Updated edition with new photos and text exploring the extraordinary life of Stoney St. Clair, circus performer turned tattooer, through flash, photos, and stories from Stoney himself. In this updated edition, the extraordinary life of Stoney St. Clair-circus performer turned tattoo artist-comes to life in photos, tattoo flash, and his own words, edited by writer and filmmaker Alan Govenar. Born Leonard St. Clair in 1912 in West Virginia, Stoney discovered his passion for drawing at Johns Hopkins, where he was being treated for rheumatoid arthritis. Not deterred by his disability, he joined the circus at 15 as a sword swallower and then learned tattooing from other circus performers. From traveling with the circus to setting up tattoo shops in Tampa and Columbus, Stoney met, tattooed, and worked with some of the greatest. Vincent Canby, writing in the New York Times, described Stoney as an ebullient little man with the gab of a circus tout (spoken in the accents of Appalachia) and a fund of bizarre stories about tattooing and unrelated matters.
AUTHOR: Alan Govenar is an award-winning writer, folklorist, photographer, and filmmaker. He is president of Documentary Arts, a nonprofit organisation he founded to advance essential perspectives on historical issues and diverse cultures. Govenar is a Guggenheim Fellow and the author of over 30 books. SELLING POINTS: . The colorful life and work of Stoney St. Clair, an American tattoo icon . For tattoo artists and enthusiasts, as well as anyone interested in circus and sideshow culture . Nearly 100 additional photos expand this updated edition, celebrating Stoney’s old-school style and independent spirit 302 colour and b/w images