Meet Stevie Gunter | Tattoo Artist & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stevie Gunter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stevie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk is a revelatory tool, compelling us to consider what pleasures are muffled by our skin – like a palm over our mouths. Its a risk to listen deeply and unbury the secrets we keep from ourselves. We might find something we cannot refuse, we might open pandora’s box. And once something so authentic – and chaotic – is understood, what can we do except be moved by it? Risk helps me interrogate whether I’m living a lie, which I can’t abide. Risk tunes me into how freedom and joy can be at the center of my decision making. Risk keeps me young, in the sense that I’m asking “what’s possible” as opposed to “am I allowed”.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Memory my favorite subject, present in my work as an archivist and an artist. I want anything I produce or incorporate across mediums to have an ephemeral feeling, to be an artifact, both sentimental and easily overlooked, yearning for a personal context. I really depend on synchronicity with my skin marking work: I meditate on form and archetype, distilling the symbol and letting self guidance characterize what I consider perfection. I love to ask at the start of the process “would you like to set an intention/what drew you to this artifact”. It always feels playful; between collective imagination, my collaborator’s/client’s desires, and my positive obsession with honing this skill, really beautiful, 1 of 1 artifacts emerge and are claimed over time.
Drawing from a world of reference is easy. But having the patience and passion to hone a skill, especially as high stakes as skin marking, is challenging. I feel so lucky to have encountered people who feel invested in my growth, who return, who send healed pics, who have deep well of trust with their bodies/autonomy. Having traveled to work a bunch, I can say Denver hosts a remarkable and unique community of artists who are extremely forthcoming with advice and tips, who feel secure and abundant in their crafts and are therefore excited to foster a culture where many can feel empowered to learn and experiment through asking questions and skill sharing.
Community is so necessary across mediums. Most works only feel REAL in relation to others. I don’t believe artists create to keep to themselves – there’s something deeply sacrificial about creating. There’s a desire to share. And in that, one shouldn’t be too precious with their aesthetic principles. Creation is iterative, alive, moves everyone differently. With music, for example, it can be so insightful to hear how a song sits in the hands of 4 other people oriented on the task, together. It can be a challenge to let a creation take root and fruit in unexpected but authentic ways. To leave yourself open to generative critique.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Most search results for “Things To Do In Denver” generate results beyond city limits so please allow me to do the same:
Day 1 – Pablo’s coffee, La Abeja Restaurant, Botanic Gardens, Cheesman Park
Day 2 – Middlestate, KUTEA, Arc Thrift Store on Hooker, Las Tortas, a rave (we’d have to DM for the address around 7pm-ish so sit tight), Tacos El Herraderro
Day 3 – Mimosas, Horsetooth Reservoir, Himchuli
Day 4 – Lula Rose, City Park, Denver Nature & Science Museum, A Taste of Thailand
Day 5 – Crema, Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver Art Museum, Kawa Ni
Day 6 – Cherry Creek Reservoir, Mango House
Day 7 – Idaho Springs, Karma Asian, Mutiny Information Cafe, Cheesman Park

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Below The Concrete

Website: https://www.st3v.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/body__file/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXK8N2RYFXdMCm0Jk3HnLVQ

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2zz2FtgHYt3LQe5j05YeUu?si=KLQt0aaySde5cqjfUNie0Q
Bandcamp: https://st3v.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits
Maya Youcef-Toumi
Madeline Cohen