I am Pat Fish, a Celtic tattoo artist in Santa Barbara since 1984, and I am asking for help while I recover from major shoulder surgery. On August 20, I had a successful reverse total shoulder replacement at Keck Medicine of USC after an acute rotator cuff injury. The injury happened in a very ranch-life way: Tobe the mule yanked back while I was putting on a fly mask. I spent a week in the hospital and I am now home in a sling, dealing with a lot of pain and facing at least two to three months without being able to tattoo. As anyone who knows me can imagine, it is hard to be sidelined from the work I love. The incision even cut straight through my Newgrange triple spiral, one of my favorite ancient designs, and the irony is not lost on me.

While I focus on healing, the everyday expenses have not stopped. My income from the tattoo studio is gone until I have the use of my arm again, but the studio rent, feed for the Irish wolfhounds, mules, and the rest of the animals, along with ordinary living costs, are all still there. If you have ever thought of being a patron of the arts, a donation to my fundraiser would mean more than you know. Your support will help keep me, the animals, and my studio afloat until I can get back to work. And while I am one-armed, I can still create in a different way: if you would like something in return for your kindness, send me a photo of a beloved pet, person, or place, and I will animate it into a short reel for you. Thank you for helping me heal and return to the career and trail riding I love.