Name:
Chris O'Donnell
Age: 31
Currently Residing In: New York City
Currently Listening To: David Bowie, Yeah Yeah Yeahs,
Cat Stevens, Yann Tiersen
I was talking to a friend about getting
a new tattoo and I was telling him how I would like something of the "Asian"
influence within it, to represent that part of me. I had no doubt who
I was going to call to do it. When my friend asked this of me I told him,
Chris O'Donnell. One would have thought I'd said the Dalai Lama as he
shrieked almost girl-like at my reply. This, I thought amusing, as the
months went by and the subject came up to other friends, I got the very
same reaction. I knew a celebrity and didn't know it.
I've known Chris since I was 19, 20 years old. We hung out in the same circles and enjoyed the same shows and although he was younger, he was always a very pleasant person to be around. He was unmistakably quiet for sure and that always interested me with him because I believe that those who don't talk so much have a lot going on inside their heads.
Chris is an incredible talent behind the needle. His artwork comes to life whether it's on skin or on paper. He just really understands details and really excels at his art. He also produces some of the cleanest lines I've ever seen. To sum it up, he's an immaculate tattooist. I'm privileged to know him. I've always had respect for him as both a tattooist and an artist and a friend. One would encounter many who think the same.
How
long have you been doing tattoos and what prompted it in the first place?
I've been tattooing since February of '93. I just sort of lucked into the opportunity of an apprenticeship well before I realized it would be something I could do this long. I was too young to really understand what I was getting myself involved in. I was still in high school when I started tattooing professionally. I had done some sketches for a few friends and they took them to the local tattoo shop to get priced. The people there expressed interest in them and that's all it took. I was learning to tattoo a few months later.
Do you consider yourself an artist or a tattooist?
Both I suppose, I specialize in tattoo application, but I draw the
designs as well. It's a strange mix between providing a service and expressing yourself as an artist. The bottom line is you have to cater to the client in the final creative decision making. I try to spend a good amount of time on non-tattoo related projects but it can be hard to find the time and energy. I usually need some kind of deadline to accomplish anything like that. It's a side effect of having a packed tattoo schedule and that kind of responsibility.
You've been to many places to work, how does touring differ from place to place and what is similar about it?
it depends if you're doing a convention or a guest spot in a comfortable shop. You have to consider power conversion for your tattoo equipment, currency exchange rates, getting through customs, and where to get supplies. I really enjoy the days off to go sight seeing much more then the actual tattooing. I could stay home and tattoo all day, but I'd rather go exploring. It's hard to take that kind of pressure with you. but then again, it could be worse. I just try and plan some extra time to run around. I don't want to be like one of those bands that tour the world but never see anything because their schedule is so full. I'm lucky to be so well received on an international level. It's opened up my world quite a bit.
If
I were to say you have a style you dominate I would say Asian...why this
style? Do you like being labeled as such?
I just think the Japanese style lends itself to tattooing really well. It's very structured. The formula has been worked out already. The subject matter is timeless. What else could you ask for. it's perfect for tattooing on a large scale. Its the kind of thing that I could spend the rest of my life trying to figure out and not ever really coming close. People think it's too simple but they just can't even begin to understand it. They just can't even see it. I am interested in exploring other subjects but only after some kind of basic understanding of Japanese tattooing.
What piece meant the most to you to do?
Honestly, the tattoos I do sort of blur together over the years. I'm always much more interested in the design quality than the meaning. It's just the way my brain works, much more visually. It's a trip to watch something like "Miami Ink" and listen to people talk about the important meaning behind the tattoo they're receiving. I can just feel my brain melt when I hear that stuff. I'm much more caught up on the end result.
Who do you see as greatness in the tattoo world?
Influences?
There are a lot of great tattooers in the world. too many to name, but if I had to name a few....it would have to be the more visionary ones, the guys that had more to offer then just standard pretty tattooing...like, Ed Hardy, Daniel Higgs, Eddy Deutsche, HoriyoshI 2 and HoriyoshI 3 just to name a few. Those guys you can constantly refer to and you'll learn something new each time you do...real cutting edge work. They seemed to look outside of tattooing to learn, more than most.
Where do you feel your art will go to next?
That's a tough question. I don't even know how to do the next drawing or how its going to turn out. I would like to do some more art shows in the next few years. There's a good excuse to get to work. I like the idea of doing some artwork in private after all of these years of collaborations with the customers. I just to balance it out a little. When everything you draw is for someone else its hard to know what you're about artistically.
Have you ever turned someone away? Why?
I turn down projects on an almost daily basis. Once you're over booked you really can't keep accepting new work. It is just impossible. I also specialize in really particular styles so that's more work to turn down and sometimes you get the feeling you're not really meshing with someone based on personality, etc. It's usually just a matter of only having 2 hands and not enough hours in the day to work with everyone.
What do you feel is exciting in the progression of this art form?
It's interesting to see people that raise the bar for everyone in this art form. That's what I like. It forces everyone else to keep up. That's where the real advances are important. I appreciate artists with some sort of vision, even if I don't really respond to what it is they come up with exactly.
Favorite place on the body to tattoo? Why?
If I had a favorite place on the body to tattoo it might be the side of the leg below the knee, only because its much easier to tattoo. Another area would be the back because its a large area and large scale to work with. In my opinion it creates the most impact. It just really hits you when you see it in person, the way a large tattoo sort of takes over an area of a person's body. That's one of my favorite things in tattooing, seeing really big work.
Ever ink anyone famous? Who would you most want to tattoo?
I've actually tattooed a lot of celebrities working here in New York at such a high
profile shop. I've tattooed Lindsay Lohan and Richard Belzer, and it really isn't that interesting. They're not really getting the kind of work I enjoy doing. They're usually very nice and sometimes it can be interesting to experience someone like that face to face. It just shows you what an illusion Hollywood and television can create. They are typically pretty normal on a personal level. I can think of people I would like to meet but I don't really desire to tattoo any of them. I'd rather just interact with them. I work enough as it is.
What's something about you that not many people know?
Chris did not answer this question and I didn't think he would....he's mysterious like that! If you would like to check out more of Chris' work, please feel free to check out his website as well as the other artists at New York Adorned.