“For me tattooing is a sacred act that helps us remember we are not alone, and that we are constantly growing and developing. I am grateful for my clients, many of whom I’ve been tattooing for multiple decades now. I enjoy creating whatever it is my clients want, large or small, every tattoo is equally important and deserves the same dedication in its creation. From large scale full color work to small lettering, I love tattooing it all.”

Sean Herman has been tattooing since 2003. Before tattooing Sean had many pursuits, with all of them culminating around one central idea of forming authentic connections, and cultivating relationships. Tattooing is the highest form of that goal, something that Sean takes very seriously; making sure that the experience for the client is the greatest it can be, while giving them the greatest tattoo he can create. Through years of tattooing storytelling became a pivotal part of that experience, leading to the pursuit of Sean's other passions. Sean founded The Serpents of Bienville in 2015, with their first store location opening in 2016. The Serpents of Bienville was a separate venture from tattooing, a venture based in local art, history, and storytelling. Through Serpents of Bienville, Sean had many endeavors, including curating local art of Serda’s coffee in downtown Mobile and Daphne Alabama. Though the storefront closed in 2020, its spirit continues on through Harbinger - an online store to feature and sell unique creations.

In 2016 Sean began writing monthly for Skin Deep Magazine, based out of the UK. His article series titled “The Transformative Tattoo” brought to light stories from all over the world, through the eyes of tattooing. Sean has worked with the Ywalapiti tribe of the Amazon Jungle of Brazil in Xingu, showing the plight of their indigenous people. Sean has also written pieces working with other creators like the award winning Chef Aaron Sanchez, who is featured on Fox's Master Chef, and whose Aaron Sanchez Scholarship Fund has helped future generations of Latino chefs go to culinary school. For Sean, writing is about forming that same authentic connection he found through tattooing, but now bringing it to a wider audience. Besides his monthly articles for Skin Deep Magazine, Sean's writing has been featured in Tattoo Artist Magazine Quarterly Journal, Inside the Tattoo Circus, and many other publications.

After over a decade tattooing, in 2015 Sean Herman also branched out into other forms of art, including sculpting and illustrations. The pen and ink, stippled, illustrations he created became the basis for what would become the Serpents of Bienville, with the theme of the illustrations being based on the modern day sociological implications of local folklore and ghost stories. Sean also began a sculpture series in 2017 based on diagnosis of mental disorders. "Reflections..." is a series of statues created to look like primordial ooze rising up, forming creatures made from the basic components of life, bones, eyes and other organic matter. Each creature reflects the journey of living with a mental disorder while also trying to create a connection and understanding for those not living with it, but perhaps whose loved ones may be going through these difficult experiences. Connection and communication is again the primary theme in the creation of these statues, along with the outside projects that come with it.

Sean has received many awards and accolades over the years; many from within his field of tattooing, and others in the arts, like Best Visual Artist from the Mobile Arts Council. Sean hopes to continue down this road, but will always say that the greatest award is getting to continue to create everyday. Sean has also worked with organizations such as Prism International, a LGBTQ support group for kids and teenagers, doing design work for their awards and badges that each youth receives. Projects like these are the most rewarding for him, and if you are wanting to have his involvement in something you are working on, he would love to hear from you. Sean is also hoping to take his sculptures to outside speaking events and help to create a needed dialogue on living with mental disorders. If you are interested in having Sean speak at your event, you can contact him here.