March 24, 2006
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Ode to Sailor Jerry
Sit down my kiddies and let me tell ya a tale about Sailor Jerry.Arrr.
The Roo-starrrr!
(exerpts from www.sailorjerry.com )
If you really want a true classic, you’ll have to go back in time and cross the ocean (unless you live in Honolulu). That’s where you’d find a guy with a white tee shirt, an oily grey pompadour and heavily tattooed arms, once known to seamen and still known to tattoo aficionados as “Sailor Jerry.” He’s the man many see as the father of the deftly crafted, boldly lined, balls-forward Old School Tattoo. The kind fueled by the devil-may-care appetites of men far away from home.
As with the work of any great artist, every one of Sailor Jerry’s designs reflects an extra level of depth, some detail that communicates more than the content would indicate. In one surprisingly beautiful design, a sailing ship crosses ocean over the word “HOMEWARD”- the shading is meticulous, the lines are perfect, but it’s a burst of bright red coming from behind the boat that makes it extraordinary, depicting the romance and optimism necessary to sustain a life at sea.
The biggest thing missing from such a life, of course, is breasts- and the individuals behind them. Buxom maidens are a centerpiece of old-school tattooing, and they were Sailor Jerry’s specialty. Jerry’s girls are not waifs, they are zoftig creations, with luscious thighs, shapely calves and highly pert boobs. Yet its their eyes that stand out above everything- eyes that are playful, knowing and aware. Even when they’re shut, you can feel the presence behind them. It’s easy to see how they can get under a man’s skin. They’re alluring enough to look at everyday, until death do you part, leaving them behind to spark lively conversations at your wake. “That was the last one old Joe got before he settled down. Word is she still lives on the islands, raised two kids. She’s a sweetie, she is.”
Where there are women, there’s disappointment. The Sailor Jerry oeuvre also includes hearts broken in two, the words “BUSTED!” printed in the gap between the jagged halves. Another heart is gashed through with a torpedo. There are whole hearts as well, with banners customized for girlfriends, mothers, and fathers. Even these have something that makes them stand out. A banner “in memory of my father” is centers around a cross set in two hearts. The shading on the cross and the lines around it make it shimmer, conveying a sense of honor that could only exist between a father and a son.
Blue skies always Jerry!
