Monday, March 1, 2010

Stoney Knows How

Stoney Knows How is a visit with a master of the oldest art in the world - Tattooing. Disabled by rheumatoid arthritis since the age of four, and forced to use a wheelchair, his growth stunted, Stoney St. Clair (1912 - 1980) joined the circus at 15 as a sword-swallower. A year later, he learned to tattoo, and for the next 50 years, he continued to work as a tattooist traveling with circus and carnivals across the country. As we watch him at work, we see the determination which led Stoney to overcome his handicap to heal himself and others with the magic of symbols. The film ends with a visit by New School master tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy who pays Stoney the highest compliment by asking him for a souvenier tattoo. For more information on the life of Leonard L. "Stoney" St. Clair, see Alan Govenar, Stoney Knows How: Life as a Sideshow Tattoo Artist", Schiffer Publishing, 2003.

FolkStreams » Stoney Knows How

this video is awesome.
takes a while.
be patient.

tom you sent me this a year ago
i lagged. thanks man.-- max

13 comments:

Chico said...

very inspiring.

circus leo said...

got the dvd. very cool piece of tattoo history. thanks for putting this up. stoney rules!

Chico said...

circus,
where did you get the DVD?

Capt. Cal said...

Very cool Max, thanks for sharing this. The guy is a definite inspiration.

dave herr said...

its a really cool story, stoney was awesome seemed like the kind of guy that was always in a good mood no matter what. i think you can get the dvd at book mistress.

mindpill said...

fuckin rad...........

TacoFlip said...

His shop was down the street and round the corner from where i live here in killumbus oh. Never got there, wish I did.

dave herr said...

i think durb morris has most of the stuff that was in his shop now, you might wanna check with him, it would be some pretty cool stuff to see.

max schaaf said...

thanks dave

Vorhese said...

I saw this many years ago. I'm orginally from Ohio and he was a local Columbus tattoo hero. I actually have the novel Stoney Knows How, an old small hardcover novel, I was forced to read during my apprenticeship.

ezPz said...

dude knew how to live life

Shrewgy said...

Did you notice the Xenia water tower when they were on their way to the Kilkare dirt oval? Xenia is the city that Alien Workshop took a P.O. Box out in to seem super mysterious.
Very cool story though, that Stoney sure could tell a tale!

scrapmetalart said...

Thanks for putting that up Max.