InkSpired Magazine Issue No. 57

SHELLY D’INFERNO

JULIEN-K

CARNAGE ON LARIMER

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Tattoo Artist Bruno Santos 6 Tattooed Model Shelly d'Inferno

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The Creative Collective of Julien-K

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Whimsically Cunning: Michael C. Hsiung

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The Reclamation of Thomas Hernandez

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Carnage on Larimer 70 Randy Run for Fallen Bikers

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Interview: Kitty Crystal 86 InkSpiredMagazine.com

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Editor-in-Chief - Candies Deezy Liu Creative Director - Sean Hartgrove Art Director - David Rossa Features Writer: Simone Jane Piercing Editor - Sean Dowdell European Editor - Ákos Bánfalvi Positive Spin Editor - Kate Monahan Staff Photographers - Radek Photography & Billy Ward

Tattoo Artist Bruno Santos Interview: Ákos Bánfalvi Tattooed Model Shelly d’Inferno Interview: Ákos Bánfalvi Photos: Pascal Latil & MyBoudoir - Nicola Grimshaw

Randy Run for Fallen Bikers Words: Scott O’Sullivan Photos courtesy of Randy Run for Fallen Bikers Kitty Crystal Photos: David Zayas Jr --------------

Music: The Creative Collective of Julien-K Words: Simone Jane Photos: Sean Hartgrove

Who’s on the cover: Model: Shelly d’Inferno Photo: Rhian Cox

Whimsically Cunning: The Art of Michael C. Hsiung Words: Morgan Febrey Positive Spin: The Reclamation of Thomas Hernandez Words: Simone Jane Photos: Sean Hartgrove Carnage on Larimer Photos: Justin Larwick (pages 58-65)

Wolfgang Wilmhoff (pages 66-69)

Advertising info: info@InkSpiredMagazine.com

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Fall 2017 approaches us with Issue No. 57 of InkSpired Magazine. As the season changes from carefree summer days to the mysterious darkness of autumn nights, our editorial follows suit. There’s beauty in darkness too.

And as the season changes show, there is always light after darkness.

Tattooed and alternative goddess, Shelly d’Inferno graces our cover this month. She calls herself a “world traveling phoenix nesting in the London wastelands.” As a multi-talented superstar, she has many passions and talents that all coincide with her artistic abilities.

rhythm of getting sober. His own sobriety is just one piece of the equation. He’s getting other people sober and helping them get their lives back.

Let’s find the light after the darkness.

Signed, Candies Deezy Liu, Editor-in-Chief

There’s Carnage on Larimer! No need to fret, as apocalyptic as it may sound, Carnage on Larimer is an annual car and bike show that shuts down four blocks of a famous district in Denver, Colorado. It’s a good time to be had by all with vehicular eye candy, food, booze, art, music, and goodtimers.

In music, we explore the creative process of Julien-K. Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck discuss the history of Julien-K, their latest tour, how their music writing process works, the dynamics of their collaborations, and Chester Bennington’s role in the band.

The Reclamation of Thomas Hernandez is a story of triumph, the light after darkness.

And he had plenty of darkness riddled with addiction, crime, violence, and his own demons. After multiple repeat offenses, plenty of jail time, and a few dances with the angel of death, Thomas finally learned the

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InkSpot - What “InkSpires” You? “I just want a tattoo. A saxophone memorial one for my best friend who passed away.” -@jezzyman7777 “It literally means my freedom, my feelings, and appreciation for art. No rules, no one telling you what to put on your body. A clean canvas for you to do as you please. A history of you and your art. The rollercoaster of emotions you went through at the time reflecting in the art on your body.” -@nikitafajitia36 “Being ‘InkSpired’ to me means having the freedom and imagination to express myself through art. My tattoos are not just random pictures picked off a wall. They are what’s inside, my thoughts and feelings, who I am. Although I’m not a massive fan of how I look, I can improve myself with each new piece I get.”

-@_r.raven_inked_fiend “It means to me being free to have the freedom to express myself through the art I put on my body. Each one has a meaning behind it, whether it be dark, happiness, anger, sadness. The ability to show the real me to the world in a permanent sense. The calming feeling of getting new ink washes away all the stress from day to day life.” -@kingfresh92 “Waking up having dreamt about another tattoo I want to add to the ones I already have.” -@hammock_dad

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Interview: Ákos Bánfalvi 30-year-old tattoo master, Bruno Santos is from Araxá, a small city in Brazil. He has been living in Dublin, Ireland, for almost 3 years now, working at Dublin Ink. Back in his childhood days, he was like most of the Brazilian kids he grew up with. He loved football and his dream was to become a football player. Bruno took it seriously and he was ready for it.

He played professionally in a big team for 6 months, but things didn’t work out for him. He went on to do some other things for work, including working with his father refilling cartridges for printers. With this money, Bruno bought his very first tattoo machine and some ink. His father is still in the business with his own shop.

When you were a young, did you think you would grow up to become an artist or work in the artistic field? Do you remember drawing and creating a lot as a child?

Not at all. I was totally focused on the football thing. In Brazil, you have to start really early and I was already an athlete at that time. In the beginning, that was my goal but besides that, I loved drawing and messing things up. In my free time, I always drew portraits by graffiti. I started selling them for very cheap. I think that was the beginning of everything. My mum is an artist too. She is a well-known decorator in my city. Maybe I got the artistic skills from her.

When did you know that you wanted to be a tattoo artist and what were the first steps you took to learn the craft?

The portrait drawings got more serious.

I was still selling them for cheap though.

Then I had always thought about doing something that I would enjoy and the money would be a consequence of that in my life. So I decided to go after a tattoo artist called Ton, who used to work in my 6

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city very often. He was totally open and offered me an apprenticeship in his shop in another city. I moved there and he was guiding me for a while, showing what I could or could not do. I will be forever thankful to him for having given me this opportunity to start off my career.

What was the first tattoo you ever did?

Have you always worked in the same general style?

The first tattoo I ever did was a kanji on a wrist. It was so hard. I was sweating and when I did the first line, whipped it down, and there was nothing in there, I realized that it was not like paper… (Laughs.) I used to do everything I was asked for. Just when my career got more solid I decided to go for one style. Back in that time, it was kind of impossible to give yourself a direction and just do a specific sort of style.

You wouldn’t have enough work. At least I could learn a bit of all the tattoo basics… lines, shadings, textures, color, and black and grey.

Can you tell us more about Dublin Ink, what it’s like working there, and what a typical day is like there?

