You could go home for Thanksgiving, or you could go to the desert.

Igor is a sign painter in Virginia Beach. I met him through mutual friends—the tattoo community draws all kinds of interesting people. His work is so recognizable in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. Smart and Smart-ass, I’ve seen bike helmets done by him, gold foil on a store window, and Christmas ornaments with the word “fuck” on them.

In 2018 I got a job near his studio. There’s a coffee shop nearby and sometimes I’d run into him. I was itching for a personal project so I produced this piece.

I’ve known Walt for quite a few years. I met him through my friend, Alicia. Walt is a treasure. As Alicia says “nothing is beneath his notice.” He expresses his personality through his craft.

After the Igor project, I was looking for another in the same vein. Walt was kind enough to lend me his time. The first interview of this was filmed just before the pandemic and the second some months after. This project lived with me during the pandemic.

I took a bus to New York just after New Years. I stayed in Greenwich Village. I had the best Chinese food.

I set my alarm for an 11 o’clock PM Neon Indian show and then woke up at 6 am, having missed the show.
My favorite thing to do in New York is just walk around. I think I’ve been in almost every neighborhood in Manhattan.

A BTS shoot for photographer Charles Long