THE GREAT OMI

A sign of astonishing beauty, this tattoo parlor window sign in Pismo Beach, California was created by Patrick of Santa Cruz in exchange for having his own body tattooed.

Masterfully drawn and bent in purple, turquoise, green and warm white neon tubes, it is mounted to a large sheet plexiglass so that one can see through it into the shop.

The image describes The Great Omi, an Englishman of noble birth who, as the second son, had no way of making a living. So he had his entire face and body tattooed and became a circus star in the early 1900s.