Working at Dublin Ink means you have to know how to deal with pressure. It is a well-known shop for the quality of the artists and guest artists who come to work with us. It is a very busy shop with the best atmosphere that I’ve ever been in terms of a tattoo shop. We are all friends with each other, spending almost all day together.

Working and making fun is our specialty…

(Laughs.) All the guest artists who visit us, go literally crazy with the shop. We are always trying to help each other, watching the other stations, asking and giving advice on each other’s work. I think this is the main reason everyone is successful at the shop. Ego is something out of our context.

Describe how you go about creating a tattoo from concept to finished design, as well as how you try to put your own unique touch on your tattoos.

It begins with a consultation with the client where we can talk about the project and maybe get a rough sketch drawn. After that, I have a folder with his name that normally brings few references based on the idea. Can be whatever, digital, real, drawing, painting images. Anything that helps to visualize what can be done. Then I photoshop the main idea and start doing the drawing. Usually, it is really simple. Just the main lines and that is it. They have to trust how it will turn out. Every tattoo is a surprise, even for me. Textures, lines, shadings and abstract things normally go on the skin. Just at that moment is when I start putting my own twist on it. I like feeling how it goes, don’t ask how it will be and exactly how long it will take because I never know. Tattooing is like a ritual for me.

I have to take my time.

What’s your tattoo style of choice and why?

I never know how to name it. People say it is blackwork. I don’t really care about that.

I prefer to focus on my work and they can pick the name. This allows me to have total freedom with the skin I’m working with. I don’t really like being stuck with a reference and become limited to the style. Not being limited to a certain style also allows me to enjoy the time I’m tattooing more. For me, the clients are my canvases with similar shapes. What I have to do is get them painted.

You are an incredible artist. How did your professional tattoo art journey lead you in this direction?

First of all, thank you. I don’t really feel like that. It was a natural process,

“TATTOOING IS LIKE A RITUAL FOR ME…”

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trying to put a lot of effort into making something unique while giving my best to my clients. They wait for a long time to get something done by me. Our responsibility is huge, and we have to make it worth it. I am surrounded by a lot of amazing artists with different styles.

I see art and tattoos all day. Sometimes I ask myself if I’ve been doing a great job, due to the unbelievable high level of skill nowadays. In the end, I think it has been great!

Describe how your role models and any other sources of inspiration have affected your tattoo style.

My inspiration comes from a lot of different things, from the other artists in the shop to a simple thing I see on the street. The big artist names also inspire me, like the painters, Raffaello and Caravaggio, who did paintings with dark backgrounds. I think I could use that on my pieces, not necessarily a dark background, but the whole piece darker, working with high contrasts with the skin and adding elements of aggression, darkness, and creepy looking things.

When I got tattooed by the next level Brazilian artist, Junior Goussain, I realized that tattoos have no limit. Feel free and you will have more fun. Better for you, the best for the client.

What’s one of your favorite pieces that you’ve tattooed on someone else?

Hard to say. I always do better when I like the ideas. But if I can be honest, I’m never completely happy with it. I always think something could be better. I think this keeps me moving forward. I just have to be careful not to get my mind fucked… (Laughs.)

What’s one of your favorite pieces on your own body, and who did it?

It is the tattoo on my lower leg, the last one I got. Junior Goussain from Sao Paulo is the artist. It is a kind of a flower, a sea abstract flower with loads of mini eyes in it. Classic Junior and his trippy, awesome stuff.

What is your favorite thing about being a tattoo artist?

I think being able to work with what you love in such a nice atmosphere, without strict rules as in a company, not having to do the same thing every day and always being challenged makes it a different profession from others. We get stressed and really tired by the pressure of working with our minds all the time, but we never get bored.

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Do you have any funny tattoo stories?

What about horror stories?

Just after my apprenticeship, I was tattooing in a cool and different bar in my city. A friend of mine came over me and asked to do a tattoo on the sole of his toe. It was the tic tac toe and we had to play on a piece of paper before. We tied and I used that as a reference to tattoo it.

Have you noticed a change in the types of images people have asked for over the years you’ve been tattooing?

Absolutely. It has changed a lot. People used to come with one reference and that is it. They would like to get exactly that done. Maybe because of the lack of options in the past. Nowadays they have more knowledge, searching for the artist who will suit better what they are looking for. They’re even way more open and understanding that we are the best person to decide what is the best for them. It makes a huge positive difference in the end.

Tattoos seem very mainstream now. Do you think that’s good or bad?

Both. On one hand, there are plenty of new styles, new awesome artists, new TV shows, new ideas, et cetera. I am part of it. Tattoos are trending, mainly because of those new concepts and I think it is awesome for the industry.

With easy access to information all the time, we breathe tattoos and it helps everybody rise up. On the other hand, anything that gets too popular brings bad things too. The easy access to those things can make everyone an “artist” nowadays. www.DublinInktattoo.com www.Facebook.com/BrunoSantosTattoo Instagram: @BrunoSantosTattoo

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Norman

‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins built his rep tattooing soldiers and sailors in WWII-era Honolulu. Known for his bold, iconic style, Collins became a legend of his craft, earning himself the title of undisputed father of the old-school tattoo.

Sailor Jerry is a true American icon and a stubborn sonuvabitch who never compromised his standards or ideals.

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RESPECT HIS LEGACY. DRINK SAILOR JERRY RESPONSIBLY.

InkSpiredMagazine.com ©2017 Sailor Jerry Rum, 46% Alc./Vol. William Grant & Sons, Inc. New York, NY.

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Interview: Ákos Bánfalvi Shelly d’Inferno is a tattooed model, performer, fashion designer, makeup artist, and photographer. She has been involved in the alternative scene since many years back and has graced the covers of several international magazines such as Bizarre Magazine, Skin Deep, Tattoo Italia, and Advanced Photographer.

During her early teens, she experimented with photo shoots and discovered her passion for modeling, photography, and styling, which she took on as a career after moving to London.

Alongside the already mentioned trades, Shelly also designs and runs her own clothing company, Inferal Clothing (previously Heavenly Inferno), that focuses on recycling used material for new creations. Making clothes as a hobby since she was 15 years old, she also has a 3-year degree in fashion design. Inferal Clothing creates anything from punk rock streetwear to custom made stagewear and creative costumes.

In 2013, Shelly was part of founding a new fire-group called Pyrohex and took on yet another profession as a fire performer. She practices the arts of poi, fire eating and breathing, body burning, double staffs, sai blades, and angle grinding. Pyrohex has already performed in the UK and France’s biggest metal festivals Download and Hellfest, along with many other events and venues.

