For a week now, I’ve been on the road with Joel going from city to city on this mini-tour of his.  We thought it a good idea for me to tag along, in order to, not only spend Christmas/New Years, but also to be able to celebrate his birthday together, since he’s set to play in Puerto Rico on that date.  And it’s been a blast coming out and supporting him!

Anyone who spends ten minutes with me will quickly learn how much i absolutely love music.  I can talk about it just as much, if not more, than art and tattooing itself!  

I don’t claim to know everything about every genre of music, and when Joel and I first began dating, i won’t lie and pretend like i knew anything at all about Electronic Dance Music.  I actually still don’t know much about it, outside of what Joel has exposed me to.  

  To be completely transparent, if you would have asked me a year ago, what my thoughts about this kind of music were, the bias-to-heavy-metal side of me would have most likely dismissed the genre in its entirety as “repetitive generic music.”  

But being able to watch Joel day in and day out this past week, I’ve been able to step outside of my ignorance and I’ve learned so much.

I mean, i still don’t understand the fascination with glow sticks, and the draw for those who take loads of drugs at shows, but then again, the amount of drinking, and violent nature of some of the metal shows i love going to don’t make sense to me either…

But i do understand and can clearly see now, why this electronic music moves people. 

Deadmau5 shows offer up a presentation of lights and lasers and panels of LEDS that are a sight to see on their own, but i don’t really think its the smoke and mirrors, or even the Mau5-head that the fans are truly their for.  Those things add to the overall experience, but are just the icing on the cake really.  Its the music that resonates with the fans. 

  You can ask Joel, when it come to technical intelligence  on the subject of “DJing” and producing music, I’m probably the worst person to ask.  But from a listener’s perspective, i’m able to distinguish what sets the more talented and experienced Dj’s from the rest of them.  

Fans are way smarter than people give credit to at times.  you could have all the costumes, all the Tv shows, all the attitude and all the hype in the world, but if you’re not actually good, and sincere in what you do, people will see through it.

So basically, I guess all I was trying to say is that i have a whole new appreciation and respect for this music and what it offers the listener, and after being lucky enough to see Joel do what it is that he does so well, I’ve become a much bigger fan than i already was.  

xo,

KvD

by Kat Von D on Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 5:53pm

I first got the idea to learn how to sing and record an album years ago… because of a guy. 

I guess it’s not much different than all the times I’ve heard musicians in bands say similar things about why they initially picked up a guitar or joined a band.

“I did it for the chicks.”

But in my case, my intentions had nothing to do with trying to impress or win somebody over by being some sort of “rockstar.”

*

He had written an album and had it delivered to my house before it had been released, and told me,  “These are all the things that are easier sung than said.”

I remember that day so clearly.  The messenger who delivered it to my doorstep and his kind smile.  The manila envelope with a CD inside of it.  And then hearing the first words sung on that first track.  I was just as happy to finally hear him say things out loud in these songs he sang, as I was sad that we had deprived ourselves of saying those same words out loud.

The fear of failure.

There is safeness in unrequited love.  Living in a state of longing nurtured by memories - this kind of love could last forever.  As long as you don’t let it become anything more than that.   Why?  Because along with the wonderful feelings that come w making something real, comes the possibility of all of that going away. And taking a gamble like that leaves you vulnerable, of course. That’s the nature of Love, but once you experience heartbreak, it can be tough to not let those painful feelings overshadow the will to try.

Eternal sunshine for the spotless mind.  It was a curse and blessing, good and bad, bittersweet. And all of that.

Listening to the record from beginning to end, I had a response in my mind to every part of the lyrics of each song.  As cryptic as I knew these songs would be to anyone else, they were far from mysterious to me.  The words struck chords that maybe should have never been.

So, I thought to myself:  If he speaks to me in song, then I should respond in song. The plan was to make a record in response to all the things he said – and it didn’t matter to me whether anyone else heard it, or even knew that I was doing this.

