Hey there Maverick FAM! Let me introduce you to our Spotlight Artist for the month of JUNE! With summer soon approaching we have a bright month ahead for all of you!
Introducing... Rennie Dunne!
Rennie is an amazing tattoo artist that was raised in a place called College Station, TX, but today you can find her settled in at San Luis Obispo, CA. She has been showing off her talent with professional tattooing for about 5 years now at Electric Monarch in SLO. Rennie predominantly does color neotraditional work with a focus on floral, nature, and animals.
Now, let’s dive into Rennie’s life a little more-
First of all, she has a talented husband named Dermot, who just so happens to be a barber.. talk about a power couple! But these two definitely aren't alone in their busy life - they also have a frenchie named Kiwi & not one, but TWO cats (my type of people)!
When Rennie isn’t making plain skin colorful- you can definitely find her either hiking, traveling, painting, roller skating, or riding around in her dream car, a 1972 El Camino whilst taking Kiwi to the beach!
Make sure to check Rennie out on IG/TIKTOK whether you want to check out some of her amazing work, or just want to see a kind and gorgeous face! Continue reading for some amazing interview insights with Rennie :)
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT MAVERICK?
I love Maverick cartridges because of the consistency. Every time I pull out a tight 3 I know it’s going to be sharp and clean and exactly the same as all of the other tight 3’s in the box. I love the Maverick brand and family because of the genuine kindness. The hand written thank you notes with every order, the positive vibe that radiates from every post and the inclusiveness I had felt before I even joined the family has made this a brand I want to support and be part of.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE GROUPINGS TO USE FOR YOUR TATTOOS?
My go to’s right now are a loose round 5 liner and a tight 3 for little details, usually a 15 curved mag as well.
THE PENGUIN IS THE MAVERICK FOUNDER'S SPIRIT ANIMAL. WHAT'S YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL? & WHY?
I think as corny as it is I’d probably be a little raccoon. They stay up late and they’re into everything, they do fine on their own or in a squad, and they’re just the right blend of sneaky and silly.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR FIRST TATTOO EXPERIENCE ? HOW OLD WERE YOU? WHAT WAS IT OF AND WHO WAS THE ARTIST ?
I got my first tattoo when I was 14. A kid from my high school was doing tattoos at his house. I got some emo song lyrics across my back. It was going to be cute and delicate and feminine, really thin cursive lettering, arched in the middle going across the center of my back. He had me lie down on his couch and I remember his cat sitting there while he did it. He charged me $40 for it and I thought it was expensive at the time. Afterwards I cut all of my shirts so they would hang low and everyone could see my tattoo at school but it wasn’t quite what I expected. It was crooked and blown out, a big black smudge across my back but at the time I thought it was the coolest thing.
TOP 3 ARTISTS YOU ADMIRE. CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF DESCRIPTION?
Peter Lagergren, I admire him because his work is immaculate and his color saturation is insane. I’m amazed by his drive and his work ethic. His shop is literally covered floor to ceiling in his drawings. Evin Pfaff because her style is so unique and beautiful. It’s illustrative, and realistic but somehow also magical and whimsical. She did an amazing portrait of my dog for me and captured her essence perfectly in the tattoo. Not to mention she was so friendly and warm. Chris Primm, I think that one is obvious if you look at my tattoo collection. I have my whole front done by him, my whole right leg and we’re working on my back now so I’m about to have close to a Primm bodysuit. You know his work as soon as you see it. He’s developed a unique style that holds up so well over the years and he’s really shaped the neotraditional style, especially in California, as well as being a kind, genuine guy who makes you feel comfortable right away.
WHAT ARE SOME FUNNY TATTOO MOMENTS YOU HAVE?
The most recent funny tattoo moment I have was actually when it was my turn to get tattooed. Chris Primm is working on my backpiece right now and I had a session where I thought we were going to be outlining the bottom half of it. I was really nervous for our session so I decided to use numbing cream. I had a friend help me put on a whole jar of it and plastic wrap my lower half. I showed up to the appointment ready to go, completely numb from the waist down. Chris came out and told me we weren’t going to outline the bottom half, instead he wanted to work on shading the top half. So I had to sit through the session feeling all of the pain and embarrassment, numb in the wrong area.