As a woman of many trades, Shelly tends to be drawn towards many creative and versatile styles, which we can see by not only viewing her modeling portfolio, but her own photography and makeup looks. Quoting her own words, Shelly explains she could never be stuck in one genre and that she knows herself as a bit of a shape-shifting wild child 20

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who sees beauty in a lot of things.

Where did you grow up and how was it growing up there? Would you say that it influenced you?

I grew up in Stockholm, Sweden and a small town outside Stockholm. I will always think of Stockholm as a calm rather organized small place. It’s a place I call my childhood home and it’s always relaxing for me to go back there to recharge my batteries. I moved to London when I was 21 as I fell in love with London’s huge creative scene and the city seemed beautifully chaotic compared to Stockholm. I think it was probably a good thing to grow up in a smaller place and spread your wings to wilder ground when you’re old enough.

As a tattooed model, performer, fashion designer, makeup artist, and photographer, how do you handle so many things at the same time? Tell us a bit about these different sides of you.

I like to label myself as a creative to fit it all into one word. I’ve always been very into creating in all different aspects. I guess it all comes back to ways of emotionally expressing oneself. I love to create beautiful/ cool things to look at, to wear, to feel, to experience. I was too curious to stick to one thing and I want to enjoy creativity as much as I can. But for time, there is not enough time, so I have to focus on fewer things in periods of time. The last couple of years I have focused on my modeling and performing. Later, I plan to take up my clothing and photography again and even try a bit of music!

Tell us a little about your interests and your favorite bands.

My interests are everything I work with, luckily! I was always very driven to get to work with the things I call my hobbies so a

few years back I was lucky to finally be able to become completely self-employed. A few of my favorite bands are Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, The Mission, David Bowie, Enigma, Gojira, and Cigarettes After Sex. I like a good mix of music, something for every mood.

Have you always wanted to model? What made you say yes?

I started getting into modeling when I was 13 because my friends and I wanted to be pop stars. (Laughs.) We built up a “studio” with blankets, did each other’s makeup and styling and took photos with an old camera, then waited a week for them to be developed. It was a lot of fun and the hobby grew with me through my teenage years and I developed a skill in photography and modeling. I started taking it on as a career after I moved to London.

How was your first shoot? Were you nervous? What advice would you give new models about how to prepare?

I felt quite comfortable on my first shoot with a stranger photographer, I had done it many times before with my friends. I was never a very shy person either so I guess that helped a lot. My advice to aspiring models is to love what you do and what you create. Are you passionate about your style, your work?

Then yes, you are on the right road.

What goes through your head when you are in front of the camera?

I see modeling as a sort of stop-motion acting. So I transform myself into a character. When I shoot a normal look, it’s different. I guess I just pull a good range of different poses that suit the styling. It’s more interesting when you shoot more extreme looks and you really have to feel the character to be able to deliver good emotion into the shots.

“I SEE MODELING AS A SORT OF STOPMOTION ACTING. SO I TRANSFORM MYSELF INTO A CHARACTER…”

Photo: Pascal Latil

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Were you a fan of body art before modeling? How is body art a big part of the alternative industry?

I guess a lot of people who are into alternative photography & modeling are into alternative looks too. That doesn’t count for everyone, of course. I was very interested in all sorts of alternative sub cultures and wrote an essay about it.

Throughout my teens, I tried a lot of styles and listened to a big range of different music. And still to this day you can see I have a very varied alternative style if you look at my creative work. Body art was something I started with as soon as I could, a great way of expressing yourself and your style.

When did your interest in tattoos begin? How long was it from then until you got your first one?

I think my love for tattoos developed with my taste in music, art, clothing, and lifestyle.

I liked them for as long as I can remember, but I don’t think I started planning my own until I was 17. I got my first tattoo when I was 18.

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What is it about tattoos that appeal to you?

There are many beautiful ways you can accentuate a body’s curves and features with tattoos. The actual artwork that gets put on a skin can be stunning, I also find the effort people have put into their tattoos can be beautiful. It’s a work of art that takes a long time.

How do you come up with the ideas for your pieces?

It’s a mix of things I find beautiful, my favorites artists, things that mean something to me, lyrics, and a few friend tattoos. I was never someone who planned out big sleeves or big tattoos, I was always one for getting smaller ones at different times.

THERE ARE MANY BEAUTIFUL WAYS YOU CAN ACCENTUATE A BODY’S CURVES AND FEATURES WITH TATTOOS.

Tell us about some of your tattoos.

My left arm is my music arm; it features portraits or symbols of Nick Cave, Leonard

Cohen, Gojira, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Lord of the New Church, Killing Joke, The Mission, and Enigma. On my right arm, I have more of a henna style with a portrait of my mum surrounded by a beautiful dot-work pattern, my hand has a mendhi design on it which has always been one of my favorites.

What’s your most significant tattoo and why?

I like my pirate ship on my left side. It’s the biggest one I have and it symbolized my love for traveling and adventure! It’s done by my good friend Miguel Angel at Latil Angel in Richmond, UK. Where would you never get a tattoo?

Probably on the sole of my feet… Ouch!

Do you think you will miss getting tattooed when you consider yourself finished if that time ever comes?

I think there’ll always be little things to complete and change. But I do find myself thinking, “damn, I wish I had another body so I could try this or that.” There’s just so many cool idea and styles. Not enough for one body.

Photo: Pascal Latil

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It’s a difficult question, but do you have a favorite tattoo artist?

Miguel Angel, he’s been my good friend for a very long time and has done a good majority of my tattoos.

I love his work!

Do you consider tattoos as a serious art form?

I don’t like to take it too seriously personally, I like to have fun with my art, and don’t mind getting a friend tattoo or just let an artist doodle on my leg, for example. But I do understand people who are

Photo: MyBoudoir Nicola Grimshaw 24

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Photo: MyBoudoir Nicola Grimshaw

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very serious about it, and for them it’s important. So it’s up to each and everyone what they feel about it.

What is one thing that life has taught you?

Be good, do good, be one.

Do you have a favorite quote?

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. (Smiles.)

Photo: MyBoudoir Nicola Grimshaw

www.ShellyDInferno.com www.Facebook.com/ShellyDInferno Instagram & Twitter: @ShellyDInferno www.YouTube.com/ShellyDInferno

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Photography: Sean Hartgrove

Words: Simone Jane

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WHEN A GROUP IS ON ITS LAST LEGS ONE OF TWO THINGS HAPPENS, THEY IMPLODE AND ALL IS LOST, OR SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL COMES OUT OF THE WRECKAGE.

