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Previously on American Bandito, I spoke with artist Rachal Duggan and I discovered we had a mutual person that inspired us both.
After I posted that interview, I got a silly idea in my head. I figured it would never work but it was worth a try. I sent Ivan Brunetti a link to that episode and just told him I would love to talk with him on the show. I figured what could it hurt? If he didn’t respond or said no at least I tried right?
To my surprise, he said yes! He is currently at Columbia College in Chicago, just a few hours away. So my wife Merijoy and I took a trip to go meet him.
So today on this special episode of American Bandito I meet Ivan Brunetti.
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Back in the first season of the show, I talked to a young artist named Salma Carreon. During the interview, she told me about how she briefly apprenticed at a tattoo shop. And it occurred to me I didn’t really know much about tattoo artists. How they start out, what it takes to become one, anything really. And since then I thought I should talk to one and find out. And it turns out one found me. He had messaged me on the American Bandito Facebook page. He runs a shop called Ultimate Arts Tattoo out on Commercial Ave. So he invited me over there to sit down and talk with him about what he does.
A year ago when I first read his book I never would have imagined this would happen! And I'm glad I do this comic because I always forget to take pictures for this kind of stuff.
We decided to meet at the Monona Terrace during the Mini Makers Fair.
But the pop-up interview I’m going to play for you this week took place just a few weeks ago when Merijoy and I had visited Browsers Bookstore on state street. After meeting the woman that worked there we just had to come back and talk to her again, because she was kind of awesome.
If I did this, people wouldn't start joining in thinking, that's so nice he doesn't want them to break their ankle. I should say that too. Although that would be funny, a whole crowd yelling "Be careful!"
And in another one of my pop-up interviews, I meet Elliot and his friend who walked up to my booth at Hibernation Liberation and asked what it was that I do? So I turned on my recorder and showed them.
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The person I asked to meet with me today I contacted out of pure curiosity. I’ve driven past the lakeside press on Willy street like a million times and have never known a thing about it. And I always turn and look at it when I drive by. So I decided to contact them see if I could just come by and ask about the place. The story took so many turns as I listened. It was fascinating.