Sailor Jerry the Tattoo Artist

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Sailor Jerry 
Norman Collins known as Sailor Jerry (1911-1973) American tattoo artist. He is considered as a grandfather of an old school tattoo art.

Collins left home as a teenager with his friends. They travelled trough the country by hitching and train-hopping, wanted to be free and far from the "American Dream" . They  took temporary work, that was first time when Collins started tattooing  (only with a needle and black ink) and creating his first designs.

When he finally ended up in Chicago, met the tattoo legend Gib "Tatts" Thomas who showed him how to use tattoo machine. Collins practiced tattooing on homeless people, payed them in alcohol. Not long after he joined the United States Navy and he fell in love in ships. After he left Navy, Collins lived in Honolulu, During the Second World War, the Hawaii Island were the place where many American Soldiers spend their holiday. On the street full of bars, brothels and tattoo parlours, Norman Collins found his place on Earth and became Sailor Jerry - tattoo artist. He tattooed drunk soldiers enjoying holiday and time away from war and responsibilities. That was a main theme in Sailor Jerry's tattoos.

Sailor Jerry front of his tattoo parlour in Chinatown

Sailor Jerry , Lady Head Tattoos

 LADY HEAD TATOOS most popular tattoos depict gypsy women and European Romany culture whose travel were seen as a free way of life, also represents heroine, muse or a lover.
 Lonely sailors often chose this design to remember the loved ones left at home.
Sailor Jerry style tattoo Source: @magdalena.mardini via Instagram
 
Sailor Jerry inspired tattoo, Source: @littlecstattoo via Instagram 

Sailor Jerry "Pin-up girl"

 PIN-UP GIRL TATTOOS represents the ideal and extremes of femininity. That was the only woman who's the sailor seen trough the moths on the sea. Sailor's Pin-up girls are the most iconic Pin - up tattoos on the world.
Sailor Jerry inspired tattoo, Source: @nicki_panganiban via Instagram

Sailor Jerry, Ship tattoos.
SHIPS TATTOOS - represents adventure and determination to be "homeward bound". 

Sailor Jerry style tattoo :Source: @blueloutattoo via Instagram
Sailor Jerry, Anchor Tattoo
ANCHOR TATTOOS -  symbol of stability as as the sea, the anchor is the most secure object. Often tattooed with the word "Mom" or the name of sailor's love.

Sailor Jerry "Shark Tattoos" 
SHARK TATTOOS -  represents sailor's attitude, " You want to hate'em but you gotta love 'em" This tattoo on the arm says you are willing to stand your ground and not about to become someone else's food.
Sailor Jerry, Military Tattoos 
MILITARY TATTOOS - often chose by sailors to remember fallen comrade and declare military credo "Semper Fi"

The research on Sailor Jerry and his art showed me how important is the meaning of the tattoo. There is a story behind the design and people always chose the most related to them, to their life motto, their story or to remember loved ones. For me tattoo wasn't only a tattoo or simple picture on the skin. I love listen to a meaning behind peoples tattoos. 
Linked to my main project, the punk inspired tattoo are way different but there were always a meaning. Symbol of freedom, or fight with racism and intolerance. Symbol of life motto, music that they love and life without rules.












Sailor Jerry (2022) "Who is Sailor Jerry?" available from: https://sailorjerry.com/en-gb/norman-collins/ [Accessed on 01.05.222]

Blair, A. ( Jun. 15. 2019) "Family of Hawaii’s iconic ‘Sailor Jerry’ sues company that makes rum by the same name" Hawaii News Now, Available from Family of Hawaii’s iconic ‘Sailor Jerry’ sues company that makes rum by the same name, [Accessed on 01.05.22]

Elderton, J. (2022), "Sailor Jerry - biography and tattoo ideas" Available from: https://nextluxury.com/tattoos/norman-sailor-jerry-collins-tattoos/ [Accessed on: 01.05.22]






Comments

  1. Sam Dargan2 May 2022 at 23:35

    Good work, particularly the last paragraph. It is worth considering a follow up to this post later in the project when you have a better idea of your outcomes - tattoo designs/logo - and the messages you want to highlight/promote.

    ReplyDelete

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