Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Harrington.
Spencer, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Well, my stories still being told. When I first talked with SD Voyager, I was calling Ocean Beach, San Diego my home, I now have to travel between my new home in Tijuana, Mexico and SD, to make sure I don’t become an overstayer in the US, and am currently corresponding to you from Toronto, Canada where I am guest spotting for the next month before I’m back in Southern California, and beautiful San Diego.
But in a nutshell, I’m a New Zealand creative that moved to Canada back in 2012 to continue pursuing a career as an artist…mainly large scale murals. But with no social security number when I landed, meant any real option for a job was null and void, so I decided to dive deep into a tattoo apprenticeship, while I also pushed the art. It was the best decision I ever made and am now almost only focusing on my tattooing. It has opened many doors to travel and has been the reason I find myself in Southern California and Mexico to date.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I think currently, I would label myself as purely a tattooer. Specializing in American Traditional style tattooing, which in San Diego with the large Navel and military presence is my bread and butter, but I also dabble in large scale Japanese and mini portraits as well. As any tattooer will agree, I am at the mercy of my clients when I comes to great ideas and fun projects and it’s because of some of the amazingly trusting clients that have sat in my chair that I can be proud of the stuff in my portfolio.
Even after 5 years, I consider myself extremely new to this craft, and still think I’m trying to find ‘my style’, but knowing I can travel around North America and find people who actually want a Harrington Tattoo, is the best motivation to keep pushing it. After many jobs in many industries in my 31 years on this planet, I think I’ve found the thing I’ll do till I die. I know how lucky I am to say that too
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
In terms of tattooing, the role of a tattooer is changing exponentially thanks to the internet and the more and more common TV shows. But no matter what we think and what we want, it is the people that walk in our doors that will ultimately decide on the direction we go. Whether you’re only pushing your style and being selective about who you mark, or you’re a tradesman that will happily give anyone what that want, and make it the best version of what that ask for, this industry is no longer the rough and mysterious subculture it used to be. The best thing we can do, in my opinion is be humble, be respectful but honest to all clients, be aware of the roots of your craft and just as important, whose shoulders we are standing on to be fortunate enough to have the best job in the world.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I am honored to be tattooing at Lyle Tuttles 70th retrospective exhibition at the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco on the 19th of Sept (a tattoo history exhibition that should not be missed) then will be coming down the line through LA and back to San Diego after that. Stay connected to my Instagram account to be kept up to date with my work and my travels.
Contact Info:
- Email: harringtontattoo@gmail.com
- Instagram: @harringtontattoo
Image Credit:
All images by artist Spencer Harrington
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