This is going to be my only contribution to the numerous reflective posts about the attacks on America ten years ago today, especially as I keep seeing faked pictures, untrue stories that are the type always to be reblogged on Tumblr, ones that gather notes but are entirely disrespectful to those that actually had to face this. It is one thing to put out an inspirational (if unture story) but I think people should be more considerate of those people who have a story that is ignored because it doesn’t sound as nice as some of these made up ones I have already read today.
I was 18 at the time and the heightened hysteria which was brought about in this time had me worried, I always worry, and this was no different. There was talk about the war to come, and talk that they may have even considered a draft. Which I would have been eligible for, and I just crumpled in my front room, looking in the mirror thinking that in no time at all I could be fighting someone else’s war. Don’t get me wrong, I think all of us should be proud of our soldiers, people who want to fight for their queen and country, but to me I just couldn’t do it.
I have experienced the pain of seeing the 18 year old friend of my students killed in Afghanistan, at the time the youngest serviceman to die. I did not know the lad personally, but he meant everything to the lads who have gone from being students over the years to being friends. Their heartbreak was undeniable.
A couple of weeks after the attacks in New York, there was similar potential attacks in other countries, one very close to home after they found a small explosive device on the top deck of a bus just outside where I used to work as a waiter at the time. The bus terminated it’s route just outside, and as the driver did his check of the bus he found the rucksack with what turned out to be the device inside. We had been evacuated from the area, and when we returned the next day, walking into the restaurant to see plates of half eaten meals, and half consumed drinks was haunting. If the device had been triggered, due to the close proximity of the building we were in, we were told it is most likely that there would have been multiple fatalities.
I responded to all this in a way that I only know how, through art.
I spent the two weeks after the attacks, drawing this. It started out as a sketch that developed into a full blown art piece. That I had framed, and is staring at me now across my room, reminding me of all the things that happened at that time in the world. I have had many people offer to buy prints of this, I’ve had offers for the actual piece. But I don’t think it could mean anymore to someone than it means to me, still after all of these years.
So instead of reblogging lots of visually stimulating images, or vomit-inducing stories that are written to get attention rather than being real, don’t reblog them. Just sit and think of what went down, and what went up in the world that day.
Fear.
Hope.
Patriotism.
Community.
Compassion.
I can only imagine the devastation to the community of New York on that day. The inspiration displayed by everyone in that city is beyond words, and you can rebuild buildings, but never forget those who can never rebuild their lives.
Bringing this back each year
So, got a few of these printed A3…..anyone want a signed one for £10? (Taken with instagram)
Finished I Heart New York typography
Be up for sale on Society6 as soon as it comes back online :)
NYC Sanborn Maps
This is such a beautful video
Yes the reality tv show all about tattooing.
(from the perspective of a designer with no tattoos or experience, just for fun!)
1. Dave Navarro has become scary looking, like real scary looking - just remember this dude once was married to Carmen Electra….
(Look mom! The doctor didn’t kill him after all! Cha-mone!)
….and on the subject of daft names……
2. Would you let someone with the name ‘B-Tatt’ or ‘Billi Vegas’ or ‘Al Fliction’ actually tattoo you in real life, let alone on a reality gameshow?
….and on the subject of ‘B-Tatt’….
(this is he….)
3. Whatever you do, if you see this man in your tattoo parlour waiting for you, run a mile. The first task involved tattooing a skull on a pig carcass, there were some fantastic, not so fantastic, bad then ‘B-Tatt’s’…….
(this is a skull…….)
4. That the Statue of Liberty has an ear!
Unlike this one (which also doesn’t have a left side of a face) that was tattooed as a cover up on an American war vet, y’know those guys that serve a country that is bombastic about all its patriotic symbolism.
5. That tattooing shouldn’t be rushed, and definitely not have a time limit on it, and that when dealing with cover ups to be done in 6 hours…..
This is easier to cover up…..
Than this……
6. That this woman probably ended up with a wonky wings that needed a cover up because her last tattooist probably had to contend with her crying, screaming and generally moving all over the place like the guy did on this show….
(in a rare moment when she was just crying rather than screaming….)
