Los Placasos de Javier Hernandez

Since the 70's no tattoo artist had the amount of respect than Javier Hernandez had, a tattoo artist who was recognized by la raza all over Brownsville from la moraya to la parra, la Quatro, Southmost and Cameron Park. Javier was born and raised in Brownsville and attended Cummings middle school and Hanna High School in the late 70's , in the 80's grew up in Villa Verde a low income Projects Housing in an era of vatismo, barrio pride, pachucos and one of the toughest neighborhoods ever to grow up in..Javier Hernandez passed away in Brownsville back in 2004 , but his story as an artist is not forgotten, the ink still lives on amongst the thousands he tattooed...from camaradas, to familia, and vatos from the neighborhood, it has also been said that even cops and lawyers demanded that Javier be the one who can tattoo them..
Javier lived the life of a painter and was paid for his services as he walked around from neighborhood to neighborhood with his ink. Sometimes making up to $300 a day when he demanded it and other times its been said he would ink you for a twelve pack of beer or a few dollars.. Most remember him as a peacefull guy who liked to tell stories..
Javier painted mostly from ideas of his mind, the body for him was the canvas..But he also did some actual canvas paintings and paño art, to date I have been told that his work can be seen on a mural at the Cameron County Jail - in one of the walls where he painted the Sacred Heart Christ, a jail where he had done time for Javier was an artist with an unfortunate fast addiction to heroin, a struggle that soon cost him his life....
You can ask some one (30yrs and up) in Brownsville "where did you get you placaso/tattoo" and most if not all the time they will say Javier... Javier is remembered by the thousands he inked all over Brownsville and those who came from the upper valley throughout his life time from the 70' s up until the day of his passing around 2004. Javier now rests in Houston Texas where his mother and family reside.. In his head stone is an ingraved paint brush and mixing pallet to honor his work..
By those who carry his tattoos, Javier is remembered as a true artist with a quick visionist to interpret the dreams of many and capture them in his tattoos..

It is important that the work of Javier Hernandez is not forgotten. There are much stories to be said about his work and his life..This story is just a small tribute..

I am in the works of getting some images of his work to put here on TAOB..
Any of you out there who has a tatoo by Javier Hernandez send a picture or share a story to EMAIL: brownsvilleartform@yahoo.com and post here on TAOB.