"Tattooing has evolved," he says. "These are serious artists, creating beautiful art for people to wear." He points out that the days of the blurry, green/black anchor "like grandpa's" are long gone. Danville Ink's artists use vibrant colors, creativity, and talent to create "living art."
Johnson refers to his business as a body art studio. Walls are covered with the "flash art" of various artists. Each artist represented has a portfolio of original past works, and Danville Ink offers an unlimited digital portfolio via the Internet. Traditional Japanese dragon and koi fish designs share space with skulls and crosses and roses - "of course!"
Danville Ink clients, notes Johnson, have come from all walks of life. "Whether a client wants a memorial tattoo in remembrance of a lost loved one, a whimsical fairy, or hardcore skulls, our guys will do it right."
Located at 290 Rose St., Danville Ink is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Sunday; and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Visit www.danvilleink.com or call 838-4465.
Link2 Fine Art Gallery. Stephen Sanfilippo notes that his passion is "bringing together creative people to share their talents with the community." To that end, he recently opened Link2 Fine Art Gallery at Danville's Rose Garden development. Sanfilippo's gallery houses works by 30 accomplished East Bay artists, including award-winning members of regional art organizations, three of whom have been juried into the prestigious Carmel Art Festival.
The gallery exhibits a variety of media and genres - including paintings, sculpture, glass and textiles - and a range of contemporary/modern, impressionistic and traditional styles. Works on exhibit change bimonthly.
Gallery events and activities include weekly art classes and live music jam sessions open to the public every Thursday night. A current event schedule is posted online at the Link2 Fine Art Web site: www.link2fineart.com
The gallery is open 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, in the Rose Garden Center, intersection of Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Ramon. Call 743-1733.
Kevin Milligan Gallery. Owner Kevin Milligan says his gallery features an eclectic selection of paintings: abstract, whimsical and plein air. Other media include collage mixed media, bronze and marble sculpture, classic landscape photography, and fine furniture.
In addition to regularly featured artists, the gallery also hosts four juried competitive exhibitions. These shows will open in January, April, July and October. The October exhibition, entitled "Imagine California Image 2009," is juried by Philip Linhares, chief curator, Oakland Museum.
Milligan notes that he has selected a series of esteemed professionals to jury his shows. "Juried competitions are open to artists working in painting, mixed media, and collage. The juried exhibitions provide local and regional artists with exhibition and professional opportunities while engaging the community in a diverse selection of media and subjects," he explains.
The gallery's next event is a wine-tasting reception from 5-8:30 p.m., Saturday Sept. 19. It's free and open to the public, 21 and older. Unveiled will be a maquette of "The Hero," a metaphorical figurative sculpture proposed for installation on the gallery's roof.
The gallery, located at 408 Hartz Ave., is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Visit kevinmilligangallery.com or call 309-4648.
Rick's Place. Says Rick Holcomb, owner of this eponymous gallery, "My dream has always been to have the kind of frame shop/gallery that anyone would feel comfortable walking into. Many of our customers say that I touch on a much 'edgier' realm of art than most other galleries today."
Holcomb explains that visitors aren't likely to see framed landscapes hanging in his gallery, but "we can do a beautiful job on anything you might need to adorn the walls of your home." In the framing business for 21 years, Holcomb says that every piece he works on is framed in-house, using the latest in conservation-quality materials.
He says that he tends not to follow the latest art trends but instead focuses on automobilia, tattoo design and hot rod pin-up art. "From a collector's standpoint, these draw as much interest today as they did 40 years ago, and I believe there is a real lack of representation of these styles today. Holcomb invites you to "stop by, and we can discuss how to turn your treasured pieces into amazing works of art."
Rick's Place: Custom Framing and Gallery is located at 625 San Ramon Valley Blvd. Call 837-1661
--John A. Barry is a writer and aspiring artist. To share anything art-related, call him at 314-9528 or e-mail jobarry@pacbell.net.
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