7. The fact that Chris Nuñez is either doing this show for either a) the money or b) the fact he can let off steam by calling out on all the shit tattooing - or both.
(Chris was fond of the door….)
8. the tattooing is like any other art form, it can’t be rushed nor should be exploited in this way - yes it’s bubblegum programming that I will probably continue to watch - but these guys appearing on it are far from ‘Ink Masters’ just like no chef appearing on ‘Masterchef’ are actually masters of anything.
Oh well eh B-Tatt……
In other news I smiled this morning
New York.
Toronto.
Montreal (again)
Paris (again)
Barcelona.
Rome.
Somewhere hot so I get a tan.
If anyone would like to help me out with this, that would be fantastic :)
This would be your reward (Me vaguely smiling for once)
Today’s wiwt
This is going to be my only contribution to the numerous reflective posts about the attacks on America ten years ago today, especially as I keep seeing faked pictures, untrue stories that are the type always to be reblogged on Tumblr, ones that gather notes but are entirely disrespectful to those that actually had to face this. It is one thing to put out an inspirational (if unture story) but I think people should be more considerate of those people who have a story that is ignored because it doesn’t sound as nice as some of these made up ones I have already read today.
I was 18 at the time and the heightened hysteria which was brought about in this time had me worried, I always worry, and this was no different. There was talk about the war to come, and talk that they may have even considered a draft. Which I would have been eligible for, and I just crumpled in my front room, looking in the mirror thinking that in no time at all I could be fighting someone else’s war. Don’t get me wrong, I think all of us should be proud of our soldiers, people who want to fight for their queen and country, but to me I just couldn’t do it.
I have experienced the pain of seeing the 18 year old friend of my students killed in Afghanistan, at the time the youngest serviceman to die. I did not know the lad personally, but he meant everything to the lads who have gone from being students over the years to being friends. Their heartbreak was undeniable.
A couple of weeks after the attacks in New York, there was similar potential attacks in other countries, one very close to home after they found a small explosive device on the top deck of a bus just outside where I used to work as a waiter at the time. The bus terminated it’s route just outside, and as the driver did his check of the bus he found the rucksack with what turned out to be the device inside. We had been evacuated from the area, and when we returned the next day, walking into the restaurant to see plates of half eaten meals, and half consumed drinks was haunting. If the device had been triggered, due to the close proximity of the building we were in, we were told it is most likely that there would have been multiple fatalities.
I responded to all this in a way that I only know how, through art.
I spent the two weeks after the attacks, drawing this. It started out as a sketch that developed into a full blown art piece. That I had framed, and is staring at me now across my room, reminding me of all the things that happened at that time in the world. I have had many people offer to buy prints of this, I’ve had offers for the actual piece. But I don’t think it could mean anymore to someone than it means to me, still after all of these years.
So instead of reblogging lots of visually stimulating images, or vomit-inducing stories that are written to get attention rather than being real, don’t reblog them. Just sit and think of what went down, and what went up in the world that day.
Fear.
Hope.
Patriotism.
Community.
Compassion.
I can only imagine the devastation to the community of New York on that day. The inspiration displayed by everyone in that city is beyond words, and you can rebuild buildings, but never forget those who can never rebuild their lives.
This is a piece of art I did when I was 17.
I sat and watched the entirety of the 9/11 attacks in the common room at school, and it was so surreal. Scary like nothing that has ever scared me before or since - there was so much happening and no one had answers.
I sat in the common room over the next couple of days, and what started out as a doodle became this piece, all done in pen and ink, as a tribute to all those affected by the atrocity.
The headmaster of my school wanted the art students to make a tribute the school could hang to remember those involved, I went and got it framed (cost a lot to a 17 year old with no money) I took mine along and he told me that it wasn’t happy enough and that he would never hang something like this.
Sort of put me off ever really doing another art piece to this day.
The piece was entitled, Faceless Terror
I found this whilst clearing through files, unfortunately I dont have the original any more, I think I gave it to one of my younger relatives, but I must have done this when I was about 14/15 - jeeeeeez 13 years ago!!!!!
*just for the record, this was like A2 size, so about 4/6 times Letter size (for our American cousins - love you all!)