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When a group is on its last legs one of two things happens, they implode and all is lost, or something beautiful comes out of the wreckage. Out of the ashes of Orgy came not one band but two, Julien-K and Dead by Sunrise. I caught up with the members of Julien-K on the second to last night of their Prey + Obey tour with <Pig> to talk to Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck about their musical history and where they are going from here.

Julien-K has described this tour as one of the most difficult that they ever have been on. It is definitively bare bones. There is no tour bus, just a van with a U-Haul which apparently the bands are sharing. Galen Waling is doubling up as the drummer for both <Pig> and Julien-K. “We did it this way because we wanted to protect ourselves financially because we don’t have the money to gamble,” Ryan confesses, “We don’t want to squander what the fans have given us, and we want to build it up rather than to shrink or hurt our ability to do another album. Now our fans are our record label. It sounds like a funny way to think of it, but we don’t want to squander the goodwill they have given us.” Touring with <Pig> has been a smart choice. They are an iconic industrial core band which comes from the KMFDM roots. It’s just like Orgy playing with Love and Rockets; it is simply a crowd pleasing combination, though it has been grueling for the band members. Both Ryan and Amir have been fighting colds and viruses, not to mention the death of their best friend, Chester Bennington, whom they had collaborated with throughout their career with Julien-K and their side project Dead by Sunrise.

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Julien-K was a band that came to fruition almost by accident. Ryan and Amir thought that they were writing music they figured was for Orgy. Unfortunately, they thought wrong.

“I knew that I was pulling for a little bit of a different style. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to rock or do what Orgy did, or what we were known for,” Amir explains, “I just felt we had a window to do something different, maybe write some songs that could still get on the radio but were a little more electro.” Apparently, Jay Gordon didn’t agree. The songs fell to the wayside and both Ryan and Amir felt that Jay was being narrow-minded. Orgy was supposed to be about breaking barriers and Jay was about going back to the real beginning of Orgy where it was sounding very much like Korn (Orgy was the first band signed to Korn’s label Elementree Records label). When that was happening at the time, Korn was already getting established, and Ryan and Amir needed to move in their own direction to find their own sound. They wanted to sound more industrial, new wave goth and more original rather than following in Korn’s footsteps. During this time the band was falling apart. Jay was missing in action, and the other members were struggling with their own issues. “We were feeling there were different ideas of where we could go, and not really knowing what was going to work because our lead singer was not around,” Amir recalled. As they eventually broke away from Orgy, there was material that emerged separate from the band, songs like ‘Kick the Bass’, ‘Someday Soon’, and ‘Dreamland’. Amir wanted Ryan to sing the songs. Chester initially wanted to be the singer early on but, “why don’t you do it for now, see how it goes, and if we can find someone who can sing, cool,” Amir explains, “but in the back of my mind I was thinking Ryan was the one who would end up being the singer.” They came up with the name of the band after watching an interview with Richard Gere about his role in the movie American Gigolo where his character’s name is Julien Kaye. Both Ryan and Amir wanted a band that was almost a brand, like Calvin Klein, that had a cool back story starting in 2003. The band has many members that are fluid, in and out creatively, that don’t necessarily tour with them as they have other projects that they are involved with; Brandon Belsky (Dead by Sunrise/ Julien-K), Eli James (Dead by Sunrise/GhostCircus Apparel), Frank Zummo (Sum 41/ Dead by Sunrise/Julien-K), Galen Waling (Julien-K/<Pig>), Anthony “Fu” Valcic (Dead by Sunrise/Julien-K), Bidi Cobra (The New Division/ Julien-K), Eric Stoffel (Julien-K), and of course Chester Bennington (Linkin Park/Dead by Sunrise/Stone Temple Pilots). Ryan and Amir are the core of the band and the songwriting usually starts with them.

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The creative process is compartmentalized until the band gets together. Ryan is more the singer songwriter, and Amir is more the polished vibe musician, but despite the differences, the chemistry works for them. “I already have a bunch of songs recorded on my phone and I have collection of ideas,” Ryan explains, “Sometimes I will have an actual song like ‘Palm Springs Reset’, but Amir will have a well thought out thing, like a riff, or a mood, and it is a professional sounding idea, where mine is more like singing at Starbucks, that level of professionalism.” When Ryan and Amir get together, however, they really have the chance to collaborate. “When I wrote ‘Someday Soon’ Ryan said this is the direction we need to be going in,” Amir explains, “I learned I had to be the driver of where each album was going, the sound, the style and the production. Between the two of us, we are the designers, we come up with a collection, whatever that is, like ‘California Noir’ or ‘Death to Analog,’ Amir continues, “I always push for song titles that make a picture. I always want to move for a song title that when you see it you can almost hear the song.”

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THE CREATIVE PROCESS IS COMPARTMENTALIZED UNTIL THE BAND GETS TOGETHER.

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“I ALWAYS PUSH FOR SONG TITLES THAT MAKE A PICTURE. I ALWAYS WANT TO MOVE FOR A SONG TITLE THAT WHEN YOU SEE IT YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR THE SONG.”

Ryan and Amir met Chester Bennington during the Orgy days and kept in touch over the years. What some might not realize, however, is that the band Dead by Sunrise had been almost a decade in the making.

At the turn of the millennium, when Linkin Park was first breaking big, Bennington met Ryan and Amir, who were also enjoying success with Orgy, riding high off their rocked-out version of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday.’ “Initially it was going to be Amir and I potentially as DJs and producers, and accidentally we started working with the people that we had always collaborated with,” Ryan explains. They had a lot of holdovers from Orgy that became involved with the project. Anthony “Fu” Valcic was part of the production team. “Right off the bat, Chester said, “I want to sing on this,” Ryan laughed, “Well how does that work?

You are in Linkin Park!” Chester and Ryan had already been at parties where when things had died down they would break out a guitar and trade ideas. “Chester had some interesting concepts that he was not really doing with Linkin Park and he might kind of do with us creatively and collectively as a group of friends that create music,” Ryan related.

