Today we’d like to introduce you to Fip Buchanan.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My mother was an artist and I learned from her at a very young age. When I was about 20 I first got interested in tattooing and got my first one at the age of 21. Mike Luckett, the tattooist that did my tattoo, loaned me his tattoo equipment and gave me a bit of instruction. This was in 1979. I started by tattooing a friend of mine out of my house. It was a real trial and error thing and in hindsight I can’t believe I had the nerve to approach it that way!.
In 1982 I went to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. While attending school I met Red Schuster through my friend Nason Gieg. Red had been tattooing about 10 years and had a studio in his home and a van equipped to tattoo out of. In the summers he would tattoo at county fairs around Pittsburgh with Duke Miller. They both helped me out and the fairs were my “boot camp” of tattooing!.
In 1983 I met Patty Kelley in art school. I helped her learn to tattoo and we began working at J.C. Fly’s Tattoo in Medford, New York, out on Long Island. This was in 1984. From there we moved to Richmond Va. from 1985-87 and worked at Creative Designs. From there we went to San Diego to work for Jack Rudy and Winona Martin. In 1989 Patty and I opened Avalon Tattoo and I operate Avalon Tattoo II to this day, along with a crew of six. Our shop was the first one in San Diego to focus on one of a kind custom tattooing, and it is still what we are known for.
Please tell us about your art.
I do paint and draw along with tattooing, but the bulk of my artwork over the last 30 plus years has definitely been tattoos. I was initially attracted to tattoos because of the outsider element of it, which has definitely changed since 1979! I had no idea it would ever become such a mainstream thing. Who would have ever guessed there’d be tattoo tv shows? Crazy! I’ve always enjoyed doing traditional tattoos, both American and Japanese style. My main goal is to provide my clients with a tattoo they’ll love forever, and an experience they’ll always remember.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
The biggest challenge as an artist is to keep pushing forward and setting yourself apart from all the other talent out there.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can see my artwork on Instagram and Facebook, both are Fip Buchanan. I also have my own website, fiptattoos.com, and a site called to sell my t-shirts and prints. The tattoo shop site is avalontattootwo.com
The shop address is 3039 Adams Ave, San Diego, Ca. 92216-1502
Phone # (619)280-1957
I work Tuesday through Saturday 12 noon until 8 pm. Give me a call if you’d like to set up an appointment.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3039 Adams Ave.
San Diego, Ca. 92116-1502 - Website: Fiptattoos.com
- Phone: (619)280-1957
- Email: fiptatyoos@yahoo.com
- Instagram: FipBuchanan
- Facebook: FipBuchanan
Image Credit:
All artwork and photos by Fip Buchanan.
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
