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.

Kelly Brong is a graphic designer, animal lover, and taxidermist with a passion for giving vintage animal mounts a second life. In this episode of the Permanent Record Podcast, Gerard talks to Kelly about collecting and restoring vintage taxidermy, why she’s fed up with TikTok, and what it was really like to attend taxidermy school.

To learn more about Kelly, please see our feature article about her in volume two of Permanent Record Magazine. You can find both digital and print versions of the magazine at permanentrecordmag.com. You can also check out Kelly's work at ourdeerlydeparted.com, as well as on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram using the handle “ourdeerlydeparted."

Kyle Sherwood is a third-generation mortician and co-founder of Save My Ink Forever – a service that carefully preserves tattoos after death, transforming them into lasting pieces of art that honor loved ones. In this episode, Gerard and guest co-host Lucia Brawley talk with Kyle about his artistic process, his unique childhood growing up in a funeral home, and the challenges of working as a mortician.

Learn more about Kyle and Save My Ink Forever in Volume 2 of Permanent Record Magazine and at savemyink.tattoo

Artist and prosthetist Sophie de Oliveira Barata draws on her background in special effects to create striking works of wearable art that explore body modification, evolution, and transhumanism. In this episode, Gerard and guest co-host Lucia Brawley talk with Sophie about the technical craft behind making both hyper realistic and fantastical prosthetics, the influence of Alexander McQueen on her work, and the surprisingly complex challenge of designing a prosthetic butt.

Check out Sophie's work at https://thealternativelimbproject.com/