About
The Collective 716
Biography
Johnny Flowers, a native of Buffalo, New York, began creating art in high school drawing tattoo designs for fellow students. Following high school, Johnny attended Daemen College for Graphic design and Illustration, at the same time beginning his tattoo career at the age of 19 at Stylin' tattoo. This began what would become a rapidly progressing tattoo career -- winning multiple awards, and establishing himself as co-owner of 125 Art Collective; one of Buffalo’s premier top-rated tattoo studios along side his mentor and business partner Ted Hawkins.
Around 2012 Johnny took a much larger interest in his artwork, he began a lot of trial and error, experimenting and learning different techniques and styles in painting, charcoal and drawing. In 2016 he discovered Pop Art & his largest inspirations can be found in the works of his idol, Warhol. Drawing the attention of many, his work can be found in homes of art enthusiasts and businesses such as the flo - Buffalo, NY, Taqo Restaurant -Fredonia, NY, e’s Bar - Manhattan, NY. He quickly became known for his eye catching pop-art style paintings with pastel color blends, textured layering techniques, and the use of different mediums.
In 2018, Johnny hosted his first solo art exhibition, “Redemption series”, which was featured in Buffalo Rising and Channel 2 news. The Redemption series paintings was a set of 25 monochromatic musician portraits, selling 16 pieces opening night. After Redemption, Johnny dove full force into the art community eager to learn and grow more as an artist, taking a specialty in portraits in both his tattooing and painting. From there, “Portraits and Pastels” was born.
During this time, Johnny realized he had a year left with Ted Hawkins before Ted retired and moved back to California. After spending his entire tattoo/art career divided with another alternative career, Johnny realized it was time to devote his time and efforts to his passion, Tattooing and art. In the summer of 2021, Johnny left his other career and became a full-time artist.
After running a very successful studio, it was time for Ted Hawkins to depart back to his home in Long Beach California. bittersweet, yes but Johnny has decided to re-vamp the studio as his own tattoo lounge and gallery specializing and studying the realm of realism tattooing.
Artist Statement
As a mixed media artist and business owner, I am consistently inspired on a multitude of different levels. From Warhol and Watts to Hawkins and Hurtado. Divulging in pop culture art, the fine art of tattooing and a deep search into one’s self directs me to the realm of realism focal points. Ranging from black and grey to pastel palettes, I use all my areas of study interactively with each other in one way or another. I find myself most in the present when I have a brush, pencil or tattoo machine in my hand and enjoy sharing my story along the way and in each piece. My work combines the cross study of my desired fields along with the continual perspective to learn and grow. It is my goal to create fine art both on the body and canvas that is in the perspective as me as an artist.