A New Chapter

working away on Captain Crunchy

Living the Dream.

Fortune Tattoo Pdx is closed at the E Burnside location.
She is now doing business under
the Art Work Rebel’s banner and roof.

After the last exodus of artists left me for greener pastures.
I had two years left on my lease that I wanted to honor.
So, I used that time to experiment with how to run the shop by myself, to see if I could and learn
what that entailed.
It was liberating at first.

Things were going well, until they weren’t.

The Fast and Furious lesson in running a business.

Learning to let it go.

My usual method of confirming projects new and ongoing to get me through the year.
Didn’t pan out like it had in the years past.
Curiously, I reached out into my community and interviewed a half dozen friends
that own various businesses.
To get a read on what they were experiencing first hand in the current climate of our local economy.
I kept in touch with them periodically to meet in person and discuss how they were fairing throughout the year.
It seemed like the economy was taking it’s toll on a wide gamut of people financially.
Locally and abroad. I was keeping tabs across the states as we limped through the winter of 2023 into 2024.
There are those, unconcerned exceptions out there. That seem untouched by the drop in business for the rest of us and are beaming with success on line.
Praise to them and however they are able to have managed it.

I myself, Feeling like the canary in the coal mine.

Witnessed, more folks in person, expressing their trepidation on what was going on around them.

Having worked through two major recessions.
This experience, was somehow different.
I am still uncertain with what it is that I am experiencing.
Effects of an aging Artist? Not being in touch with my abilities or lack there of?
Has the tattoo bus moved on without me?
Are there just too many tattoo shops and artists to choose from?
And what does that mean?
When I started tattooing here there were four main shops that drew a clientele from three states.
Now, just in my county alone there are four hundred and fifty shops. And growing.
That’s a lot of mouths to feed.
We used to joke about a day in the future when there would be a tattoo shop on every corner as convenient as a 7-11.
Well, here we are.

When I first started seeing this conundrum developing.
I defaulted to believing that in person connections will always produce the most rewarding outcomes.
For the stories shared and the ArtWork created together.
Going back to the basics. Being human. Making contact.
And in my case, trying to keep the basics working.
Connecting with others organically out in the real world and not limited to a world that is manufactured.
Making memories worth remembering.
I am not sure what is in store for me or the craft I have been fully immersed in, my entire adult life.

Times are different.

I am resistant to pay homage to the parasitic business models that drives us to using their platforms to stay viable.
Third party gatekeepers, taking a share.
Or suppressing those that chose not to pay to participate.
There are so many talented folks doing amazing stuff out there.
And there are just as many trying to buy your attention that are not well skilled in what they are selling you.
Throughout all the noise and blockages that separate our connection.
Past all the inauthentic displaying and wannabe social media influencers, faking it to make it.
I can only hope, you find me.
And that I am your person.

So, last summer I began preparing for the oncoming winter.
I knew I had to either find a Unicorn to help me keep things afloat or find a way out before drowning under the weight of it all.
Jason K. politely declined my offer to become my special Unicorn and then counter offered me a home at AWR.
A place to lick my wounds and pull myself out of the accumulating covid debt I had taken on.

I am not sure what my next move will be. Right now, sitting still, working as much as possible and letting things settle around me.
Seems like the wise thing to do.

It’s been a hell of a few months.

Having chewed on the idea of giving up Fortune for a handful of years.
And finally committing to it after not finding a buyer for the turn key opportunity that it was or someone established to help share the overhead expenses.
It became clear I had to close her doors and let her fade into obscurity.
That was not an easy decision to make. Not one I had really foreseen to be forced to make either until these past few years.
But, I made it over the proverbial Mount Everest in one piece.
When I finally made that difficult decision to close down my shop and consolidate under one roof at AWR.
The task at hand seemed overwhelming at the time.
It was truly a bitter sweet experience to go through and a great lesson in impermanence.
Having feelings of incredible grief at the loss of my beautiful shop and at the same time feelings of unfettered excitement for a new chapter to begin.

Looking Forward.

For the first time in fifteen years, I am focusing on myself and my own legacy again.
Creating content solely for clients, for myself and with hopes to connect with other like minded folks that dig my work.
Onward, upward and forward as the story continues.

I had the gracious opportunity to work at a well established street shop.
Perhaps down the road a bit, I will be mentally ready for that endeavor or one like it.
Right now, sitting with Jason and getting some quality tattoo time in together, felt like the correct direction for me to take.
Jason is a prolific artist and there are methods to his process I am excited to study further.

This old dog loves learning new tricks.
Even technology when it’s not soul sucking and dumb.

So, to all.

Happy life and many blessings to you on your own personal journey.
May our paths cross in gratitude.

Fortune Tattoo in her glory