-Andy Gubert-
by Alain Pitout

Andy Gubert is from the small town of Muehlhausen near frankfurt, where he has owned and operated Artifex Tattoos for two years now. While visiting his wife's family here in Canada we got an opportunity to interview him. Muehlhausen is a small town, with a population of only 20,000 people Andy doesn't see many walk-ins; but the custom work that he produces is exceptional.

Andy mostly works in black and gray, and like many other artists who excell in this area his portfolio tends to bring him clients who are looking specifically for that kind of work. He does work in colour as well though, and is just as skilled and comfortable in this area of his art as he is in the rest of it. Andy didn't do an apprenticeship, he started in the 90's at the age of 20 and started out tattooing friends or, as Andy puts it, "Ex-friends". Andy himself has work from a number of artists, including a portrait of his son by Till Wendt (Blue Note Tattoo, Honduras), a right arm sleeve by Peter Siwak and a left arm sleeve from Harry Fisch. Adding to his collection he will be getting tattooed by Bob Tyrrell while he is staying in Canada.

Germany has one of the highest ratios of tattoo shops in Europe and competition is fierce, according to Andy, tattoo culture in Germany is huge. Clients and enthusiasts range from all over the cultural spectrum. They even have their own version of Miami ink, "ein familie sticht zu" which loosely translates to "a family that pricks".Unlike some North American tattoo shows,  "ein familie sticht zu" focuses on the artwork and less on manufactured drama. From what Andy says this is also the case at German tattoo conventions, which tend to concentrate heavily on the work and less on the entertainment, seminars and art shows. Andy has been to the Frankfurt, Luxembourg and Berlin conventions; as well as Northern Ink Xposure in Toronto where he attended Bob Tyrrells "black and gray techniques" seminar.

Whilst at the Frankfurt convention Andy met Bert Jackson, owner of Waycool, Oakville in Toronto and will be a guest artist there during November of 2007. He is currently working a guest spot at the Great Canadian Tattoo Company in Toronto and is taking appointments. He will be tattooing at Great Canadian until the 23rd of November, and will then be at Waycool, Oakville for a week.
From what Andy tells us he'll be back soon. Him and his Canadian born wife might soon be moving to Toronto along with their children where he hopes to open a shop.

To Contact Andy:
email:    andy@artifextattoo.de
Web:    www.artifextattoo.de

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