Andre Talamantes: A Mural Kind of Artist, Tattoos Too

While driving home from work this afternoon something caught my eye. What was rather a dull looking floral shop became a work of art.  I quickly turned the car around and went back to talk to the artist.  At my age it is senseless to be shy. I talked to the young man who was painting the mural.

I asked him if he does other kinds of "artistic" work.  "Yes, I work with pen & ink, chalk, and I am a tattoo artist as well." I then glanced at his arms and back. I wanted to take some pictures of his tattoos, but thought that it would be asking a lot of someone whom I had just met.  Besides, I'm not sure how I would feel about photographing someone's body. This young man comes from an artistic family.  His father is a painter and his brother is artistic as well. 

Then I asked him his name. I told him that I used to work with someone by the same name.  Would you believe that I used to work with one of his relatives?  It's a small world isn't it!  I think that more businesses should include local art as part of their advertisement.  The mural adds a bit of beauty and class to the neighborhood, it was enough for someone like me to notice. 

Here is the final version