But having so much love and respect for music – for good music, I didn’t wanna just sing words and record them.  I wanted to make beautiful music.  I’d have to learn how to sing. And so I did. 

Started voice lesions three and some years ago.. diligently working at getting “good enough.”  The lyrics came to me the easiest.  I had been writing to him for years, in my mind, my books, poems, and random pieces of papers.

There was a point where in some way, everything I was doing, indirectly, I did with this ghost in mind, and never spoke about it.

But now things are different.

The ups and downs of Life take place, and I can only explain by simply saying that I’ve grown up a lot in ways since those days.   I’ve let things go.  It doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten, but I have stopped clinging to a time long gone and all the woulda shoulda couldas.

Once I realized this, I was I left with those beautiful songs he wrote, memories of a kiss, and a few love letters and drawings. But even more so, the inspiration to sing and write songs remained.

Now, my purpose in creating this music has changed, or better put, evolved.  Of course I didn’t get what I thought I had wanted back then (or at least it might seem that way when it comes to matters of the heart), but I sure am grateful for that blooming idea to express myself through music.  And to do my best. 

But more vital than any of that, is the ability to continue to believe in a true Love.

No amount of songs could ever be written, played or sung, to repay that gift, and I can’t wait to share this music with you all.

Xo,

KvD

by Kat Von D on Friday, August 24, 2012 

SO excited!  Sephora released the official cities and dates for the “New American Beauty” art show we launched back in December at Art Basel in Florida!

For those of you who can make it out to hang with me, check out the art show, and support this amazing cause, all the info is below!

I can’t wait to share this with everyone!

See you guys there!!

xo,

KvD

SEPHORA INVITES YOU TO MEET KAT VON D*

AND SEE HER FIRST SOLO ARTSHOW, “THE NEW AMERICAN BEAUTY”

 2012 Kat Von D Sephora Art Show Tour Schedule:

FEBRUARY

LOS ANGELES, CA | Saturday Feb 4 @ 2 PM - 4PM @ Sephora Hollywood

MARCH

MEXICO CITY, MEX | Friday, March 2 @ 7 PM – 9 PM  @ Sephora Antara, MEX

LAS VEGAS, NV | Thursday Mar 22 @ 4- 6 PM @ Sephora Caesar’s Palace

APRIL

CHICAGO, IL | Thursday April 19 @ 6 PM - 8PM @ Sephora Northbridge

MAY

NEW YORK, NY | Thursday May 3 @ 6 PM - 8PM @ Sephora SOHO

JUNE

PORTLAND, OR | Thursday June 7th @ 6 PM - 8PM@ Sephora Downtown Portland

VANCOUVER, CAN | Thursday June 21 @ 7-9 PM @ Pacific Centre

JULY

SAN FRANCISCO | Thursday July 19 @ 7-9 PM @Sephora Powell

DETAILS:

*Purchase of one KVD Art Print from New American Beauty Art Show required to meet KVD. Meeting includes one photo and one autograph (on print). Prints go on sale at 10 AM the day of the KVD Personal Appearance, unless otherwise noted (at Store’s discretion). Purchasers will be banded on site; 150 people are guaranteed to meet KVD.

Prints are $100 each with 100% of the proceeds (up to $20,000) benefiting KVD’s favorite charity, The Art of Elysium. Each print comes with a complimentaryfull size KVD beauty item, exclusively presented at Sephora.

Prints available for purchase the day of the PA and the following weekend, as supplies last.

Dates and times are subject to change. For more details, go to Sephora’s Facebook Page and check out our EVENTS tab.

[Kat Von D, January 26th, 2012 via facebook] 

Hey everyone!

I’m sure this will be the most “uneventful” blog I have ever written - but its purpose is simply to answer a lot of the reoccurring questions I’ve been getting asked lately - and I’m hoping this will answer them for you :)  

  I think maybe the final episode of LA Ink left things a bit confusing to some.  So in a nutshell here goes:

1. I am not in any way moving to Texas.  I am not opening up another tattoo shop.  And I am not leaving my shop here in Los Angeles, High Voltage Tattoo. 