Chester was pushing Ryan to be a better singer, showing him tricks that he used himself, helping him hit notes that Ryan thought he could never hit. Chester showed how to conjure the notes up using very

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untraditional vocal training. The Chester Bennington School of Vocal Training, if you will. “I can’t believe my best friend has died a legend. It is not what any of us had expected. We all knew he had a dark side but we didn’t know he was capable of this,” Amir laments, “It hit us like a freight train.” “He was a light, but he was a troubled being,” Ryan interjected, “He was also describing an hour by hour struggle staying sober.” The loss has been heavy on all who have been touched by Chester, especially those who worked with him creatively. However, the music lives on. Ryan and Amir continue to look forward into the future of Julien-K. They both hope with the support of their successful crowd funding that Julien-K will be able to tour more often, and they will be able to reach those devoted fans that both Ryan, Amir and the rest of the band respect and admire so much. www.JulienK.com www.Facebook.com/JulienK IG: @JulienKOfficial

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MICHAEL C. HSIUNG Interview: Morgan Febrey

If my skull was emptied and left as a bowl, Michael C. Hsiung’s spectacular characters would be dropping in and skating it. MCH’s illustrations have personified the creative thought process. At first whimsical, his characters carry with them a hint of realistic storytelling, often drifting into a more thought-provoking realm. Only after a moment of thought does the picture actually come to light. So, grab your sunscreen, head to the beach, and kill a couple chapters of Dostoyevsky… or you can check out some of Michael C. Hsiung’s art.

As the Beach Boys and Black Flag are to SoCal music, your illustrations are to SoCal iconography. I can’t picture a better fit. Let’s rap nurture vs nature. How would you describe the relationship between environmental influence and your inner style’s evolution?

Well, I think you can tell I definitely grew up in Southern California! Born in downtown Chinatown and raised in the San Fernando Valley. But yeah, I basically grew up in areas like Pasadena, Northridge, Malibu – pretty much around and in the San Fernando Valley. I was fascinated by Dungeons & Dragons, heavy metal, and skateboarding, so I imagine that’s why you see so many of these type of motifs in my illustrations. Surfing, skating, and music were also very much a part of SoCal for me, and the folks I knew and grew up around that became a community that I felt a part of and accepted me. Also, having grown up with a family who enjoyed national parks (especially Yosemite), I tend to draw nature, animals, and humans in nature.

I guess in many ways, my experiences and impressions having grown up in SoCal are the things you see reflected in my drawings and characters.

I first got turned on to your work in a Vans ad. That’s a perfect pair... pun intended.

How’d you get hooked up with them? What’s that experience been like?

Well, I started working with Vans as a content creator in 2011. I was an artist who also blogged and used social media back when very few did, and when an acquaintance I knew was building a social media team at Vans, she contacted a friend to ask me if I’d be interested. It took a year from our meeting, and then one day I was in charge of posting content for the Vans Art Tumblr. Basically, I was following artists that Vans worked with and creating posts, interviews, show recaps, et cetera. Last year, the Vans Art Tumblr was moved to the House of Vans blog (houseofvans.tumblr.com) where I still write interviews and create posts, including creating animated gifs which I believe you’re referring too.

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"MY WORK AND DRAWINGS ALWAYS REFLECT SOME PART OF ME, CONSCIOUSLY OR SUBCONSCIOUSLY. " InkSpiredMagazine.com

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They’ve been great to work for and with and have been extremely supportive of me and my art as well. While my role is mostly as an art editor, there have been rad opportunities where I actually get to make art for Vans stuff, most recently as one of the artists who painted the skate course at this year’s 2018 Vans U.S. Open of Surfing.

Your work has an incredibly laid back feeling to it. Would you describe yourself as such?

In a universe of matter and anti-matter, yin and yang, what have been some of your darker creative moments been like?

My work and drawings always reflect some part of me, consciously or subconsciously.

While at times my drawings are fun and laid back, I do encounter dark moods of isolation, depression, and a type of malaise. My mermen in a bottle motif series reflect some of these moments–feelings of isolation, captivity, and mood shifts.

Sometimes I think the simplicity or perhaps “adorableness” of my drawings lead folks to potentially believe that my drawings and illustrations are only playful. I’d suggest reading a little deeper into some of them.

Like all of us, my drawings are a reflection of human emotion that I’ve experienced, everything from lightheartedness to darker and more foreboding moods we all experience at some point. Drawing is therapeutic in that sense.

When not at the drawing board, what sort of things peak your fancy? Are your illustrations indicative of your personal life?

Some of my illustrations are probably indicative of my personal life, though I like to think I party less these days. But sometimes I think you’ll see my interests in mythology, fantasy, and even history in some of my illustrations but in a more subtle way. When I’m not drawing, I’m probably reading, listening to music, watching movies, or trying to hang out at someone’s BBQ. Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings?

Definitely all things Tolkien because without LOTR or Silmarillion, there wouldn’t be novels like GOT (which were great).

Stay updated with the art of Michael C. Hsiung at: www.MichaelCHsiung.com Instagram: @MichaelCHsiung

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LIKE ALL OF US, MY DRAWINGS ARE A REFLECTION OF HUMAN EMOTION THAT I’VE EXPERIENCED, EVERYTHING FROM LIGHTHEARTEDNESS TO DARKER AND MORE FOREBODING MOODS WE ALL EXPERIENCE AT SOME POINT.

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Words: Simone Jane Photography: Sean Hartgrove

Thomas Hernandez never saw it coming.

It would take a fortune teller with some amazing skills to see this life story through.

Even if she had foreseen his future, Thomas wouldn’t have believed it.

Thomas grew up in a huge family. He took his first drink of alcohol when he was six years old, was a weekend drinker by eight and took to hard drugs by the time he was nine. “I did my first robbery at 14 and my first armed robbery shortly after,” he admitted. He was arrested in his twenties, mostly for petty crimes, but those two months became six months, and six months became three years.

When Thomas was first let out of prison at the age of 31, he was led towards the gangs and spent his thirties in and out of prison or high on drugs. “I was married for 9 years and for four and a half of those, I was locked up,” Thomas confessed. The pivotal moment came when he was caught in a high-speed chase by an undercover cop through a local neighborhood. Thomas knew the rules. If you went onto the highway they could follow you, but if you were in a residential area, they could not engage in a high-speed pursuit. He thought he was golden. The fact was Thomas lost his gun from his shoulder holster exiting his car after he crashed it into a pole. He tried to call his wife to report the car stolen, but the local Staff Sergeant was already at the house. He was a known felon. The ride was over.

Thomas spent his first days in Canyon City prison. On one of those, days while sitting in the day room while watching T.V., he looked up and saw Bill Ritter, the current Governor of Colorado at the time, start talking about the issue of overcrowding of prisons and how it was necessary to shut down some of them.

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Thomas thought it would be proactive to talk to his case manager about wanting to help in some way, hoping for early release. “The next morning I am off to Cheyenne Mountain, it was supposed to be a rehabilitation prison,” Thomas describes, “It was a gladiator school.

