Tom Valvassori is a tattoo artist, lifelong maker, and taxidermy collector whose work is rooted in permanence, craft, and the stories people carry with them.

In this episode of the Permanent Record Podcast, Gerard talks with Tom about learning to tattoo the old-school way, why he still draws by hand, the connection between tattooing and taxidermy, the strange art of collecting, and the unforgettable moments when giving someone exactly what they asked for became something much deeper.

To learn more about Tom Valvassori, please see our feature article in Volume one of Permanent Record Magazine.

Doug Arbittier is an anesthesiologist, medical historian, and
collector whose more than 3,000 antique medical and surgical artifacts
reveal the strange, beautiful, and sometimes shocking history of
medicine. In this episode of the Permanent Record Podcast, Gerard
talks with Doug about bloodletting tools, Civil War surgery, President Lincoln's
assassination artifacts, the $5 doctor’s chair that started his
collection, his private medical history museum, appearances on Pawn
Stars and Jeopardy, and the art fraud case that led him to the FBI.

Lauren Seeley is a death doula and a grief doula who draws her background in art to create personalized memorials and funeral services — honoring and celebrating the deceased while bringing comfort to the families left behind. In today's episode of the Permanent Record Podcast, Gerard sits down with Lauren to discuss her creative work in the death space, the death-related book clubs she's part of, and how a 'death-accepting' mindset can enrich our lives.

To learn more about Lauren, please see our feature article about her in volume three of Permanent Record Magazine. Both digital and print versions of the magazine are available at permanentrecordmag.com. You can follow Lauren at @ahhsweetdeath on Instagram and TikTok – and keep up with her reading list at @SilentBookClubofDeathNYC on Instagram.