Red Region Inferno

The Archangel Michael is a powerful image.
In Hebrew, Christian and Islam he is viewed as the commander of God’s army.
Michael is also considered by many Christians as the patron saint of warriors.

The Archangel is only mentioned one time in the Hebrew Bible when the prophet Daniel has a vision and learns that Michael is the protector of Israel and will champion Israel in the end time.
Many people think that the angel mentioned in the book of Joshua who holds a sword and claims to be the commander of the army of the Lord is Michael, but because his actual name is not used it can not be counted.

Michael is also known as the prince of light who leads the forces of God against the darkness of evil.
In the Book of Enoch he is the angel of forbearance and mercy who taught Enoch the mysteries of clemency and justice.

Jewish tradition says claims Michael as the advocate of Israel, who often engaged in battles against other angels (fallen), and especially Sammael.
Sammael (also known as the angel of death) was a fallen angel who still served the lord in most ways, but because of disagreements ended up on Satan’s team for the most part.

Jews also attribute many acts in the bible to Michael in which he isn’t specifically named.
One is that he was the angel responsible for preventing Isac from being sacrificed by his father, and another being that he was the teacher of Moses.

Of all the images portraying Michael in art the most famous is certainly Michael’s fight with Samael. This legend is not found in Jewish sources except insofar as Samael or Satan is called in the Kabbalah “the primitive serpent”.

The legends of Michael are almost endless.
Check out Wikipedia’s info on Michael for starters.

Now… look at this fun tattoo of Michael vs Samael / (Satan)

Fighting angels of the war in heaven tattoo - Michael

The tattoo was done in the inside of the arm as the final session of finishing out the clients sleeve.
The entire sleeve had been planned and executed in advance except for this area.
When my client came in and started describing what he wished to put in the spot I said “Man, you ain’t gonna believe this.”
I then removed my jacket and he totally freaked out.
I was wearing a shirt with the image you now see tattooed.
We figured it must have been fate.
It was exactly the look and style he had been describing.
I had not ever wore the shirt to the shop before… It was an old trashed shirt I used to lounge around in.
It was total freak luck I had it on.

I photocopied it, made a stencil, and bam! sweet tattoo.

End result = Awesome!

Painting can be a release for the soul.

Often when I paint my method is to dump a color that catches me  onto a plate… smear it around a bit with a brush and then just let the brush play across the canvas until it lets me know what it wants to do.

I let the painting create itself. I release control and try to let it happen on it’s own.
It is a type of meditation.
Clear the mind, surrender, and flow……

Iris

This painting I call “Iris” is just such a painting.
It happened. It was –  for a certain portion of my life all that existed.
It’s creation was a reflexion of my subconscious and inner being.

These types of paintings are often my favorites.
They have a loose quality about them that refuses any sort of judgement.
They are therapy and what they reveal helps me learn about who and what I really am.

This one was a small painting (just 14 inches across) and it was done in a kitchen when a midnight snack just couldn’t settle me enough to sleep.

When we first got into the swing lifestyle thing I quickly found out that women expect you to shave all your little pleasure bits.
Yep… I am talking about your balls.
Not just balls actually… they like them smooth and clean from the base of your shaft all the way down to your anus.
About half the gals in the lifestyle like a guy to be smooth shaved everywhere. Chest, arms, legs, etc…

Even though it sounds like a horrible amount of work.. you can’t complain because these same girls do it to themselves too.
We want them smooth and they want us smooth.

I was a bit put off by all this shaving I must say.
My compromise was to be very neatly trimmed, but I didn’t shave.
That lasted about a month.
I then decided I had to get smooth.

The problem was that I had never shaved my balls and was kind afraid of razor burn, bumps, grow-out, and especially cutting myself.

So… I went with Nair for men.
Cool idea and it worked fine the first couple times.
Then I over processed and burnt my sack!
It was horrible and it burned sooooo bad!

Enough with that.

I did some research and found the Philips Norelco Bodygroom Shaver.
My wife got it for me by request and I charged it up.
Worked like a charm, except a few pinches here and there… but it still wasn’t smooth enough.

I decided to risk the razor.
At first I tried some fancy ones, but I didn’t like them.
I then bought some tiny disposable bikini shavers (took to long)
and eventually figured out that the best way to go was to use Mach disposables and just toss the suckers after each use.
The razors need to be SHARP and new to get a perfect shave.

I also experimented with a bunch of shaving creams, soaps, and gels.
O.k. now guys… listen up.
This stuff is the best stuff you can get.
The Bikini Zone Anti- Bumps Shave Gel for Bikini Area that is specially formulated to help prevent bumps from developing after shaving the sensitive bikini area.
Yep… it’s girly and made for a bikini shave, but oh how your balls will love it.
It is a blue-ish see through with sparkles that let you see exactly what areas you have gotten and what areas you still need to get.
I am sensitive down there so I can’t get away with just using whatever soap is in the shower and I also want to be super smooth.
With all the  effort I have to go though I want it to be noticed.
The stuff is great.
Ohhh… and it is soothing! No sting is a big plus in my book.

