The ART of Tattooing

As modern society advances, history often diminishes. The art of tattooing has been around since we as humans have been able to record. Nearly every continent showed signs of their early people decorating their bodies in some fashion. Some used temporary markings, yet some went above and beyond by leaving permanent artworks in place. Pigments etched into the skin, or even in the works of scarring often decorated humans to signify spirituality, culture, status, or even rank.

In modern day times, tattooing has grown past mental and physical boundaries to now limitless potential. Within the past few decades, tattooing has raced from taboo art typically seen on military personnel or criminals, to a mainstream topic between all genders at blended family’s dinner tables.

As years pass, I often feel that the history of tattooing takes a side line to the art history taught throughout modern education. In Traditional art history, it’s common to learn about the masters like Picasso in the late 1800’s, or even Rembrandt in the 1600’s, but the art of tattooing spans far before that. Despite being one of the oldest forms of art, the skill of tattooing could arguably overlap from being an applied art into a fine art. Many highly skilled modern day tattoo artists often dive deeply into other areas of traditional mediums such as oil, acrylic, and even photography to round out their craft. The tattoo “shops” or “parlors” are now more so evolving into full fledged art “studios” with large art galleries.

Tattooing is a very special craft that allows much interaction between the tattooer and client. It is often said amongst the industry that tattooing is the best career in the world. Being a skilled tattoo artist can allow you to travel the world if you wish, and possess a skill that rises above any language barrier. I have tattooed for 25 years…a quarter century. 25 years is a fraction compared to the age of the craft, but in that amount of time, tattooing has grown exponentially.

I take great pride in the word “Tattoo”, what it’s given me, and what it’s allowed me to give back to the future generations of artists. I’ll forever be grateful to the art of tattooing.

Ryan Schepp Cream City Tattoo

Salt therapy dates back to the 12th Century when it was commonly used in Eastern Europe. It was discovered that salt miners weren’t coming down with common ailments like colds and coughs. Through research, it was determined the salty air helped keep lung infections and allergies away.

Bella Vita Salt Caves is a modern way to experience these health benefits. Dry salt therapy can be used on a regular basis as a complementary treatment for coughs, colds, flu, asthma, ear infections,

Dry Salt Therapy

used as a complementary treatment on a regular basis can provide relief for:

• Coughs, Cold, & Flu

• Sinus Infections/ Sinusitis

• Cystic Fibrosis

• Ear Infections

• Chronic Bronchitis

• Emphysema

• COPD & COVID-19

• Snoring & Sleeping Problems

• Allergies

• Acne

• Psoriasis

• Eczema

• Stress

• Anxiety

• Fatigue

• Asthma snoring and sleeping problems, stress, fatigue, and more.

When you walk into Bella Vita, you will be transformed and feel full-body relaxation. Whether you attend a yoga class, meditation session, crystal bowl class, or any of our other classes or workshops, you will be able to walk out feeling renewed and refreshed.

Experience the transformative natural benefits of dry salt therapy today.

Resident artist Mary Bruno embraces the art of letterpress

Mary Bruno is a letterpress artist-in-residence in St. Joseph, operating as Bruno Press, a unique shop to visit for locally-made original art, art prints, greeting cards, and posters.

In these days of digital printing, it is important that the art form of letterpress survives for its clarity and tactile, raised designs and typography. Letterpress printing is a technique of relief printing, a process where copies are produced by repeated direct impression of an inked raised surface against sheets of paper. These impressions are created with inked movable type and/or other forms of relief “blocks” suchas wood engravings, photo-etched zinc plates, and linoleum blocks.

Mary Bruno uses multiple techniques with her Vandercook 100 letterpress, handed down to her in 2003, upon the death of her artist/educator father

Don Bruno, a former instructor at the College of St. Benedict. She holds a graphic design degree from the St. Cloud Technical and Community College and a BFA from St. Cloud State University. An “art kid” since birth, Bruno played with clay in the ceramics studio and assisted her dad with silk-screen poster printing. In high school, Bruno and her father carved linoleum blocks and had some “amazing” father/daughter talks in the garage/print shop her father created to accommodate his acquired letterpress equipment, cast off by local printers that had adopted offset printing.

Her own studio/shop is “so freaking cool,” notes Bruno of the space “jam-packed with beautiful, colorful (in color and in language) posters and prints, type and machines.” The shop is her place to work, create, and relax, as well as instruct student interns or conduct client tours and art-related conversations.

Her favorite art subject matter is birds, especially crows. “I am obsessed with the Corvid family, and I love to carve the detailed feathers and expressive eyes of crows and ravens,” says Bruno. The artist also creates “funny, cheeky, sassy cards that are different from anything else out there.”

Give Mary Bruno a call at 612.327.2542 to schedule a visit to her shop at 154 Fifth Avenue SE, St. Joseph, or to check on her hours of operation.