Meet the Artists
Jordan “Jo” Politis
Tattoo Artist & Owner of The Gallery // @jo.thegallerytattoos
When I was a kid, I would take sketchbooks and notebooks outside and copy what I saw in the yard and in nature. I have strong memories of drawing all of the succulents, Star Jasmine, and Plumerias that my dad planted in the front yard. In high school, I filled my days with as many art classes as my schedule would allow - from drawing, to painting, to photography and ceramics, I always had a project that I was working on.
I spent one year at Cabrillo College here in Aptos, studying photography and art history, then found my way to Academy of Art in San Francisco for several years where I continued studying fine art photography. I spent my free time filling sketchbooks of people and things I saw around the city. My final two years of college were spent at Chico State, where I studied art education which allowed me to experiment with all mediums - from printmaking to sculpting with metal and wood. I learned how to stretch my own canvas, mix paints and explore color theory. In my spare time, I sat in my favorite coffee shops or parks and sketched the people and places of Chico.
After I returned home to beautiful Santa Cruz County, I continued to practice art of all mediums, but found myself at tattoo shops more frequently. This is where I started to ask artists about their work and what it took to become part of it.
I began tattooing in 2020 and was fortunate enough to find Redwood Village and open The Gallery in March of 2021. Since opening the doors, I can’t imagine any career other than being a tattoo artist. The Gallery is my second home and my most prized accomplishment. I am eternally grateful for all of the amazing people I’ve met along the way, and all of the tattoos that I’ve been able to create for my clients.
Cheers to many more days of tattooing.
Jo
Hannah Brimer
Tattoo Artist // @hbrimer
My first artistic pursuit started with photography at the age of 16 when I was gifted my first camera. Growing up I had a lot of impactful conversations encouraging me to take pause and really observe the immense beauty surrounding us everyday. These conversations had a profound influence on my artistic voice and how I wanted to capture the worlds natural beauty.
I studied digital photography in a program in Germany right after graduating high school and decided to pursue photojournalism. After I returned to California, I spent a lot of time in and out of a darkroom at my local community college capturing everything I could on black and white film. At 24, my sophomore year, I took my first ever drawing course and instantly fell in love with it’s freedom of expression.
I changed my major and continued on to receive my Bachelors in Art, with an emphasis in drawing and painting at Cal State University Long Beach. Getting a BA allowed me to take an array of classes covering mediums such as: metals, woodworking, sculpture, and rendering. Since graduating, I started developing a body of work addressing societal standards, female archetypes, and its correlation with nature. I discovered that utilizing storytelling throughout my work served as a healing modality and I plan to continue that exploration for many years to come.
Hand poking is something I started doing on myself in 2020, when I couldn’t find a shop to go to locally during the pandemic. Tattooing myself led me to meeting a wonderful local tattoo artist, Bella Pissanetzky, who encouraged me to start my tattooing journey. I have been so honored to add tattooing to my arsenal of art practices, and to create permanent art works for my clients. Tattooing the same elements I’ve used in my previous mediums: natural elements, figurative, and the female experience and it’s correlation to nature. So here I am now, honored to be a resident artist at The Gallery, looking forward to all the tattoos to come!
Molly Hoch
Tattoo Artist // @bobojeet_
Growing up I was exposed to art early on as I watched my dad create sketches. I remember being captivated as he could so realistically render an object on paper. This experience instilled a sense of creativity, which my parents nurtured and supported throughout my life.
Without any real commitment to a specific art form, I always had an innate desire to create. I’ve dabbled in painting, sculpting, doll making, textiles, metal arts/ jewelry making, stop motion, film photography, tattooing (obviously) and anything else that piques my curiosity.
Because much of my childhood-adolescence was dedicated to sports, I hadn’t explored the possibilities of being an artist until I graduated high school. My 20’s were spent traveling and living in foreign countries, which influenced and shaped the style and recurring themes I often depict in my artwork.
Through literature, film, or art, I find myself choosing wizards, witches, fae lords (iykyk), and dragons 99.9% of the time. I have always veered toward anything magical and fantastical, so naturally, in 2017, I picked up a book series called The Winternight Trilogy. I connected with it so profoundly, that it sent me into the realm of Slavic and Scandinavian folklore (Russian being my fave) and imagery. Much of my work now incorporates elements from those tales.
In late 2019 I bought a tattoo machine to begin experimenting on myself. It was a slow beginning, briefly disrupted by morning sickness and birth of my second child. I became more consistent and dedicated to applying myself without a specific end-goal, but rather a motivation for learning the craft. I met Hannah Brimer - a talented, fellow artist at The Gallery - at an art pop-up in 2022, where she encouraged me to pursue tattooing as a career. We became friends, and through her constant encouragement and openness to bring me into her world, I met Jo Politis, the owner of The Gallery!
In January 2024 I began as a permanent artist at The Gallery. The support, encouragement, and love this little studio exudes is astounding. I’m so grateful to be here, to grow, and to continue making lasting connections through the art of tattooing.
