1978-1989 Original Archive of Folios Packed with the Diary Entries, Original Art, and Business Plans of a Troubled California, Arizona and Alaska-Based Tattoo Artist

On offer are three sensational original portfolios containing the original art and personal diary of the renowned tattoo artist Mike 'John Michael' Wingate [who sometimes signed himself John 'Mike' Wingate] (1952-2007). 

Mr. Wingate was born in Long Beach, California and moved with his family to Yuma, Arizona, where he graduated from Kofa High School, obtained his Associate Arts degree from Arizona Western College and his BFA from Arizona State University. Wingate graduated in approximately 1987 and began the first of these books either during his time at ASU or soon after. Following graduation, Mike lived in the Los Angeles region, spent a few years in Haines and Juneau, Alaska, pursuing art commissions and opening a tattoo business. Ultimately he would relocate to Washington where he would spend the rest of his days, dying in Port Angeles in 2007.

The folios contain Wingate's work over the course of 11 years. Two of the books primarily contain art and business-related notes while the third is a gigantic diary that takes us into the heart and mind of this talented yet troubled man. Substance use is a secondary theme throughout. Wingate even with hints in his business plan that he needs to straighten up and fly right. In many ways this archive is representative of the post 1970s free love drug era coming to a close and the evolution to the more cynical '80s.

The first folio is dated December, 1978 on the inside front cover. It begins with dozens of pages of Wingate's pencil drawings, and then contains several pages of his personal notes, indicating his concepts for growing his art business, plans to move to Alaska, and ideas for who to approach to commission his work.

He includes drafts of cover letters, ideas for types of services he could offer (mural creation, ghostwriting, painting, design, cartoons), and goals for personal improvement. He draws concepts that appear to be related to his Alaskan mural proposal and includes a stunning though eerie pen drawing relating to his substance use. He also includes some political art that looks like it's intended to be turned into a Boycott Exxon sign, comparing the American oil and gas company to the N-zi regime, writing "Using the environment just as Hitler used humanity...". This folio appears to have been kept over many years as there is one piece of art dated to 1989. 

The second folio contains only Wingate's artwork. It is undated and lists the names and addresses of two of Wingate's contacts on the inside front cover, both apparently from Arizona, so it is possible this folio was kept while Wingate was in art school in Arizona. The drawings range from nudes to landscape scenes to religious commentary to what appears to be plans for art installations to portraits. It would not be surprising if this was one of his student art folios from either Arizona State U or Arizona Western College. Wingate's drawings are bold and distinctly his own. 

The final folio is a remarkable diary kept by Wingate which he begins in December, 1987 and keeps until April, 1989. Wingate details his life and thoughts to the hour at times when his entries are made and he exhibits not a little what seems to be creativity from the bottle or some other substance.

His entries are generally very long, detailed and rambling, sometimes running for multiple pages. He discusses his daily life living and working in Alaska, the ups and downs of his tumultuous relationship with Barbara (his model girlfriend), his friends and lovers, his travels, his planning, his art, his tattoo business, and more. Some excerpts follow, beginning with an interesting one where Wingate shares his memories of life in Arizona, where he spent his formative years:

"...A swimming pool at ASU and a hotel. An Coast Guard aircraft trying to land and its wings taking on impossible flying angles, asking my brother if he would like to go swimming but being reminded that the pool was closed. The recurring feeling that this area around me was flat and desert type. These were some fragments of my dreams...I realize I'm only scratching the surface..." [November, 1988].

"...Made burger and beer run for lunch. Bumped into Stoney, seems that we may have to re-do Capital Copy's bus logo. O well...saw John Ellis in hall and talked about his signs, which he still doesn't know what he wants an possible advance of 750.00 for tattoo's and life...fired up my pipe and now back to the drawing..." [June, 1988].

"...Don't know how long this relationship [with Barbara] will last. Must admit I am interested in other women. Needed some happiness. Lost mom, money problems, but Tattoo business doing ok. Bike needs repairs, not getting commissions out of the way, my brother and sister thing I'm gay. IRS wants money, student loans not paid. And if I kill myself I'll piss God off..." [January, 1989].

Wingate's massive narrative writing begins while he is in 'Barbara's cabin' which we reckon is the Skagway, Alaska part of Wingate's personal journey, thought Barbara does seem to spend most of her time in Los Angeles. 

This giant effort of art and narrative stand as a unique relic of the life of a wildly talented and passionate, yet troubled human being, which will bear much more scrutiny by historians and researchers in the future.

Three large 11" x 14" folio sketchbooks. The first book is 95% handwritten diary like entries; the second is almost 100% drawings and sketches and the third journal about half full. The bindings have some issues and one of the diary contains a lot of tape on the cover but overall G+.