Sullen Hosts Art Sale for Tattoo Heritage Project

Sullen Clothing Holds Art Sale to Benefit Tattoo Heritage Project

Legendary Tattoo Artists and their mission to establish the First National Tattoo Art Museum, to be located in Long Beach, CA. 

Event Date:

Nov 5, 2022

Project Info:

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CdJuuEiBkDw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 Deadline for Art Submissions Nov 1, 2022

Send Art to: 

Jeremy Sullen

1799 Apollo Ct. 

Seal Beach, CA. 90740

 

Sullen Clothing has put out a call to action to the tattoo community, asking for original artwork, which will be part of an art sale fundraiser, helping raise funds and support for the creation of the First National Tattoo Art Museum, to reside in Long Beach, CA, in honor of the city’s rich tattoo legacy. 

In 2021, legendary tattoo artist Good Time Charlie, along with his board of iconic tattooers JD Crowe, Jack Rudy, Kari Barba, Corey Miller, and Chuey Quintanar, formed the Tattoo Heritage Project, a 501(c)(3) which is the museum’s fundraising entity. 

This (first of its kind) museum will create a space solely dedicated to archiving and displaying American tattoo art, and also plans to display international tattoo art as well. It is sure to be an international tourist destination, attracting tattoo lovers from all over the world.  

Charlie began his tattoo career in 1955 at the age of 15 in Wichita, KS. Years later, the Navy brought Charlie to The Pike, in Long Beach, CA.  He recalls, “The Pike was a naval port and tattoo parlors thrived in that area. A lot of notable Tattooers got their start here, in the business.” 

“Working at the Pike was kind of a formative institution for Tattooers. I worked there for three years in the early 70s, and that’s where I started professionally tattooing, I would say publicly tattooing. I always did private stuff before that. But The Pike is where I got my chops too.” 

The Pike is also where Charlie met his partner in ink, Jack Rudy, and helped form a lifelong partnership in an artform, which at the time, had an elusive support system.  Today, Jack is the keeper of the original Good Time Charle's shop, an institution he and Charlie started together in 1975.

Good Time Charlie’s recently closed his shop, End of the Trail (in Feb 2020) after 32 plus years, and his 2019 release of his career history book, “Tattoo Man, The Story of Good Time Charlie’s,” co-penned with Jack Rudy provided inspiration for Charlie to really ponder preservation. 

That coupled with a visit and encouragement from the staff and curators of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles during his last week in business (who played a prominent role in the traveling exhibit Tattoo in 2017), provided motivation to begin the exploration of what it takes to build a dedicated tattoo art museum. 

Tattoo Heritage Project board member Kari Barba is also invested in the cause, owning the longest operating tattoo shop in America (since 1927), Outer Limits Tattoo and Museum located in Long Beach, CA., is the last remaining piece of The Pike’s tattoo history. Her shop doubles as a small museum, paying homage to all those artists who built the foundation for this now thriving art. 

Established in Huntington Beach, Sullen Clothing got its start by being heavily influenced by tattoo-inspired art. With a strong focus on the ideals and practices of modern tattooers, Sullen evolved from a small group of art-driven tattooers and artists, into a world-renowned “Art Collective,” enjoying an international social media audience of over 1 million followers, tattoo artists, and tattoo enthusiasts combined. 

Sullen owner Jeremy Hanna states, “With my business partner Ryan Smith being a tattoo artist for over 25 years, and myself almost having a complete body suit of tattoos, it is safe to say that we truly are fans of tattoo-inspired art and tattoo culture. It’s in Sullen’s DNA; it always has and always will drive all of our creative direction. Our only hope is that you are just as inspired by what we like to call “True Art.” 

Sullen Clothing and Tattoo Heritage Project, see a real need and a unique opportunity for being pioneers of the National Tattoo Art Museum, which aspires to be the first of its kind, large-scale tattoo museum in the world. 

Most importantly, all can agree and are passionate about giving American Tattoo Art a national home, featuring many private, never before seen collections, and finally, giving this once misunderstood art form the respect it deserves. 

 

 

For more information or interview requests, contact: 

Kimiko Tokita at TattooHeritageProject@gmail.com (805) 217-0556