2. I am not in a relationship. (And I apologize for all the “back and forth” if it’s caused any confusion)

3. I am in no way retiring - (what does that even mean anyway???) 

4. My tattoo shop is not closing, and is open for business like always! (Same goes for my art gallery, Wonderland -  next door to High Voltage Tattoo.)

5. As hard as it is to sometimes let go of the things you are so accustomed to doing, I am happy to have done LA Ink, but am even more excited about new upcoming ventures - and cant wait to eventually share more about this with you all!

That’s all.  I told ya it would be uneventful… ;)

Thank you to everyone who has been so kind, supportive, and positive! 

You’ll never know how much love I have for you all in this heart of mine!

Yours,

Kat Von D

Man! It’s been a whirlwind of craziness as of late! I wanna start by apologizing for being so MIA the past few months…

Thought it’d be nice to fill you guys in on what I’ve been up to, with a promise of continuing to do so in the future..

With a much needed break from filming, we finally wrapped up this leg of the season - I believe new epsiodes will be airing sometime in February - but I’ll have to double check..

Regardless, it’s been nice to have High Voltage back to a normal tattoo shop for the time being… and I’ve been lucky enough to dive back into tattooing with no cameras, which has been quite refreshing to be honest - as much as I miss production. :)

This new book I’ve been compiling has been the root of most of my time consumption - going over the manuscript - finalizing a whole lot of the writing - while simultaneously photographing the entire thing!

And man! I am soooo excited for you guys to see what I’ve come up with - I do believe this book to be one of the most important projects I’ve been lucky enough to create.

As much as I enjoyed writing the first book - my approach to this one is completely new… I’ve emotionally invested SO much into it… (by the way, don’t have a firm title yet…but will let you know as soon as I come up with it! Maybe “The Tattoo Chronicles”???)

Anyhow, here are a few of the photos I’ve shot at The Monastery (my new photo studio) - and might include in the book - but still working on the layout…

Well - back to the drawing board!
XOXO,
Kat Von D

[posted January 4th, 2010]

If there was ever a time I wanted for you to read something I wrote, THIS time would be the most important to me….

This is a message to all my friends and fans who have been there for me since day one, and for those who may have just recently started watching LA Ink. I hope I’m not coming off to negative here, but I have to get a few things off my chest …

Although I may seem to not be as present as I used to be, I want you to know that I am still paying attention to the comments, emails, and feedback you guys send my way - and thats why I have always been so damn grateful for things like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, my website’s forum, and the fanclubs, because those have always served as good tools for me to directly communicate with you guys.

One thing I have always prided myself in, is my sincerity in being as honest and open with everyone. As hard as some things are to explain, I always try my best - always writing my own blogs, and being as REAL as I can possibly be.. and I STILL believe that this is one of the reasons people may like me…

When I first started getting involved with this whole “TV” thing - I had a very specific goal in mind> and this may sound super cheesy or cliche, but I mean this from the bottom of my heart…

Doing a TV show about my tattoo shop felt like a good opportunity to present Tattooing in a positive light. Then I relaized there was so much more that comes along with being on TV.

To some girls, I became some sort of role model, whether I liked it or not. And I did like it because it was such a wonderful feeling when young girls, soccer moms, rocker chicks, and everything in between would come up to me, or write me a letter, telling me about how watching the show inspired them to start their own business, and to be independent and self created, to be passionate about whatever it was they wanted to be -

some girls would tell me that they were thankful to have someone in the spotlight that was “different”, because it made them realize there was nothing wrong with thinking outside the box….
and i know better than anyone, what its like to feel out of place…Sometimes, I still feel like that even today.

