Biography

by Westley Wood (From the book "TATTOO FLASH BY GUIDO").

As a boy growing up in the provincial town of Castel San Giovanni in Italy, Stan Lee’s Spiderman classics and the fantasy art of Europe were fantasy beyond imagination and an inspiration for his lifelong pursuit of art.

While traveling to London and Amsterdam in the late 80s he discovered the raw power of tattoo art, its hope, its challenges and its life affirming character.

Returning to Italy Guido studied law at Statal University in Milan for two years until he realized that his heart and future belonged to art.

He left Italy and toured the US collecting tattoos on himself as well as drawing a new visionary tattoo art. The appreciation he received from tattooists bolstered his enthusiasm and confidence so back in Italy he worked in the graphic industry and began his first commercial foray doing murals, commercials and residential interior designs.

Fulfilling his obligations to serve his country in the Army Guido had occasion to develop his own tattooing skills.When he finished his year in the Army he was ready to actively enter the world of tattoo as artist and practitioner. Back in his home town he opened his first shop, “Taos Tattoo” named after his favorite US city, Taos, New Mexico. The shop soon developed into “Primal Mind Productions” to better showcase the broad range of talent the shop attracted, in tattooing, fashion and piercing. His art was commissioned and published in tattoo flash magazines Tattoo Idea and Color Tattoo.

Looking for more inspiration and growth Guido returned to the US and tattooed extensively first at Sacred Tattoo in New York City’s Chinatown, then at Bowery Tattoo in NYC. Yearning to rekindle his earlier experiences and love for New Mexico Guido joined up with Eric Anderson at Cool Hand Tattoo Studio and produced art and tattoo.

Currently he works in two worlds, Italy and the US where he does tattooing and artwork in both.
The designs in this book were done while in Taos.


Guido Baldini’s art has adorned my walls for more than a decade. The art presented in Tattoo Flash by Guido contains cross-cultural interpretations, sci-fi, fantasy, Japanese, Old School, New School, Borneo, Mexican, Biker, Maori, mystical and traditional.
Skulls are a favorite motif as well as knives, daggers, flames, wings and hearts. They are drawn for their power and statement that they are tattoo, as timeless and unique as the wearer. Drawn to be strong and lasting they paradoxically seem timeless and enduring though the tattoo itself is transitory and fades with life.

Towards the end of the volume you will notice a hint of something new coming, including the iconography of New York, McDonalds, the 1920s, Faith, Hope and large visionary moody back pieces that will surely inspire a new generation of artists looking for inspiration.
Tattoo Flash is a great look into the mind of Guido Baldini.

Westley Wood
(Owner of UNIMAX TATTOO SUPPLY,NYC)