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several of Stephen Frink’s master classes and also
worked with shark conservationist and underwater
image-maker Jim Abernethy. “If it were up to me,
every dive would be a shark dive,” Cook said. “They’re
my spirit animal, if there is such a thing. I love them
and have adopted their plight as a cause of great
personal interest.”
When he’s not on a dive trip, Cook works from his
shop in Marietta, Ga. He tattoos only one client a day
and is typically booked a month in advance. More
than half of his clients are from out of state. Many, like
shark advocate and videographer Jillian Morris Brake,
return periodically for Cook to complete or expand on
their tattoos.
Brake met Cook a decade ago through Wyland
and felt an immediate connection. To date she has
invested 26 hours in the exquisite great hammerhead
that covers her back. “Deano has captured my life
and passion in art,” she explained. “He is connected
with the ocean and with these animals. It’s a special
bond that we share.”
Brake’s hammerhead, a work in progress, is
imbued with an energy that makes it look almost
alive. “Anyone can paint a hammerhead, but to
convey the movement and the story of that animal
takes someone who knows sharks,” she said. “It’s
more than just a tattoo.”
Perhaps the power of Cook’s work is what the
19th-century French artist Edgar Degas had in mind
when he suggested that art is not what you see but
what you make others see. Of that Cook is acutely
aware. “I try to raise awareness and stimulate
conversations about the ocean as a purposeful,
mindful endeavor through my work,” he said. “If as a
result I change the hearts and minds of a few people,
that’s great.” AD
Tattoo artist Deano
Cook is also an
accomplished painter
and underwater
photographer. He
is an enthusiastic
observer of marine
life who likes to take
his art “from sea to
skin.” In the bottom
photo, Cook refines
his tattoo on Jillian
Brake’s back.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To see more of Cook’s work, check out
or @deanocook on Instagram.
DEANO COOK
DEANO COOK
MATT HEATH
JAMES FRANCIS