Everyone had black eyes, the guards did not help, and it was open season. It had everyone from DUI offenders to convicted murderers.” Luckily, the warden decided to pick out a few people who he thought were leader material. Thomas was one of them.

He ended up teaching classes such as relapse prevention, cognitive thinking skills, positive reinforcement, and this was what planted the seed in him towards recovery. “I was always a natural speaker. This is what the warden liked,” Thomas recalled. But this was not his way to get sober.

Thomas drank in prison. The inmates made something called hooch by fermenting fruit, bread, and sugar in tomato cans that tasted like tomato beer, all the while teaching others the way to achieve sobriety. The first time Thomas paroled he did it from the “hole,” solitary confinement for beating up a fellow inmate. He was out on parole where he went back to prison for a parole violation where he not only drank alcohol but did dope as well.

“Drugs come in on visits, from road crews, from crooked guards, and if you want to do, heroin it’s expensive,” Thomas explained.

The third time he went back to prison was when he became a counselor in reality. “I was still drinking but not using anymore,” Thomas conceded, “I don’t glorify the stuff that I did before because that was not inspiration for me. I was lost and I had a lot of misconceptions.” And then came for Thomas the turning point.

Thomas was on parole. He was back in his gang, a regular feeling. He detected that the members were not acting right. It turns out the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) had been watching them for the past three years. “I mean, I had been gone for two years,” he exclaims, “I got my door kicked in by the ATF. The old gun charge had come back up. They had this thing called Operation Black Ring and we all got indicted. So now I am back in prison, and I am all over CNN.” It turns out that since the gun charge was from before his indictment, Thomas was in the clear. There was no parole violation. Though he was still on parole, Thomas went back to his old patterns. He manipulated the once a week urinalysis by passing them and getting drunk afterward. He made sure to take every class including relapse prevention, parenting, AA classes, and by the time he got back to court, he had nine certifications. The hearing went well for Thomas. His testimony on AA’s 5th step and showing humility won the Judge over. The Judge and the ATF agent had a showdown. It didn’t help that the agent had not done things properly. All evidence against Thomas was thrown out. She gave him three years supervised release. “You might want to think about a career in counseling,” the judge said. Thomas was free, but freedom did not equate to sobriety.

Thomas was now inactive with his gang, but could not get a job due to his face being plastered all over the news. Once the urinalyses became unrequired, life just became worse. His arguments with his wife escalated and so did the substance abuse.

The next two years Thomas was really not in any kind of recovery. All of that beautiful stuff that made him a free man was well on its way to sending him back. He was just

“I DON’T GLORIFY THE STUFF THAT I DID BEFORE BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT INSPIRATION FOR ME. I WAS LOST AND I HAD A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS.”

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getting through by being a functional alcoholic and addict. This was no way to live, and Thomas knew it. The day he got off federal paper was also the day he told his wife he needed to go to rehab. Thomas ended up going to Sobriety House in Denver. He had nine months of sobriety but ended up relapsing two and a half months later, the repercussions of that relapse causing him to lose everything. Thomas was at his wits’ end. This was the realization and the moment his family needed for an intervention.

The ultimatum was banishment from the family forever or Thomas needed to go to Stout St., a program for people just like him. After some serious soul searching, he acquiesced. The admissions counselor asked him, “what can I do for you?” At first, Thomas didn’t know how to answer.

Stout St. counselors had pulled up a thorough background on Thomas, they knew he had not complied with some rules in rehab, and they knew he was violent. The admissions counselor said to him unequivocally, if you hit anyone in here you will go back to prison no doubt. After an hour, he then said again, “what can I do for you?” Thomas finally broke down and pleaded, “I don’t know how to live! I know nothing but waking up and telling a guard my inmate number, or having a syringe in my arm or having a gun in my hand,” Thomas cried, “teach me how to live!” The counselor, Christopher Conway, gave him a big hug and acknowledged, “you are ready.” and helped show him who he really could be throughout treatment. This was Thomas’ real surrender. However, there was a hiccup.

Thomas managed to get himself kicked out two months into the program for threatening another member. However, Christopher was not ready to give up on him and upon leaving gave him a card for IOP (Intensive Outpatient). Thomas found sober living and he worked for free at Solace Counseling for classes he couldn’t afford. He also started doing interventions as well as making a name for himself by printing up business cards and placing young addicts in treatment centers. Thomas moved on to recovery coaching with his training from AFR (Advocates for Recovery). He was coaching athletes, musicians, and people from all different walks of life. Thomas also became a business development specialist for some treatment centers in Florida. Things were finally looking up and Thomas was at the point where he was helping people rather than harming them.

Thomas has opened several businesses, The Hornbuckle Foundation is a non-profit organization that was started when he helped Michael Hornbuckle, a musician through the urging of Michael’s mother to get detoxed in time for a 40 date tour. They became fast friends by the end of that tour and decided to start a non-profit to help others overcome addiction. The foundation was named after Michael’s father, one of the first guitar players for Earth, Wind and Fire. The community pulled together to acquire Thomas’s first sober house. Thomas made a deal with the 18th District Court, the same one that put him in prison three times ironically, and all of the drug court kids come to his sober house.

Tribe Recovery Services is also there to provide sober living, intervention, escort, transportation, recovery coaching, and assessment and placement. Thomas is planning on opening another 36-bed sober house within the next few months, as well as having hopes to have a total of 100 beds total by January.

When asked what recovery is to him, Thomas replied, “It is a life change. It is about finding spirituality and learning to live proactively and positively,” he continued, “to me, it is finally meeting yourself for the first time, finding out who you truly are. The beauty about it is you always find out more. The more you do the 12 steps, the more you stay engaged, it is continuous,” Thomas paused, “That is the best way I can state it.”

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THOMAS IS PLANNING ON OPENING ANOTHER 36-BED SOBER HOUSE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AS WELL AS HAVING HOPES TO HAVE A TOTAL OF 100 BEDS TOTAL BY JANUARY.

