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IT'S ALL OR NOTHING WITH BRANDON BOND
by Chaz Hungwell
From the August 2004 issue of Prick Magazine.
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 DJ Minor and Brandon Bond. |
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With a spacious new studio in Smyrna, Georgia,
owner Brandon Bond and his staff, including
tatooers DJ Minor and Les Collier, want it
All or Nothing. Combined, the three talents have been published
in over 150 tattoo magazines and won numerous
awards. Brandon is an example of workaholism at its best.
After years of moving from city to city, picking up new techniques,
and tattooing every single day, all his hard work has
finally paid off.
The studio features a full gallery that displays different
works monthly. "It really is all about the art here, 100%," says
Brandon. Limited prints and original paintings from Eric
Merrill, Jime Litwalk, Canman, Rodney Rains, Joe Capobianco,
Aaron Bell, Ron Earheart, Sarah Peacock, Jay Chastain, Dave
Fox, Jamie Burness, Mike Belzel, The Bishop, Jason Blanton,
Jeremy Whitley, Phil Colvin, Deano Cook, Mike Eaton, Bill
Conner, Scott Sylvia and many others are prominently displayed
throughout the space. "We will be holding a reception
for the new pieces every 45 days or so," he adds. "The receptions
are a lot of fun and totally free and open to the public.
We raffle away paintings, and large scale tattooing, giving the
gallery patron the opportunity to win as much as $2,000
worth of tattoo work. We raffled off a collaborative piece
from DJ Minor and I at this last reception."
Brandon began his tattoo career in Florida, tattooing as
fast and as much as possible to make money in a small flash
shop, "no art involved really," he admits. But then, he moved
to Texas, where he went to art school full time and got a
piercing apprenticeship while still tattooing seven days a
week. His next move took him to the bright lights of Vegas,
where he tattooed for two years every day without a day off,
making loads of money and getting his first taste of recognition
for his work in magazines. Next, Seattle, where he
toured with Damon Conklin - "Damon is a workaholic as
well, and is still one of my best friends in the industry" - and
then New Orleans, San Diego, Panama
City, Dallas and several other
places.
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"I learned a lot by
working with a wide variety
of artists. I do a wide
variety of styles. I feel
that versatility makes a
good tattooer and working
with different artists
allowed me to pick up contrasting
styles," says Brandon.
He picked up a lot about
black and grey while
working with Deano
Cook in Atlanta. Around
this time, several articles
were released about his
career and work.
"I was flooded with
new clients from all over
the south," he recalls.
More changes followed;
he quit drinking and partying
all together which
made the travelling less
inviting and he met "an
amazing woman in
Atlanta who didn't like the
idea of going on a crazy tour."
So,he abandoned his nomadic
lifestyle - at least for now -
and built an art gallery and
tattoo studio less than a mile
from his house.
"A tattoo studio is only
as good as its worst artists, so
I have been incredibly picky
about who resides here,"
explains Brandon. "I am very
fortunate to have DJ Minor
relocate here, he is absolutely
amazing. We feed off
each other and draw everything
together. His newer
works are mind blowing, definitely different than anything you
have ever seen in the magazines from him in the past. Les
Collier has relocated from California, as well. We are very
stoked to have him. He does amazing tattoos and is very exciting
to be around. I wanted to surround myself with great
artists who were as excited about tattooing as I am. We all
work every day of the week and tattoo by appointment only.
We spend vast amounts of time before and after work creating
the pieces we tattoo every day. I live to tattoo at this point
and the staff at my studio is on the same page."
There are large work areas for each artist, with a total of
4 stations currently; three are being used by residents and the
fourth is reserved for guest artists on the convention circuit.
The first featured guest will be Eric Merrill, who will be at the
studio from Aug. 25 to the beginning of September.
"We are
currently booking slots for the booth for the next year," concludes
Brandon. "I will probably get tattooed in that booth
more than anyone else!"
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To receive an online invitation for art openings or more
information about the shop, you can go to www.allornothingtattoo.com or www.brandonbond.com.
All Or Nothing Tattoo Studio & Art Gallery
2569 South Cobb Dr. Suite A
Smyrna, GA 30080
770.435.9966
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