American traditional styles prominent in show

Out of the darkness comes the light, illuminating bold, colorful, in-your-face, simplistic paintings depicting the American traditional style of tattoo art.

Art Hop falls on the first Thursday of every month. Cinco De Mayo just happened to share the same day this year, enhancing the already lively event.

Ryan Collins filled the house at Broadway Studios, which played casa to his latest work.

His previous showing took place just a year ago at Resistance Tattoo in Fresno. Collins has been there ever since, apprenticing under the needle of J Esparza.

In his latest work, Collins’ lessons from the past year are manifested through his hard work and determination rendered by his flawless, eye-catching watercolors.

However, his work from outside “The Shop” (Resistance Tattoo) and in the studio didn’t suffer. Collins also toils with woodblocks, screen-printing and lithographs. His roots mat lay in American traditional tattoo, but his artistic talent reaches far deeper.

Broadway Studio was as unique as the atmosphere itself. Numerous, individual studios lined the inner and outer edges of the ring-shaped building. Visitors lapped the dim-lit, ringed layout with Mexican beer in hand. After stopping in and out of the artists’ respective studios, groups made their way through the back door and into the alley where they gathered late into the night to converse.

Bob Pero’s studio, where Collins showed, provided a great counterpart to the rest of the night. Inconsistent with the rest of the venue, Collins’ exhibit was bright and one was immediately overtaken by its cleanliness.

Three of the four walls were painted white and spotlights intensified the blank canvas just as Collins’ paper highlighted his subject matter. The fourth wall was brick, and from it hung a large photograph taken from the top of the St. Francis Hotel overlooking Union Square in San Francisco. The brick wall and the photograph brought the room to life, contradicting the utopian feel of the paintings.

Lining the room, Collins’ collection was made up of 50 pieces predominantly rendered in watercolor. On none of those works would viewers find his name. Instead, he signs his pieces as “Baby,” a nickname that has stuck with him from his early days working at SBI Board Shop. There is, however, nothing babyish about his work. His pieces are as big and bold as Collins himself.

His attention to detail can be easily overlooked due to its familiarity. American traditional style tattooing is immune to the aging from which other forms of art suffer.

The style is timeless and hasn’t aesthetically changed since the days of Sailor Jerry and Owen Jensen, the forefathers of American traditional tattoo. Collins is following in their footsteps, while paving his own way. Lazy or untrained eyes might consequentially but inadvertently miss the key essence of what makes his work idealistic ”” simplicity matched only by cleanliness.

Collins’ rendition of “Pharaoh’s Horses” was his last completed of his three largest pieces. It was emphatically the center of his showcase and Collins’ personal favorite.

He said it was his favorite because he was able to play around with this composition that has been done so many times in the past.

His showcase offered something for everyone. Both artists and first-time art hoppers alike were able to appreciate his work for very different reasons. Some understood the time and care he put in, others because it just looked appealing. His watercolors, lithographs and woodblocks are done no justice until judged in the person.

At the beginning of the night, Collins claimed he was nervous, though he played the role of a great host. He was able to explain his works in a manner the particular admirer would understand ”” both the seasoned artist and the first-time hopper. Collins showed his guests a good time, and above all, some great work.

Collins slaves away, constantly striving to improve his work with every piece. Last Thursday art hoppers were able to see Collins himself embodied in his work. He wasn’t creating for an audience or to make a deadline. He was creating for himself. This is the underlying factor of why his show was so unique. Collins lives in his work and if he keeps this up, this show will have been just one of the many successes that lies in front of him.