But to hear these things, made me so proud to be a part of my team. I had Hannah and Kim, Corey Miller (and the rest of my crew) who tattooed next to me everyday at the shop - who I looked up to, before ever even meeting them - and then all of the sudden I’m tattooing side by side with them, and we’re doing something positive -

I had a team that included women I admired and could relate to, who were better than me at a lot of things, and who I could learn from…

And as life may have it, for whatever reasons that were so out of my control, Hannah and Kim had to leave…

I was pretty sad about it - hell, I still miss working with them - but things like this happen all of the time, and you gotta roll with the punches.

And the truth of the matter is, I do have a lot of weaknesses, and a lot of downfalls. but I don’t have a problem admitting it. Everyday I am trying my best to grow and learn… to better myself. Some days I fail, and a lot of days are ground breaking for me… but regardless, its never easy…

The point I’m trying to make here, is that there are a million things I cannot control. I can’t control someone else’s vision for the show and the direction they choose to follow. I can’t control how all women act around me. I can’t control a production company, or how people choose to edit things…

What I CAN control is how much of myself I put into each and every single tattoo I do. What I CAN control is how I treat my family, my friends. I CAN control the choice to not drink or do drugs.

I can do my very best.

With that being said, I am sincerely sorry - from the bottom of my heart - if I come off like an asshole, or incompetant - I assure you, I have never in my life felt so clear-headed, humbled, focused, loved, aware, willing, and grateful.

Being forced to deal with unwanted adversity and drama, has pushed me to become a better tattooer, sister, friend, companion, and business woman, and I so TRULY hope that you guys see passed all the rest of the bullshit that comes with having to catch things on film….
I really do love you all…

Kat Von D

[posted July 24th, 2009]

Getting breakfast with my sis, before I head to work for a half day of filming - and then straight to the airport - Gotta fly to New York for literally ONE day and hop back on a return flight to start filming right away…

To be honest, I even surprised myself, at how much better I’ve been handling things… I used to freak out all the time, and I was letting my stress get in the way of actually enjoying all that’s happening around me…

Filming this new season of LA Ink has not been the easiest - truthfully, it’s been the roughest season for me!

Lots of things have changed - and alot of those things have been completely outta my control.. and when my stress began turning into a depression - I knew I had to figure SOMETHING out…

Started going to this awesome lady, who is teaching me to meditate - and that along with piano lessons with Oksana, doing some vocal training, working on my photography, and writing in my journals, has been keeping me sane and happy…

ANYWAY, I hope you guys watch the new episode tomorrow night… and watch it knowing that all bullshit aside, I know I’m not perfect - and fully capable of making mistakes - but one thing I am sure is, I’m doing my best…

So before I start sounding TOO goth, I’ll wrap it up, and will anxiously await to hear what you guys think!!!

Love You All,

Kat Von D

[posted on July 24, 2009]

Since i was a teen, I always found writing things down to be a healthy way to process my thoughts, so here goes…

            I went back and forth trying to decide whether I should even write this. I’m sure by the time I’m done I’ll either delete it, or just save it and never post it.  

            Not sure where to begin other than I’m feeling saddened by the way people have been reacting lately.  It’s as if a collective pain has taken over, not only this country, but this world.  Listening to people talk about others lately has made me feel so alien.  i don’t believe I am better than anyone, nor do i believe that I’m less, i just feel disconnected, i guess.  

            There seems to be a lack of relatability with one another lately, and I’m not sure why it feels so much more apparent lately.  It’s like we’ve lost the ability to recognize ourselves in each other.  When i walk down the street and see a homeless person i can see a part of myself in them.  Without any judgment of what kind of person i think they may be, or what they have done to get to where they are now - all i see is a human being with the ability to feel.  That homeless person is somebody’s son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, father… and all i can feel is love for them.  

            The same feelings occur when i see a person driving a fancy car, or an elderly person, an ex-friend, or a child.

            I KNOW I’m not the only person who shares this perspective - and i know this because people smile sometimes. That tiny gesture alone, lets me know that for whatever reason that person chose to share that smile with me, its an act of love.

