stoneart

I feel like the richest man alive!! Why, you ask?...Because this past week I got to meet sooooo many of my favorite Suicide Girls, AND I had the honor of tattooing them!!

Las Vegas Shoot Fest 2013 kicked off last Saturday with such a huge collection of amazing girls. A lot of you here have been following their posts on IG, FB, Vine, and of course SG (At least I know I have!). So many previews of amazing sets to come, along with so many epic videos of random happenings from the girls. I will have to say Toxic takes the crown for the most twerking (in and out of clothes)!
The weekend passed for me pretty quickly, just doing my usual thing with work and whatnot. Monday too passed quickly up till the evening when I had realized the SG night at Barefoot Bob's was about to go down! The excitement could only truly be experienced first hand. I was about to hang out with so many amazing women that I have only messaged in passing on the interwebs and a few in texts. Acacia, I had only met briefly a few years back. She was the first girl I had drawn from the site. I have drawn and painted her many times since, including one in progress right now. Ryker, a complete sweetheart, who so graciously invited me to tattoo the girls later that week. I had only ever messaged and text for a few years now but have never met in person. She is seriously one of my most favorite people EVER! Then there was July, Waikiki, Amarena, OliviaBlack, Lego, Jupiter, Gunner, Praesepe...the list goes on and on.
Needless to say, that night was AMAZING!! Prize give aways. Two burlesque shows from the incredibly sexy Gunner. Charity fund raising with the beautiful and truly funny OliviaBlack. Not to mention a whole lot of beer drinking/shot taking and amazing conversation with the girls!

Ryker was such a sweetheart and made sure I left with lots of signed collectibles.


She spoils me so good!

I immediately had withdrawals when it was over! I was even fortunate enough to meet Christian, one of the photographers from the shoot. That dude is bad ass and I will be honored to tattoo him as well in the near future. I hope we can work together at some point.

The next day I got the rest of my tattoo supplies in the mail from Kingpin and started planning (and counting down the days) till Friday when I got to tattoo the girls at the house. My original plan was to bring two other amazing artists with me but sadly that day also fell on "First Friday" and they had a gallery showing. So at the last minute I was able to get Bri (another artist from my shop) to attend with me. Friday came and as the hours counted down I realized how much more shit I really needed to get done before the party. Really that only involved buying my favorite Irish whisky and some distilled water...any who, Set up was quick and before you knew it we were in the thick of it, giving the girls something to forever remember their time here in Vegas together!

This is where I'm about to get a little sappy...a little back story first

I joined this site back in 2008 after coming back from fighting in combat in Iraq. While I was over there I was injured. After having been blown up about 5 times your body tends to say enough is enough. Instead of being shipped home I managed to hitch a ride in a convoy to see my 1SG (dude in charge of the company) and was then given the opportunity to work directly for him. While working for him he noticed that I could draw really well. He started giving me magazines and pictures to draw of models. He really supported my art and encouraged me to keep it up. So once back home and having joined the site I began drawing fan art of many of the girls. I would draw and share and the girls here would support me and blow my head up with amazing comments on my work. Hearing such amazing feedback fueled me and kept me going. This was coming at such a time in my life where I was suffering sleepless nights, fear of public places and constant scanning of any room I entered. I was suffering from PTSD and had no idea. Drawing the SG's and sharing my work became a much needed release and quickly went from just a hobby to becoming my portfolio. After leaving the Army I had no direction to go in other than knowing I wanted to pursue my art in some way...little did I know tattooing was about to become my life.
From the first days of drawing the girls, on through these past 5 years of tattooing and refining my art I have continued to find my inspiration through the amazing and completely sexy sets that SG has to offer. Till this day I produce fan art in a variety of mediums and themes. I have the bad habit however of starting something and then getting busy with either work or other projects and not finishing a lot of my fan art...but a guy has to make a living right?

So with all that said...I feel such a loyalty, such a humbleness, and I feel so honored to have not only been able to meet the lovely ladies I have admired so much from afar, but to have the chance to give them something back from all the confidence and friendships they've given me is something I will forever cherish.

You ladies rock!!! No matter what changes in your lives, just remember that you've made this simple old Infantryman...this Artist...this fan, a truly rich man.

I plan on keeping in touch as much as I can with the girls I've met and I hope to continue giving back with larger tattoos and MORE fan art! I Sincerely hope I have the opportunity to do this again and possibly offer even more next time with live drawings/live paintings and any other talents I can donate to the cause. I completely love you ladies and I hope to see you all again in the near future!!

P.S. A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO RYKER AND YESENIA FOR PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER!! I'll stop shouting now...but seriously, it's all been so amazing

Till next time