More mainstream than ever, tattooing has come a very long way -especially over the last nine years or so.  A craft that has been heightened to an art form heightened to a lifestyle, the lines between artist and tattoo artist are blurred and more and more we find the spirit of art present in the evolution of tattooing.  We are witnessing something quite beautiful, because as this evolution occurs there is a sort of  “reaction”, a compelling need to honor and preserve the heritage of tattoo culture in an artistic way.  There is an undercurrent of a few who are pushing the craft forward by looking back to the very foundation, celebrating the founding fathers of tattoo culture in modern times along with the tools and the spirit of the craft.

Here we have Fellowship Supply Co.  Upon first glance this is not your typical tattoo supply e commerce site.  It is a work of art.  From the photography and compelling video clips, to the icons and design work, Fellowship is changing the face of the industry while remaining true to the OG’s of the industry.  Those who made it possible, who live and breath tattoo culture, who paved the way for the acceptance and freedom so many enjoy today.

Fellowship exists to promote craftsmanship while furthering the artistry of the tattoo community.
We honor the dedication of artists before us through dedication of our own, shunning shortcuts in favor of sacrifice.
For those who find joy in creating, the role of a maker is a life, not a living. In the art of tattooing, we blur lines between
timelessness and mortality, between skin and canvas, between outcast and visionary.

Another example of this delicious preservation, of honoring the roots of the craft, is the most recent collection of tattoo artist turned artist Scott Campbell.  In an effort to get back to the “roots” of tattooing Campbell went to visit a prison in Mexico City.  “Tattooing had gotten sucked up by reality shows and mall culture, and I wanted to fall back in love with a folk art…” So Campbell spent his time in prison piecing together machines with found items.  He found that having the limitations of what is available in prison forced him to be more creative.  Campbell would then paint the machines and show them as a collection called  Things Get Better, a group of stunningly realistic watercolors currently on display at LA’s OH WOW Gallery (the show closes on June 21st).

“In prison, tattooing has always had a certain gravity to it because you have a population of people who’ve all been given an orange suit and a number, and been dehumanized as much as possible. Tattooing there has a greater purpose. It’s a connection to the outside and a reminder of love, so that [the inmates] feel less like animals in a cage”

Sources:  Fellowship Supply Co,  Scott Campbell quotes: Aesthete, Scott Campbell images OH WOW