IF YOU WERE TO CHOOSE A BAND TO BEST DESCRIBE YOUR ARTWORK, WHICH BAND WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
I’d have to say Movements has shaped me and my work the most recently. It started when I had a client who asked me to create a tattoo based off the song “Daylily” by them. I listened to it a few dozen times and created a tattoo for her based off the imagery that came to mind while I listened. Since then I’ve done a few more tattoos and paintings based off their music like that, I’m usually listening to them while I draw. I feel really inspired when I listen to them.
IF YOU WERE TO WIN BEST TATTOOER IN THE WORLD WHO WOULD YOU THANK AND WHY?
I feel like this is another corny answer but I’d have to thank my husband, Dermot the most. He’s stood by me through every part of my career. Before I even tattooed we were together and he pushed me to pursue an apprenticeship when I didn’t have the confidence to. He believed in me when I couldn’t tattoo a straight line. He got the first tattoo I ever did on someone aside from myself and has tattoos from each different phase my style has gone through. He brings me coffee at work and stays up with me when I’m up late drawing or painting just to keep me company. I don’t know if I’d be where I’m at now without him.
SECRET HIDDEN TALENT? WHAT IS IT?
Shuffleboard. I’m like a champion shuffleboard player. Take me to the dingiest dive bar in town, if they have a shuffleboard table I’ll be on it winning all night.
WHAT IS YOUR KRYPTONITE?
Treats. Any kind of chocolate, cake, donuts, you name it. I love a little surprise treat to get me through the day.
ANY PERSON THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRADE PLACES WITH FOR THE DAY?
I’d like to be one of the guys who rides a motorcycle upside down in the cage at the circus. I think if I didn’t tattoo I’d want to do that.
WHAT BOOK OR MOVIE WOULD YOU SAY EVERYONE SHOULD READ OR WATCH? WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT SPECIFIC ONE?
I recently read the book “Tender is the Flesh” by Agustina Bazterrica and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. It is a disturbing read that questions what it means to be human.
WHICH STATE ARE YOU LOCATED? WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE AND WHY?
I’m currently located in California and have been here for about 10 years. I love the variety here. I’m lucky enough to live on the central coast where the beach is a 10 minute drive away, there’s hiking trails just down the street from me and there’s always something going on downtown. A few hours north and you’re in the mountains or San Francisco, a couple hours south and your in LA. Everything is so accessible, no matter what it is you’re looking for.
WHAT IS SOMETHING WEIRD YOU DO BEFORE BEDTIME?
I like to sing to my dog. It doesn’t happen every night but when it does it’s a good night. She usually gets the zoomies and runs around the house right before we go to bed. I make up songs for her, usually they’re versions of other songs but with her name in them. Sometimes it’s Bon Jovi, sometimes it’s Tom Petty but I really think she enjoys it.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH STRESS?
The best way for me to deal with stress is to reconnect with nature. Usually that means taking my dog to the beach and walking on the sand barefoot. There’s something really healing about being reminded how small we are and how important the simple pleasures are.
DO YOU HAVE A MOMENT THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE? DO YOU MIND SHARING?
When I was like 9 or 10 I told my mom I wanted to join the local swim team. I could barely doggy paddle to stay afloat, I really couldn’t swim. But she signed me up for it and on the first day they threw me in the pool with all the other kids that had been swimming for years. I tried to swim just to the end of the pool and everyone passed me a couple times before I got there. By the end of it I was crying and choking on water. When my mom picked me up I said I didn’t want to do it anymore. Well she took me back the next day and said she’d already paid for it so I was going to swim. At the end of the season I won the award for most improved on the team. That’s not to say a lot because I started from absolute rock bottom but I think it taught me that if you want to do something you can. It’s not about the talent that you were or weren’t born with it’s about the dedication, it’s about showing up every day and just doing it and it’s about how much you want it. I think that’s translated into lots of aspects of my life but especially tattooing.
WHO IS THE MOST UNIQUE TATTOOER YOU HAVE EVER MET?
I was lucky enough to have my sleeve done by Grime. It’s hard to put into words what exactly makes him so unique because it’s a combination of so many elements and he truly is one of a kind but it’s all reflected in his work. His tattoos are undeniably recognizable as Grime and he’s had a massive influence on the industry as a whole.
WITH HAVING TO PROMOTE YOURSELF ON SOCIAL MEDIA, HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A POSITIVE MINDSET?
I think disconnecting from time to time is really important. To try to be more present in the current moment. Using social media as a tool to promote your work but treating it like it’s part of the job, so when you come home you put it away. Remembering that you’re doing the painting because that’s what you love to do, that the tattoo is for the client and how much they love it is what matters more than the amount of likes it gets.
