Graphically Inclined: 12 Monkeys Tattoo Artists Salt Rock (left) and Jon Highland show off their artwork Friday that they painted to display at the Grind art show, which is today at the downtown Tracy tattoo parlor.
As seen in the "Tracy Press", December 2, 2006
Written by Danielle MacMurphy
Graphically Inclined: 12 Monkeys Tattoo Artists Salt Rock (left) and Jon Highland show off their artwork Friday that they painted to display at the Grind art show, which is today at the downtown Tracy tattoo parlor.
For tattoo artists such as Jon Highland, the owner of 12 Monkey's Tattoo parlor in Tracy, today's Grind art show is a chance to show off work on canvas other than someone's skin. Skateboards are his specialty, but tattoo artists from around the country have submitted pieces that will be on exhibit.
12 Monkeys Tattoo artist Salt Rock loaded his tattoo machine with ink Friday afternoon and gradually filled in a previously sketched profile of two pale green figures, framed by customer John Child's biceps.
"You can tell his heart and soul is into this," said Child, a longtime customer.
Salt Rock and other local tattoo artists turned their brushes to a different canvas two months ago when 12 Monkeys hosted its first art show - the Grind - which displayed tattoo-inspired artwork on skateboard decks.
12 Monkeys will host a similar show today, with work from 35 artists from around the country on 70 skateboard decks on exhibit in their downtown Tracy shop.
Jon Highland, 12 Monkeys owner since 1998, asked tattoo artists from Florida, New York, Oakland and nearly every where in between to send in painted skateboard decks for the show.
The decks will illustrate art styles that appeal to a young crowd - skulls, graffiti and cartoon styles - and to an older audience - earth-tone flowers, trees and portraits.
Salt Rock's skateboard decks doused in acrylic and 1-shot paint, usually used to detail cars, hint at his background on the streets of Stockton.
"My buddies and I graffitied all over," he said. But the smooth wood surface of a skateboard provides an easier canvase than the brick walls of Salt Rock's past and his daily canvas - skin.
A person's skin tone, pore size and texture determine a tattoo's outcome, while the painting on the deck is fairly predictable.
"It's more stressful on the skin," Salt Rock said. "It lasts forever. I know I'm changing their life."
Most skateboards on display at the art show will sell between $150 to $300, though a few are priced at $600. The price tag is determined by the hours invested in the work and the artists skill, Highland said.
Highland plans to host art shows every few months in an effort to plug unconventional work into Tracy's art scene.
Does this mean the burly guys standing behind the counter in tattoo parlors are artists?
"Absolutely," Highland said. "Who's to say a tattoo isn't art? If it speaks to you, it's art."
Throughout the past decade, tattoos have gradually gained respect throughout the art community, he added.
"There are no borders. Now, the ability's there, and whatever tattoo you want - it can happen."
When the Grant Theatre opens in the spring, Highland said he'd like to see skateboard decks and other alternative artwork hanging from its gallery walls. "It should be open to every king of art."
Salt Rock tattoos longtime customer John Child. Rock holds a couple of skateboards that will be showcased today.