Intrusive Thoughts by Devon Blood

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The Triton Museum of Art presents Intrusive Thoughts (August 15, 2026 - January 17, 2027) by Devon Blood. Devon Blood is a Bay Area-based tattoo artist and author whose work, at its heart and in its blood, is driven by the conviction to not just triumph over adversity, but to “keep laughing” and stay positive throughout the journey.

A third-generation San Franciscan, Devon Blood grew up one of eight children, with a strong, and supportive single mother. Growing up in a working-class family, Devon Blood understood that life wouldn’t be easy - it would often have its highest highs and its lowest lows. Though what made things more difficult was struggling with undiagnosed OCD, which also shaped the framework of how he moved through his life. At the age of twenty-six, Blood was a rising star in the Oakland tattoo industry. However, his life changed drastically in 2006 when a botched home invasion and robbery resulted in a near-fatal gunshot wound to the head. Miraculously, Blood survived his injuries. However, he still faced severe hemiparesis, his right hand developing micro tremors as well as extreme atrophy. As a result, he had to teach himself how to be left-handed through consistent daily practice. To this day, Blood still continues to suffer from the aftereffects of the bullet colliding with his brainstem.

In a remarkable series of triumphs, Devon Blood taught himself to tattoo and continue making art with the left side of his body, resulting in the creation of an entirely new portfolio based on his new aesthetic. Blood also published an autobiographical book aptly titled, Keep Laughing, reflecting on his experiences accompanied with photographs and artwork from before, during, and after his recovery.

Devon Blood’s upcoming exhibition, Intrusive Thoughts, is a culmination of his journey thus far and a visual chronicle of some of his greatest dreams and worst nightmares. It is an exhibition that is raw and vulnerable, allowing visitors the opportunity to witness art that marks a particularly personal chapter of Devon Blood’s life. “[Intrusive Thoughts] is a twisted tribute to my firm conviction in life that no matter who you are, or what you're going through, you have to stay up, stay strong, and above all else - keep laughing,” Blood states. 

Today, Devon Blood is the proud father of two, featured by Vans during their Pass the Bucket campaign, more recently the subject of a Hearst Television special featured on their subsidiary KCRA Channel 3 Sacramento, and continuing to be a rising talent in the modern art world. 

Devon Blood’s exhibition, Intrusive Thoughts, will be on view in the Triton Museum of Art’s Cowell Room Gallery starting August 15th, 2026.