As for my Philips Norelco Bodygroom Shaver… It didn’t go to waste.
No friggn way am I taking my razor down to the bottom.
The fear of cutting myself is just to great.
Also I found it is the perfect razor to get those scary patches on your bottom side.
Yes… the gals are not wanting ape men in any form. Shave it.
I now use my Bodygroom Shaver on everything except my face and my jewels.
It gets those scary places just fine and cuts me not at all.

Anyways… for all you guys out in vanilla land who are contemplating a jump into the waters of the swingers lifestyle… that is part of it.
You will shave your balls or you won’t play with the hotties.
Sure, you may sneak in there a few times with a fuzzy sack, but they will be disappointed in your non smoothness and as one very nice girl I met told me when talking about the subject… “If you want a girl to lick it, you better shave it.”
(Worry not – I was already a dedicated shaver at that point)

So.. that is my story of  learning to shave my balls.

What to remember:

1. Mach disposables work best, but use them just once. (Sharp is the key)
2. The Philips Norelco Bodygroom Shaver works awesome, but wont make you as smooth as a razor will. (you will get away with it though) Plus it owns for all those other hard to shave spots.
3. Bikini Zone Anti- Bumps Shave Gel for the Bikini Area is the shiznit!
4. Don’t – I repeat DON”T use Nair on your junk unless you are ready for a possible chemical burn.

As a side note I would like to add this bit of advice..
Shave just a few hours before your play-date if possible.
Why? because that way you don’t get 5- O’ clock ball shadow = prickly balls.
Also don’t wait until the last minute to shave em… 
Why? because if you cut yourself you are not going to be playing with anybody.

 And now I return you to our regular programming.

Need some Bikini Zone Anti- Bumps Shave Gel?
Here it is…….
Bikini Zone Anti-Bumps Shave Gel, for Bikini Area, 4 fl oz (120 ml) Tubes, (Case of 6)

I was born and raised in Washington state.
The northwest corner of it actually.
Water to the north and mountains to the south with trees east and west.
My family has for the most part stayed on the west side of Hood Canal and for good reason.
It is beautiful out here.

I get to do a lot of Northwest based tattoos because of the area.
People who move here do it for the ocean and the mountains and the trees.
Sometimes it is for the activities like fishing, hunting, kayaking, and hiking…. but it still pretty much for the beauty of it.

Most of the tattoos I do that are related to the area are just words or maybe a compass or some local floral designs… tons of native art… but rarely do I get to do landscape type work.

Look at this great tattoo.

Olympic northwest scenic view tattoo

The guy who got this Mount Olympus tattoo is an avid hiker, lover of nature, and amateur photographer.

With the exception of the sky it is pretty much an exact copy of a photo.

The image was from a 1970′s  photo by well known photographer Ross Hamilton.

The sky was the clients request/description.

The funny/cool part of the story is that a couple months after the tattoo was done the client went to a Ross Hamilton book signing and when the photographer saw the tattoo he was extremely impressed.
So much so in fact that they made a trip to Hurricane Ridge to have photos taken together for one of the area’s local news papers.
They devoted the whole front page to it.
A nice publicity shot for Hamilton (and myself I guess) and a great souvenir for the client.

From my perspective however it was a great tattoo to do because it is my own back yard.
It is the mountains I grew up with. The mountains I hiked, climbed and camped in when younger. It is home.

It is the Olympic Northwest.

There is a Spanish proverb that reads:
“Where there is love, there is pain.”

Is there any greater truth?

To quote William Shakespeare:
“The courses of true love never did run smooth.”

Yes, indeed… love hurts.
We have all felt that side of love at one point or another I think.
Like fire however… we are drawn back to it.
We seek love, need love, pray for love, and because we know it’s dangers..
we fear it.

This painting was part of my Red Region series.
Like Woops it was done with a predominate red theme and draws it’s style from the world of tattooing.

The Love Hurts painting from the tattoo art inspired Red Region paintings series.

This painting (Like all the first Red Region paintings) was done with acrylics on canvas.

The funny part is that while painting this I had a fit of nostalgia and broke out my Hair Of The Dog cd and played it pretty much the entire time I was painting.

Here are the lyrics… Go ahead and sing out loud.
Life is always better when we sing.
So don’t hold back!

Love hurts, Love scars, Love wounds and mars
Any heart not tough or strong enough
To take a lot of pain, take a lot of pain
Love is like a cloud, it holds a lot of rain
Love hurts, Ooo-oo Love hurts

I’m young, I know, But even so
I know a thing or two – I learned from you
I really learned a lot, really learned a lot
Love is like a flame It burns you when it’s hot
Love hurts, Ooo-oo Love hurts

Some fools think of happiness, blissfulness, togetherness
Some fools fool themselves, I guess
They’re not foolin’ me
I know it isn’t true I know it isn’t true
Love is just a lie made to make you blue
Love hurts, Ooo-oo Love hurts

(Insert some sweet guitar here)
I know it isn’t true I know it isn’t true
Love is just a lie made to make you blue
Love hurts, Ooo-oo Love hurts

Yep… Nazareth rocked it with that album!