HOT STUFF TATTOO - Getting Inked By Danny Reed

You might have caught it mentioned in other posts through this year but in September, I turned 50 years old.  At the beginning of the year I made a mental list of things that I wanted to have happen and one of those things was being tattooed by Danny Reed of Hot Stuff Tattoo in Asheville, North Carolina.  He and I have talked about it for years and I'm really glad that we made it happen.

I always figured that a tattoo should tell a story or have a certain meaning to the artwork.  The more that I thought about it, I wanted to do something with our daughter and son in mind.  Their middle names of Wrynn and Finneus made it fitting to approach Danny with the idea and reference of a bird and a fish that would be inked on either side of my chest.  

In grade school, I was nose deep into a large format heavyweight edition of John James Audubon's Birds of America that followed me from classroom to classroom for the first six years of school.  I can remember sitting at my desk, flipping pages while gazing at the large prints instead of studying or being attentive in class.  I asked Danny if he'd create a piece for the right side of my chest of a marsh wren in somewhat of an Audubon-esque posture.  What he came up with was perfect. 

As the year is winding down, Danny reached out with a mid-week afternoon opening.  I left work early last Wednesday and made it up to the shop as he was finishing the artwork.  I as stoked that I'd be able to get both tattoos done before the year was over and appreciate Danny fitting me into his always busy schedule. 

Growing up, the first fish that I caught with my dad was a bluegill and the first fish caught with Hadley and Finn were bluegills on crickets in the family pond through the woods from our home.  It only made sense that the left side of my chest would be a colored up bluegill that I am so stoked about.

These sessions where split up between Danny's personal studio and at Hot Stuff Tattoo, which are each located on Haywood Road in downtown Asheville.  Both experiences were exceptional and if know you'll be in Asheville well enough in advance, book some time with Danny Reed.  Following him on Instagram is the best way to keep up with when he's accepting appointments and where he'll be a guest artist at next.