blog. Hope to see you at the exhibit!

Tattoo by Holly Azzara

It's party time tonight at the fabulous Sacred Gallery NYC in SoHo, from 8-10PM, celebrating the release of Color Tattoo Art: Comics. Cartoon. Pin-Up. Manga. New School. The 496-page hardcover -- which is graced with artwork such as those shown here -- will be available for the reduced rate of $150. [I'll also be selling any leftover books online for that same rate plus shipping. Hit me up at marisa at needlesandsins.com if interested.]

Special thanks goes out to sponsor Sailor Jerry Rum and to Sacred for hosting the event. There will also be other drinkies and pretty people. Hope to see y'all there!

Tattoo by Tony Ciavarro

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Color Tattoo Art Book Release Party
Sacred Gallery
424 Broadway 2nd Floor Rear
(Between Canal and Howard)
New York, NY 10013

French born, Los Angeles based tattooist, painter and sculptor BUGS will be exhibiting a new body of work entitled Purity in Motion at Sacred Gallery in SoHo. The opening reception is 7-11PM next Thursday, May 12th -- the night before the NYC Tattoo Convention, where Bugs will also be tattooing. The show will run through May 29th.

I talked with Bugs about his upcoming exhibit in our Q&A for Inked Magazine and learned that he had just returned to sculpting, a medium he was exited to get back into. When I further asked him about it, he replied:

I'm sketching new cubic women, starting small. I'm going to make them in bronze. Near my house is a foundry that deals with a lot of artists. I think it will be interesting to see my work in 3D, to see my work freely with all the angles of my design. I don't know if it will be popular or will sell but I don't care. I do it for me.

Bugs will learn soon enough how the sculpture is received with this first unveiling of the work. The sculpture will be on view along with paintings that "reflect a mix of different techniques showing images of nudes." He adds, "Also included will be other subjects close to my heart from my background in France."

If you can't make it to the show, you can appreciate his distinct cubist and modern abstract style (like the work below) in his tattoo portfolio online. Bugs works at the Tattoo Lounge in LA, Thurs-Sat, and Victory Electric Tattoo Co., in Studio City, CA on Wednesdays.

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TONIGHT AT SACRED:  There will be a special one-night only Benefit for Japan in which all artwork will be priced at $200 or less, and all proceeds go to the Red Cross. Prints and original drawings from a stellar line-up of artists will be available. More info here.

Painting by Tommy Lee for Monica Memorial show

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Monica Memorial Show
May 30th, 7-11PM
Sacred Gallery
424 Broadway (off Canal)
NYC