            I was tattooing this lady who flew all the way from Hawaii today just to get a tattoo from me - she wanted a portrait of her son who got killed in a drinking and driving accident a little bit over a year ago.  What an honor this was for me.  We sat and talked about Life’s “funny” way of showing us the good, even during times of great suffering, and how difficult it can be to recognize the good when you’re in the middle of all of it.  

            I can only imagine how deep the pain that comes with losing a child would feel.  When i asked her about the person responsible for the death of her son, I could tell it was too hard for her to share her feelings.  I could be wrong, but it sounded like there was some anger, and resentment.  There was a war happening inside of her, maybe the idea of making this person “pay” for what he did would make her feel better about everything, and the old me would probably agree with that thought pattern….

            But where I am now, the only thing I could feel was love, not only for her (and for her loss), but for that drunk driver.  Life has already made him suffer the consequences of his choices.  He has to live with the knowledge that the choices he made, cost someone their life… 

            I secretly prayed for peace, not only for this woman’s heart, but for the drunk drivers heart, too.  

            After my tattoo session, I looked at my Twitter like I normally do before posting a photo of the tattoo I just did, or whatever, and noticed a lot of negative comments having to do with an interview Jesse had recently done.  I really didn’t know why people were all up in arms, but after putting two and two together, I managed to find the interview and listen to it.

            I have no opinion on people like Howard Stern, or generally anyone that i haven’t met.  I’m not THAT much of a hermit that i don’t already know the premise of radio shows like his, but regardless, i couldn’t give you an opinion since i never met the man.  

            After listening to the interview, I could see how people could take offense to a lot of the comments that were made and I personally had my own opinion on the content myself.  All of which is not really important   I think it’s easy to read a tabloid’s recap of an hour long interview and come up with a harsh opinion on what was said.  It’s even easier to get upset over something like this when you already have an existing dislike for Jesse based on this last years “scandal” coverage.

Again, none of this is actually important.  Not even my opinion.  

            Maybe I’m just venting at this point but I’d like to share my unimportant opinion with those of you who are still even reading any of this…

            In my opinion, Jesse’s attempt at dodging Howard Stern’s racy questions were never meant to disrespect anyone. There is no comparison. Yes, Jesse is not my first love, and I am not his. The connection we share has nothing to do with any of our past relationships - and it would be silly to even try and answer a question like that.  The love that a couple shares is not a reflection of what used to be - it doesn’t take away from a love that once was, and it doesn’t make the present love any better either.  Ultimately, the two relationships have nothing to do with one another.  

To me, love is the most sacred thing you could share with someone, and it isn’t up for discussion, or comparison.

            Anyone can compare me to someone else, and it will never make me better or less than what I am.  I’m not an award-winning actress. I’m not “beautiful” by many people’s standards. I’m not special. I’m not  ” that girl who’s dating Jesse James.”  And I’m not even “Kat Von D.”   My name is Katherine Von Drachenberg, and I’m just another human being walking past you, with a good heart, just trying my best.

            When Jesse and I first started dating, a tabloid listed the differences between me and Jesse’s ex, comparing everything from our weight, to our income, to our parents occupation.  That to me, was equally as appalling as Howard’s questions about sex, because it strips away what is truly sacred, and important in a relationship.  Money, status, fame, sexual appeal, and sexual compatibility - these “qualities” are the furthest things from what gives a person value.

            I don’t think Jesse needed to write ‘American Outlaw’.  At one point I even told him that.  Not because i think it’s a bad book - on the contrary, Jesse is a fantastic writer, and his life’s story makes for an entertaining read. I just didn’t think he NEEDED to write it.  To me, it felt like there was a need for closure on things, but writing a million books won’t give you the peace you’re looking for.  Tapping into that true inner peace takes a conscious act of letting go of your past internally.  Forgiving yourself is key, not seeking it in others.

             But regardless, supporting Jesse doesn’t require me agreeing with everything.  I can still be his biggest cheerleader, and be proud, by allowing him to do whatever HE feels he needs to do.  If writing the book was a therapeutic way of releasing the past, then I think it is a beautifully honest  thing.  

