Transition: Tattoo Inspired Skateboard Decks for Kids

In the past I have created artwork using twisted fairy tales as a source of inspiration.  Creating dark landscapes with bright winding flowers has always been what I gravitated towards.


 I have been lucky enough to translate some of these illustrations into unique tattoo flash for Bullseye Tattoo and it has been very rewarding seeing these images come to life on the skin.










A new chapter of my life has begun, since becoming a stay at home mother, and I embrace it, but with this I have noticed a complete evolution in my work as well.  Creating SkateBaby is just one of the changes.  From pen and ink artwork, to tattoo flash, to finally hand painted skateboard decks for nurseries and children's room decor.....they may be different mediums but they come from the same odd mind!

To see more fun work go to:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SkateBaby

Launch of Skatebaby

Please check out Skatebaby at my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SkateBaby

Since becoming a mom, I have shifted gears a bit and started Skatebaby, a new venture that sells hand painted skateboard decks for every child.  Although I am still working creating new artwork, I have been inspired by my daughter and have released 7 new original skateboard designs.  

How I got started:

When shopping for nursery design ideas, I wasn't really impressed by what was out there in the market.  I wanted something fun and playful to hang on her wall.  With her dad being a tattoo artist and skateboarder, we had a few skateboard decks lying around the house, and so I jumped on the idea!  Now at two years old, my daughter, is scooting around the house on her very own board. 

I just love the idea of giving a child their very own personalized skateboard deck that can be with them through the years until they begin to ride.  How fun!!

Every skateboard is hand painted using acrylic and color pencils on a 7 ply maple deck.  They can all be customized with a child's name, initials, birth date and color scheme to fit each and every family.

Skatebaby boards are the perfect gift for your family or someone little you love! 

Please check out Skatebaby at my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SkateBaby

Artwork For Sale

www.twistedbeautydesign.com

Well it's been awhile, but for good reason.  We have moved three times and have welcomed a baby girl into our crazy little family.  With all of these changes it took a bit to get back into the groove, but I have new works in the wings and an updated site to explore.  I am very excited about the pieces that are emerging.  I have left the small works behind and have been working on a much larger scale.   I will be posting some "works in progress" images very shortly, but for now take a peek at the new site.  There are options for the purchase of original pieces and there will be prints made available soon as well.

Thanks for hanging in there! And for all you tattoo enthusiasts, there will be new tattoo flash arriving very shortly!  I will keep you posted! 

CAVE GALLERY OPENING

Tomorrow January 14th is the opening reception for "Paradox Shifts" at the Cave Gallery. 

Artists' Reception: January 14, 7pm - 10pm

Live Painting by: John Park

Djs: BusRider & Mr. NumberOnederful

On view January 14 - February 5, 2011

C.A.V.E. Gallery · 1108 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice CA 90291

Featured Artist: Taka Sudo

Plus Group Show: Brian Robertson, Charmaine Olivia, Craig Cartwright,

Daryll Peirce, Eatcho, Euth, Gustavo Rimada, James Bentley,

Jason Graham, Jeannie Lynn Paske, Jeff Felker, John Park,

Megz Majewski & Tamara Weiss

I have two of my all time favorite pieces being shown, Untamed and Bear Trap.  These two pieces are my most recent works and are being shown for the first time.  I am very much looking forward to hearing as much feed back as possible and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

New Work New Shows

It's been so long since I updated this blog, but I have been working my tail off.  I have been working on a new series and have been drawing pages after pages of tattoo flash for Bullseye Tattoos Monster Flash Collection.  I have been very blessed being around such creative and talented people and this has fueled my desire to draw like a crazy mad man...

"Follow Me" By Tamara Weiss

Pen and Ink/ Color Pencil/ Charcoal on Cut Paper

So...if you are in L.A, come check out The Cave Gallery, to see a few of my new pieces.  The opening is January 14th and will be available till February5th.

If you are in Philadelphia, come check out Gleaners in the Italian Market around the same time frame to see more of my work as well as work by Steve Skelly.  Gleaners is kinda of our neighborhood family haunt and we always love being apart of their world..

Be on the look out too for Bullseye's Monster Flash Collection coming soon.  There are some amazing artists on the roster..

"Untamed"By Tamara Weiss

Pen and Ink/ Color Pencil/ Charocal on Cut Paper

On a sad note, My little Meatball, Gwena passed away recently and she will be surely missed.  I had her for over 12 years and she was my co pilot in all that I did.  I can't remember a time when she wasn't covered in pastels and pencil shavings because she was rolling around under my desk.  She even had a trip to the emergency room once when she ate a tube of blue paint, she was a hardcore supporter in all that I did.

 

We miss ya Meatball

 

New Octopus Tote Bag

New Designs are done and are now on sale at: http://www.envelop.eu/shop/articles/details/p/cephalopod-love

This image was originally created for tattoo flash, but I loved it so much I thought I would toy with it alittle bit. I am also playing with a few other textile backgrounds that are coming soon..

Close up

It also comes in red...

I am just crazy about this flower/ cephalopod hybrid!

Studio Mayhem

So I always thought it would be easier to work from home..I was delightfully wrong...this is a typical studio day in my neighborhood...

The studio is a complete mess and of course there is always coffee and smokes at arms reach.

These are all of my decapitated flowers and skulls, each one is cut out with an x-acto knife very carefully and the end result is a paper shag carpet...

This would be the circus( Gypsy the cat and Jack the dog) that weaves in and out from under my desk, knocking everything over and chewing on my work.  Here Gypsy is just sniffing my shoe and Jack is trying to get my attention.

And here Jack is clearly letting me know he does not want me working and wants to eat..he does this about every half hour or so...

And this little one is Gwen, she rarely is in the studio but sits at the bottom of the stairs and cries and whines, because she can...she looks sweet, but don't let that fool you..

And at the end of the day if I am lucky I get some work done...

This piece took me about 2 months...

Flower Designs

So I took some time off and I have been working non stop to create a new series of work.  For some time now I have been so engrossed by the landscapes of my past Illustrations that I have centered my new work purely on this.  I seem to think that this obsession with drawing flowers may stem from the fact that this has been one of the worst winters in a long time and maybe I was just praying for Spring.....

These winding flowers are going to be included in the new book I am working on for Bullseye, but I am also using these images as the main characters in my new body of work. 

I have already finished quite a few and I will be posting the new work online at http://www.twistedbeautydesign.com/ , soon to come.

This is just a sample of the new characters starring in my work.....

My Blue Period

Smitten with the color Blue...

Pen and Ink Color Pencil

Tamara Weiss 2010

I have always been drawn to Snap Dragons and Bleeding Hearts.  We used to have a garden full of these and I have many memories of snapping the heads off and pinching them so that they talk....

Pen and Ink Color Pencil

Tamara Weiss 2010

It seems most of my memories revolve around the garden...whether it be from my father smashing fire flies on his finger nails so that they glow in the dark,  my sister and I pulling green moss from in between red bricks in a patio, or from running scared from an influx of Praymantisis crawling on our blue shingled house...

All of these memories are steering my new work with color...

Sneak Peek New Work!

Pen and Ink, Color Pencil 2010

Working on new designs, I finally got my second wind and I am drawing like crazy. This new flower is just the beginning...So much more is a coming....

I just love the color in this flower and it seems that not only does it want to be a part of a much larger art piece, but it also wants to be on my rib cage as well...

Stay tuned...