This is our very first American Pulps Spotlight where we interview a person from the American Pulps community. We have such an amazing community through social media and we want to give props where props are due.
This week it’s Stu Hepcat:
Tell us about yourself:
I’m a tattoo artist and owner of Hepcat Tattoos in Glasgow. As well as tattooing, art and painting I have many interests and passions. These extend to rockabilly music, which takes me all over the world, classic cars and surfing really badly.
I’m married to a wonderful gal Cecilia and have a dog named Bindi.
How Long Have you been Tattooing?
I’ve been tattooing now for over 20 years, yes that long and that old. I’ve had Hepcat now since 1996 I think. It’s went through a few locations in the past but I’ve been settled here in Glasgow for the last 10 years. It’s an eternal movement of change in the tattoo industry just now, but at the moment I’ve a great solid team behind me which means it’s we are one of the best in the biz.
I ‘decided’ to be a tattoo artist in a very different industry back then. There was no internet, no real media, no magazines per se and it was a closed shop to outsiders. I was lucky That I knew a few people and it was offered to me. Many sacrifices later, here I am!
I wanted to call my shop something that sums up who I am. Hepcat was a word I heard when I was a boy to describe the coolest cats, who had the coolest cars and listened to rock n roll. That, well so I thought, was me to a tea.
Tattooing nowadays has many avenues in, there are many ways to contact studios to ask for apprenticeships, It’s way easier to start now. Social media can help any artist in any capacity if you know how to use it.
Where would you say you get most of your art inspiration from?
I’ve had an interest in 1950’s culture and imagery for as long as I can remember. So inspiration and ideas comes pretty easy and from everything I consume. There are many artists from the 40’s and 50’s I’ve looked at and been inspired by for many years. Pinup artists like Gil Elvgren and George Petty have been mainstays.
When it comes to tattooing my ideas generally come from the client, I’m pretty focused on their needs. I put my spin on most things I do though to make it mine.
My drawing and painting are very different, there’s no restriction. I take inspiration from things I love. Things like narrative and interpretation and strong female presences. Hopefully when you look at my paintings you can fill in your own story.
Is there a certain artist or director that you’re influenced by?
Pulp artists that I admire are many. Favourites are Robert Maguire and Norman Saunders. When I look at their stuff I’m always amazed at the plethora of ideas that don’t stop coming. They painted at speed and to commercial demand, they were guns for hire. Some of them had aspirations to be more than that but most of them as I’ve read were happy just to make a living. At that time pulp artists were in high demand as publishers were putting a lot of product out.
There were a lot of magazines, like detective, cowboy, romance and juvenile delinquency, themes to be luridly illustrated. There was big competition from them all to get the price they wanted for each cover. Some of them even dropped their rates just get their name out there.
Film noir offers many narratives and themes. The femme fatale to me was always a lure. No better portrayed than Peggy Cummins in Gun Crazy. This movie to me sums up the whole pulp genre. A true classic and one of best endings ever.
The directors at the time were confident in portraying strong female leads. As well as making them eye candy for the boys overseas in the forces. When you watch The Glass Key with Veronica Lake for instance, director Stuart Heisler really makes use of lighting and angles to show her off to give the boys a thrill. Filmmakers still do this obviously but back then it was cooler and more innocent.
You said you’ve been into Pulp Art for a long time, do you remember your first introduction into pulp art?
My first introduction to pulp was mainly from the rockabilly scene and music. Album covers used pulp art of hotrodder juvenile delinquents to portray the wildness and teen angst of the crazy music which is Rock n roll. I remember Rudy Nappi being used a lot on JD paperbacks. I loved them, as they entice the reader to see what’s inside.
Novelist Hal Ellison wrote a book called Rockabilly back in 1963 I think. That cover has been used many times over the years on rockabilly gig posters.
Is there anything you want to promote? Anything exciting coming up with your art and / or Hepcat Tattoos?
I haven’t anything coming up this year so far but I’m working on gathering enough paintings to maybe push out an exhibition of my pulp art. I would love to see it gather momentum again as a celebrated genre. So I’m trying to do that in a very small way.
Some prints of my work will also available pretty soon. Unlike tattoos, oil paintings take way longer to complete so being prolific and producing loads of work is elusive to me right now.
Name your favorite movies, tv shows, books:
Movies are a big passion of mine so hard to say which could be favourites.
My favourite noirs are easier, Double Indemnity, Laura, and Scarlet Street. Scarlet Street was directed by Fritz Lang, and it’s about a femme fatale stealing a middle aged painters artwork. Hopefully I myself will escape that!
Tv shows? I’m a massive Star Trek fan. Yep, completely unashamed too. As well as The Sopranos and most detective shows.
I read a lot of books when I was younger but nowadays when I read they’re usually non fiction.
Thanks for the opportunity to go on about the things that keep me going through life.
Art is an eternal pursuit of ideas and to get better at it. It never stops to surprise me and never lets me get bored or sit still.
The want to be good at something can consume your life, but I always say balance is the key. Never lose sight of what’s important or should be important to you.
You can follow Stu here, and Hepcat Tattoos here.