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Photography: Justin Larwick (page 58-65), Wolfgang Wilmhoff (pages 66-69) 70

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Years ago, there was a car club called the Carnage Crew started by a bunch of close friends with a common interest in vintage steel beers and motorcycles. As times change and life gets in the way, so changed the car club which now calls themselves the Evil Souls. The last two founding members left standing are Jimmy Boulay and Jason Sellers with other members: Sam, Keith, Danny, Mike, Cole, Jeff, and Jason the Greek. The show started 10 years ago on a rough street in Denver. The idea of the show was a free event where a bunch of blue collar kids could show off the machines they restored and built themselves in their garages. In the beginning, it was limited to pre-1972 cars but as the show evolved, so did the cars. Carnage on Larimer is in August each year, rain or shine. This annual event has become a Denverite favorite with art, music, food, Tecate beer, and mixed drinks, as well as various other vendors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Carnage on Larimer takes a lot of time, work, and money. We would like to thank our sponsors and vendors who have been with us from the start. Also big thanks to Donnie Keeler and the Wounded Warriors Warehouse, the nonprofit organizations where all the proceeds from the show go to,â&#x20AC;? says Boulay. www.Facebook.com/CarnageOnLarimer www.Facebook.com/EvilSouls.CarClub Instagram: @EvilSoulsCC

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RANDY RUN FOR FALLEN BIKERS

By Scott O’Sullivan, The O’Sullivan Law Firm Randy Savely knows what it’s like to face your worst nightmare. In March 2007, he was riding his motorcycle in Denver and was hit by a car. Due to his extensive injuries, Randy’s left leg was amputated at the knee.

Adding insult to injury, Randy was hit by an underinsured motorist so he was unable to secure a settlement that would cover his medical bills, lost wages and more.

“That accident changed my whole world,” recalls Randy. “It left me with nothing. I lost my leg, my house, my car… everything.”

First Lesson: It Can Happen to You No one ever thinks this kind of horrific accident can happen to them, including Randy. Yet, according to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2015, motorcyclists were 29 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle mile traveled, and almost five times more likely to be injured.

In Colorado, in 2016, motorcycle deaths hit an all-time high, skyrocketing 15% from the year before. The 2016 number represents a 50% increase from 2012 when 79 deaths were recorded.

It’s easy to read those statistics and feel personally removed from them. But Randy is one of those statistics.

Randy Needed Help At the time of his accident, Randy worked in the construction industry and he was fortunate to have friends who rallied to his side. Those friends staged a big event, which they called The Randy Run, and they raised money to help Randy with his medical bills.

“That experience raised my awareness on what can happen to a rider who goes down,” says Randy. “I was definitely one of those people who thought it couldn’t happen to me.

Then, all of a sudden, I lost my leg.”

After that first year, Randy realized that the biker community was staging a lot of little fundraisers every time a biker went down but they raised relatively small sums. He decided to turn Randy Run into an annual event that would raise more money to help more bikers.

Second Lesson: Purchase the Right Insurance While bikers are a generous community, hosting fundraisers for their friends all the time, their efforts rarely raise enough money to cover an injured rider’s medical bills, lost wages, house payments, car payments and more.

So now, Randy tells every single rider he knows one very important piece of advice: It can happen to you so you’d better have the right insurance.

Recommendation: Every motorcyclist should purchase a minimum of $250,000 in underinsured motorist coverage. You cannot count on the other driver having enough insurance to cover your medical bills, lost wages and more. In fact, you’d better assume that every other driver on the road only has $25,000 of insurance, the minimum required by the state of Colorado. That won’t even cover your first day in the hospital if you face injuries like Randy’s.

Also, if you own a home, you should purchase an uninsured/underinsured motorist umbrella policy of $1 million.

Life Goes On… Randy also shares his inspiring story with riders who are going through the same thing he had faced.

“I have a real strong feeling of what it’s like when you go down,” he says. “I experienced it first-hand. After my leg was taken off, it was six months before I even got a prosthetic leg to walk again. But within a year of my accident, I was back on my bike and doing everything I did before.”

He adds, “After an accident, it’s easy to think your life is over. But I always worked on logic.

After my surgery, I sat up the next day and I thought, logically, I lost my leg. But I told my wife, ‘Don’t worry. I will walk and ride again.’”

Randy also used humor to get through the rough times.

“My surgeon said, ‘Randy, you lost your leg.’ I said, ‘I know I was there!’”

Third Lesson: Gear Up Many motorcycle accidents result in head

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injuries. Usually, the people who don’t die from brain trauma end up living with brain injuries for the rest of their lives. Consider buying the following to protect yourself from life-threatening injuries: Full-face helmet Motorcycle boots Riding jacket Riding gloves The Randy Run Helps Others Today, The Randy Run for Fallen Bikers (the organization’s official name) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a board of seven people who help Randy decide how to distribute funds.

In order to receive a grant, a rider has to complete an online application, proving that he or she was not at fault in the accident.

The grant also requires a police report.

All of the grants help people pay for house or car payments, or other bills. The organization does not hand out cash to victims.

“In our bylaws, it states that we do not give out cash,” explains Randy. “We will help with house or car payments. I don’t want people to go through what I did when I lost my house. They need time to think about what is happening to them and how they will handle it. They have to make a lot of decisions and we want to give them a cushion. If they don’t have to worry about their house or car or insurance for a little while, it gives them cushion.”

Randy adds, “Some reach out to us and say, ‘I don’t need your financial support but I need

your moral support.’ I’m happy to give that too.”

Fourth Lesson: Purchase Disability Insurance If you have a family depending on you, you have a duty to make sure that they can pay for your care if you are permanently hurt or even injured. Even something as simple as road rash can take days or weeks to heal and, depending on your line of work, that could be devastating to your financial situation. Disability insurance, such as Aflac, can help pay for your mortgage, car payment or even groceries! Even if you have fantastic insurance on your motorcycle, it can take months for you to see a dime of that money. Disability insurance can be a bridge of coverage while you wait for your accident case to settle.

2017 Was a Big Year for the Randy Run This year’s Randy Run for Fallen Bikers was held July 15, 2017, and it was the most successful event in the organization’s history.

In past years, the event drew around 75 riders and raised approximately $9,000.

This year, there were 110 bikers who helped raise $14,000. The event includes a 120-mile Poker Run, live auction, silent auction, chili cook-off, hog roast and door prizes.

Randy. “You have to protect yourself.”

Fifth Lesson: Learn More about Insurance and the Law If you’d like to read more about motorcycle insurance and motorcycle laws, read this free book, “Motorcycle Law: A Little Book About the Big Things You Should Know.” (You can go to the Apple store and search the title. It’s also available on my website.)

Helping Others Face What He Faced Randy says that he enjoys helping others who may be facing the same nightmare that he once faced.

“I often see guys who’ve been horribly injured or they’ve lost a leg and they meet me and say, ‘If you can do it, then maybe I can do it, too.’ And it’s true,” says Randy. “It’s all in your attitude.”