            In the end, none of this matters at all.  We are continuously looking for things to occupy our minds, follow through on these empty thoughts and judgments that steer us so far away from this present moment, when meanwhile,  there are people out there like my client today who regardless of losing her son is still able to give the gift of a smile, and is just thankful for another day  for the opportunity to try again… 

Thank you for reading this,

Kat Von D

here is a Facebook entry KVD did

The last few months have been a whirl wind of exciting changes… good ones in many ways…

As some of you know, my house burned down right at the half way mark of my book tour.   And it’s weird because almost everyone around me feels really bad for me.  I know its all coming from a good place, and I definitely appreciate all the thoughtful condolences, not just for my loss of “stuff” but more importantly for the loss of my baby kitten, Valentine. But I’m honestly OK with it all if you gimme a chance to explain…

Blessings often come disguised in “tragic” situations.  I know it may sound heartless, or cold - but I truly am grateful for everything that’s happened.  Of course, I would never wish a loss like this onto anyone, but I’m grateful for Life’s daily reminder to appreciate and love everything and everyone around you.

Lots of shitty things are happening all around us at all times, but I think you’d have to be a fool not to notice all the good in the world, too.

When Ludwig (my first hairless sphinx cat) passed away, I was devastated to say the least.  I didn’t handle it with much strength - even in the middle of filming LA Ink, I broke down several times.  It took me months to even be able to look at another cat.  I remember even resenting my sister when she’d tell me cute things about her cat…

It was right around the 4th of July of last year that I got hit with the deepest and darkest depression I had ever experienced… It felt like everyday was just another slap in the face with “bad news”.  I lived alone up on top of a hill in my lonely little castle, and eventually the silence of my home combined with the noisy thoughts in my head got the worst of me, and for the first time in my life - I was scared of myself.   Without going into too many details, I decided the smartest thing for me to do was to let go of Ludwig, and get another cat.

Selfishly, I thought having the company of a little kitten in the house would distract me from all the doom and gloom - and so I found Valentine.  Drove four hours north, up to Clovis, California, and brought back this little bundle of joy. 

I remember the minute I held Valentine in the palm of my hand (she was that tiny); all my “problems” subsided for those moments.  There was no ignoring the beauty of nature in her eyes, and my plan had worked. I never really shared why I got Valentine with anybody other than my friends, Rooftop and Mitch.  By the time I brought her home, none of that stuff even mattered.  

The day I got Valentine, an entire year had passed since Ludwig’s death.  And even though I only really had her for about 5 months or so before she died in the fire in the house, I loved her so much.  We slept together every night that I wasn’t on the book tour.  And yes, I still miss her.  But THIS TIME, I don’t want to make the same mistake by holding on to the past like I did with Ludwig…

Donna, (the lady I got Valentine from) called me shortly after she heard about the fire, and told me if I ever felt like sharing my love into another kitten she would help me out.  And guess what!  Valentine has a little baby brother - looks so much like her too!  He’s only a few weeks old, but I decided what better way to keep Valentine’s spirit around than by giving all of my love (and I have a lot of it) to him.

Here are two photos of him.  Donna said he should be ready for pick up in just 2 more weeks!  I decided to name him Piaf (translation: “Little Sparrow” in French)- after Edith Piaf.

For me, accepting all the things that I can’t control has always been a challenge…but I must say, after this amazing book tour meeting so many inspiring fans, me losing my house and most of my earthly belongings, connecting with Jesse and finding my best friend and soul mate in him, as well as the hundreds of other beautiful things that have blossomed in the last half a year, I have never felt life so abundant. 

I wanted to share this with you all, because I know I’m not the only one who faces adversity - there’s a lotta pain and sadness out there, but I promise you, if you allow Life to show you the goodness in it all (even the bad), there’s nothing left but Happiness - and in the end, that’s all we really want…

With Sincere Love,

Kat Von D