Walters
After the legendary tattoo artist Rick Walters died on March 4, 2019, in Long Beach, California at the age of 73, the tattoo community and everybody who knew him mourned the loss.

After blood clots were discovered on his lungs, the tattoo artist’s health deteriorated. His death was not a shock, but that does not stop the hurt one feels at the loss of one of the tattoo’s communities father figures.

Walters’ friends before his death, scheduled an art show fundraiser (with a maximum price of $200). I was originally scheduled to help pay for the legend’s medical bills, with the date set for March 30.

With the passing of Walters, the event will still take place all money raised will go to Robin, his wife. This will help her pay for funeral arrangements and other necessities.

Sullen Art Collective, one of the organizers of the show’s spokesperson Jeremy Hanna said he already had dozens of paintings donated for the event. After learning Walters died, he knew the show would continue, and it will be a celebration of the tattoo artists life and help pay for his bills.

He added that Rick loved to party, and was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. He enjoyed to party despite being sober for 30 years.

Chris Winn worked at Bert Grimm’s as Walters’ apprentice. Winn said that he had to do something when Winn got sick to help him because he would not have the life he had without Walters.

Hanna said Winn contacted him wanting do shirts which would go to charity. Hanna then came up with the idea of an art show. He and Winn went to Walters to ask his permission to do the event, and the thoughts touched him.

Walters was one of the most recognizable tattoo artists in Long Beach. Walters was known for his “Rick Walters Hates You” posters, stickers, and merchandise he passed out.

The Rick Walters Memorial Art Show starts at 7 p.m. PT on March 30 at Collective Ink Gallery in Garden Grove, California.

Written by Barbara Sobel

Sources:

OC Weekly: LATE TATTOO LEGEND RICK WALTERS GETS CELEBRATED WITH AN ART SHOW

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of YouTube/GoFundMe – Creative Commons License

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