Randy was the subject of a three-part series written by Ken Bingenheimer in Motorcycle Colorado. It’s an inspiring story so I encourage you to check it out. www.OSullivan-Law-Firm.com www.Facebook.com/OSullivanLawFirm

At the event, Randy spoke about the importance of purchasing as much insurance as you can.

“You have to assume that the guy who hits you doesn’t have any insurance at all,” says

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TATTOOS HAVE HELPED ME ACHIEVE GOALS I NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE. 86

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InkSpired Magazine: How and when did your modeling career begin?

Kitty Crystal: For me modeling started off as an accident after a scare with cancer when I was still in college.

I was required to do a lot of long doctor visits and hospital stays so I would play around online where I stumbled across pictures of these beautiful tattooed girls by this amazing photographer, Perry Gallagher. All these raw images made me so happy.

I sent the photographer a message about how his photography made me feel and he offered me a shoot, which was amazing and started off my modeling career. I never thought I could model because I’m curvy and five foot three but because of my television appearances and positive attitude, I stay busy amongst the vast number of other tattoo models. I truly believe almost anything is possible with the right attitude.

InkSpired Magazine: Do you have any advice for aspiring models?

Kitty Crystal: I get DMs from young girls and guys every now and then who want to start modeling or acting.

I am always happy to give advice or answer questions but my number one rule is always be safe. Never go alone if you don’t know the photographer.

Always tell people where you are and always get references. Never do anything you’re not comfortable with, always trust your gut!

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InkSpired Magazine: What else do you do?

Kitty Crystal: I’m an actress, a comedy sketch writer, a filmmaker, and model. In late 2016 and early 2017, I even tried stand-up comedy but after about a dozen shows realized I didn’t have the nerve to get up in front of NYC strangers every night. Over the last couple of years, I’ve started writing and creating my own content on Funny or Die. Creating and developing my own shows has been more work than I ever expected but I’ve been able to work with my extremely talented friends to make wildly funny videos. I have a hand in every step of every project from promo photo shoots, script writing, location scouting, filming, editing, and distribution. It’s the most amazing feeling to see something go from paper to screen (or in today’s world, from word document to website/smart TV).

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InkSpired Magazine: What inspired you to start getting tattooed?

Kitty Crystal: I come from a long line of creative people. There really wasn’t a doubt that I wouldn’t get tattooed even when I was really little. I always drew on my Barbies and even my feet (so my mom wouldn’t see).

InkSpired Magazine: Tell us about your favorite tattoo.

Kitty Crystal: In early 2016 my father passed away and I got his signature on my right arm. It’s my most meaningful and beloved tattoo I have. My father was an amazing artist and now my home is filled with his art. It’s hung alongside the art of so many wonderful people I’ve met in my life.

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I COME FROM A LONG LINE OF CREATIVE PEOPLE. THERE REALLY WASN’T A DOUBT THAT I WOULDN’T GET TATTOOED EVEN WHEN I WAS REALLY LITTLE. I ALWAYS DREW ON MY BARBIES AND EVEN MY FEET (SO MY MOM WOULDN’T SEE).

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InkSpired Magazine: Who are your tattoo artists?

Kitty Crystal: There’s a lot so I apologize if I forget a few: Picasso Dular, Steve Martin, Dane Smith & April Nicole (Ink Master Season 9), Simon Velez, Jenny B Good, Ben Zehner, Mike Wooten, Jenia Chin, Joey Perez, Rey Contreras, Rob Murda, Eric Poland, Peter Campbell, Val Yoma, Skylar Usagi, and I’m sure I’m missing a couple more.

InkSpired Magazine: What role do tattoos play in your life?

Kitty Crystal: Tattoos have helped me achieve goals I never thought possible. I’ve been a featured guest at tattoo conventions, tattoo related TV and radio shows for years. It’s helped me land acting gigs on MTV, Comedy Central, and even the Food Network. I’ve appeared in over a dozen music videos, modeled for major clothing companies, and toured with Metallica during Orion Festival modeling for Kirk Hammett in Kirk’s Crypt. All these things gave me the ability and confidence to create the Funny or Die series The Drunken Yoga Show along with multiple other pilots and projects that have happened and will happen in the future.

InkSpired Magazine: What inspires you?

Kitty Crystal: I’m inspired by people who have made beautiful things from nothing, people who have taken what they were given and made something of themselves, people and projects that have changed the world for the better and everyone who stood up for someone less 92

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fortunate than them. I see beautiful things happening all around and I wish we got to see more of that every day. I want to leave a positive impression on this earth and with the people whom I’ve come into contact with.

InkSpired Magazine: Do you have any people that you are inspired by?

Kitty Crystal: I’m highly inspired by Carol Burnett, an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer whose career spans six decades of television. She came from nothing and worked her way into a household name. Even at the age of 84, she still makes television appearances and tells jokes. I hope to be half as funny and a third as successful in my life.

What is something that many people don’t know about you?

Kitty Crystal: I’m pretty much an open book. I guess the one thing most people don’t know about me is that I can’t walk in heels and I’m a huge klutz. I’m constantly covered in bruises from tripping and falling or running into everything along my path. www.KittyCrystalOfficial.com www.Facebook.com/KittyCrystalOfficial IG: @TheOfficialKittyCrystal Twitter: @TheKittyCrystal

I’M PRETTY MUCH AN OPEN BOOK. I GUESS THE ONE THING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME IS THAT I CAN’T WALK IN HEELS AND I’M A HUGE KLUTZ. I’M CONSTANTLY COVERED IN BRUISES FROM TRIPPING AND FALLING OR RUNNING INTO EVERYTHING ALONG MY PATH. InkSpiredMagazine.com

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to state which of these YOU are, so we can provide you with the correct release form for publication.

Before publication, we must receive a release form, signed and dated by yourself and ANY PERSON WHO RETAINS OWNERSHIP of the image. We provide the release forms to you once you have been accepted for publication, but it is your responsibility to return it in a timely fashion.

Personal Tattoo Submissions: If you are not a model or photographer or another professional in these fields, but you still have an amazing tattoo or two that you would like to submit for our new "Reader's Ink" section, we will be accepting lesserquality images such as those taken from a cellular phone or personal camera (not professionally taken). The remaining guidelines apply, as well as a notation providing us with the name and location of your tattoo artist.

Tattoo Artists: If you are an artist who would like to submit your portfolio or

flash material for publication, please send us a message and a sample of your work, and we will get in touch with you about how to move forward as this is treated more as an advertisement than a submission.

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