Even Strandvoll; Nomad Tattoo Artist from Norway
Posted by Mads | Aug 1, 2017 | Artists, Country Ink, News, Norwegian Ink | 0 |
A Young Man with Loads of Ambition and Drive:
Even isn't actually a nomad, but with the amount of travelling this young artist has done, it almost seems like he is.
But before Even began travelling all over the place, with his awesome tattoo skills. He had quite the humble start, reminiscent of how some of the veterans in the business, got their start. But at the young age of now 26, Even has already been tattooing for 8 years. Now a days, he owns his own tattoo studio in Kristianssand Norway, But we will get more into this later.
This young artist is already a master at everything black and grey, when it comes to tattoos. But he keeps improving and also wants to master colorful tattoos and more. Indeed he is very talented and always wants to improve.
Even himself.
The Journey So Far:
Even has of course come far, since he started out buying some "bullshit" tattoo equipment, off of the internet.
Not only has the gear of course been upgraded. But even has kept his drive and passion going over the years.
As he puts it himself; "I have always been creative and loved drawing, painting, well… doing anything creative really, So it was natural for me, to get hooked when I tried tattooing for the first time".
One cannot argue against his passion for his craft. Having started out tattooing in a small 1 bedroom apartment. All while he was training to be a painter. Then later, as he got better, he got offered an apprenticeship in a tattoo shop, where he then worked for 5 years. Then he felt the urge to travel and learn more about how to become an even better artist. So he packed his things and traveled around as an independent tattoo artist, with his home at the time being in Denmark.
Though he has not stopped loving travelling around the world as a tattoo artist. he did end up settling down in Norway, so to speak. Starting up his own shop in Kristianssand at the age of 25, which is now his "homebase" as he calls it. But technically, so far in Even's journey, apart from a job at McDonalds when he as 16. All he has ever done as a job, is be a tattoo artist, and he loves it more than anything.
What Drives Even To Always Strive for More:
Even does indeed love tattooing and putting his art on peoples skin. However, what really drives him, is the fact that to many of his clients, it is not just a tattoo. For many of the people he tattoos, it is a piece of art and it becomes a part of them. He loves how his tattoos, can help people become confident about themselves.
Of course he also loves the praise and support that is shown. When people love his work and are happy about it being on their skin etc. But it is very apparent, that the way he can sometimes even help people with his art, is the best feeling in the world for him.
One very special case is a man, who is rather famous in Norway, for holding 2 Guinness world records, for weight loss. When Even met this man called Thor, the guy barely had any tattoos. But because of his massive weight loss, he wanted to decorate his body and only Even would be right for the job. This has been a great honor for Even. He has tattooed Thor for a combined amount of 250 hours in the last year, and they are still not done.
A few of the many different pieces they have done on Thor.
But Even loves that, he loves having clients that become his friends as well as all the special people he meets on his travels. Loving when he gets to tattoo idols, because they have meant something special to him, and then he gets to put his art on them. But he also loves just tattooing special individuals known in the tattoo industry. Such as when he got to tattoo Matt Gone, not too long ago.
Even tattooing Matt Gone
Future Plans:
Even has already been to over 20 different countries, at different convenions etc. on his travels. Yet he is still far from done with travelling, it is one of the best parts of the job as he sees it.
"Now I have been around Europe and all over Scandinavia, so now the next step is going to the rest of the world".
Indeed, he is already going to Cyprus and Thailand in the upcoming weeks. But the one place he dreams of travelling all over as a tattoo artist one day, is Japan. He especially wants to go and tattoo in Tokyo. Not just because he wants to see the culture and meet the people. Even has ambitious dreams/plans, of learning the traditional Japanese way of tattooing. With his drive he might succeed.
But for now, the future plans for this year, is doing more colorful tattoos. So that he can tattoo with even greater variety, and he is already pretty good at it. But as it goes with everything Even does, he wants to get even better.
Other than that, he just wants to spend the year, loving with he does and doing what he loves, travelling around conventions and tattooing interesting people.
Final Comments and Gallery:
Even is indeed, one of the most driven and passionate young artists out there. He travels more than most artists we have ever met and he still manages to run his own tattoo studio, all at the mere age of 26! Indeed his motto seems to be, you can sleep when you are dead. However, he does not forget to have fun along the way. It all goes towards making him a better artist, and he is indeed one incredible artist.
Should you be so lucky as to be in Copenhagen in September, Even will be attending the 50 Shades of Ink Copenhagen Convention. So should you want a piece by this young legend, get your ass to Copenhagen, I am sure Even would love to tattoo you.
Artist Info:
Owner of: K-Town Tattoo
Studio Address: Skippergata 47, 4612, Kristiansand, Norway.
Instagram: @Strandvoll
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Mads W. K. Masters of science in Sociology (Cand. Scient. Soc.), from the University of Copenhagen, who specializes in embodiment sociology, but especially in tattoos and tattoo culture etc.
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