🌻🧡 September 2024 🧡🌻

— news of the good, bad, mid and hopeful in the matters of the biz —

Hello lovely email newsletter readers, it’s your favorite tattoo slinger here to tell you news of the good, bad, mid and hopeful in the matters of the biz. These posts have become less regular along with being underemployed, which I’ve spoken lots to. Despite the trials I've been feeling extremely grateful to be able to hold onto my special special spot at The Stabshack, and the practice in general of adorning your bodies with forever art!

If you’re not familiar, The Stabshack is a private studio I share with one other artist, Becca Teeth. It’s a little corner suite in a old 1950’s drive up motor hotel turned arts space. It’s temporary, expected demolition 2026, but has low controlled rent. I split every week in half with Becca, giving me Sunday to Tuesday and the last two Wednesdays of every month as time there to tattoo.

I’m officially opening my books for September, accepting client requests for all my regular tattoo services! If you’d like to read up on the intricacies of those check out the detailed info on the tattoo portion of my website.

Right now I’m preparing for a two day mega flash sale, with three spots per day! A big difference from my usual single session days. It’s 40% any and all flash August 24th and August 25th. As I write this, still have one spot available, being Sunday August 25th at 12:00PM. Browse my flash easy here if you like and run on over to my booking form if you’d like to grab that spot.

Here are some ideas on flash you could get below, with markdowns and placement suggestions, your welcome.

I’ve also been getting excited about sticker designs! I have some ready and my good friend Leo at the Brass Iris is offering to print me some with their shop run as well. The first run will be available for five bucks or pay what you can at my studio to visiting clients.

“I meet divinity in the singular moment & leave a tack in my physical experience of time everytime I get silly little gay tattoo,”

This fall I’m dreaming big of a few special things! I’d really love to design and offer a concept I’m calling “Semi-freehands,” where I sketch very rough, loose conceptual designs with a general time estimate and offer them up to you.

Picture sketches over limbs, bellies, backs, something you get the vision and idea of but we tailor to your body with sharpies and markers day of. Giving you a result we both discover as the process unfolds. Sort of a closer to land stepping stone for those stoked on the magic of freehands but daunted by the uncertainity of not knowing what will be on your body at all until day of.

I’d also really love to tattoo areas I have less experience with like necks and back pieces. I want to work with more colour, as I do have so much to offer/use and expanding on style keeps things fun for me! I think it would be fun to do some more heavy, dark shaded tattoos and work with plants as well.

I’d really enjoy to do some tattoo altars, inviting people to bring precious objects and stories and creating one inspired by the subject matter they chose. Please feel free to get in touch if any of these concepts are exciting to you or leave a comment on this post.

I’m thinking I will retire my astrology flash by the end of the year, likely offering a slight sale in the winter. Using whatever’s left over for other fun things like prints and such. I may also modify, update or expand on my Shadow Flash series.
It’s also likely I may find other work and become less available for tattooing this year as well.

Anyways, if you’re interested in booking with me in September as always you can reach me using this form or direct at bugcruickshank@gmail.com. I’ll share my current availability below.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to leave a message in the comments if there’s a question or subject you’d love to hear from me about it future letters.

x0Xo,

Bug

PS: Did you know I have a secret website, and if you find it there’s a secret message you can use to get 10% off a tattoo? Well now you do.