By Daniel Swinney

The low-clearance Third Street bridge underpass known as the “Can Opener” is infamous for peeling the tops clean off tractor-trailers.

It has recently found itself at the forefront of Louisville’s zeitgeist once again. While there is a long history of truck drivers ignoring the prominently-displayed “11-foot-8-inch” sign, recent I-65 construction closure saw an influx of victims.

Detours shepherded trucks directly into the jaws of the proverbial beast.

According to a community-made website, LouisvilleCanOpener.live, 45 tractor-trailers suffered this fate between June 1 and July 28.

A portait of local tattoo artist John Embry. (Photo Courtesy / John Embry)

One local artist, John Embry, has capitalized on Louisville’s fascination with this cultural icon by designing and selling t-shirts. The shirts are now sold at the Frazier History Museum gift shop.

“I did a quick doodle of a sardine can peeled open to reveal semi-trucks instead of fish and jokingly posted it,” said Embry. “It blew up, so I decided to refine the design in ink to make shirts, which sold way faster than I ever expected.”

Demand for the shirts quickly grew, turning his humorous sketch into a full-time business operation.

Embry reached out to the Frazier History Museum with a sales pitch. He hoped its gift shop would start selling his shirts, thereby reducing the time he spent fulfilling orders.

“I thought the design was clever and a great fit for the Frazier,” said Mindy Johnson, the museum’s vice president of operations. “When John visited the museum, he brought the idea to life, literally. He showed up with a Can Opener that he used as a microphone and gave himself a fun, impromptu tour of the museum. He shared the tour on his social media, which helped introduce the museum and the shirt to his audience.”

Johnson said that the museum recently fulfilled a third reorder of the t-shirts. She partially credits the popularity of the shirts to the Can Opener being a “notorious part of Louisville’s local identity, especially at U of L.”

A sign reading “WELCOME to the FRAZIER, WHERE THE WORLD MEETS KENTUCKY” is hung inside the Frazier Museum in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Daniel Swinney / The Louisville Cardinal)

This is far from Embry’s first successful artistic endeavor, however. Embry studied art with a focus in figurative realism at Bowling Green State University. He has since designed logos and merchandise for metal bands, created works of art displayed in prestigious galleries such as the Gristle Gallery in New York City and made a name for himself as a talented tattoo artist.

While tattooing is Embry’s primary artistic passion today, it began merely as a means to an end. “Most know the old trope of ‘the starving artist.’ I didn’t want to be that. I was in school for painting while simultaneously pursuing my apprenticeship in tattooing,” said Embry. His impressive portfolio eventually led him to Tattoo Charlie’s, the oldest operating tattoo studio in Louisville.

“Tattoo Charlie’s holds a special place in my career,” Embry said. The experience showed him the importance of community in running a business and taught him how to bridge the gap between developing his own distinct artistic style and fulfilling his clients’ original vision.

“After 5 years with Tattoo Charlie’s, I came to an impasse. I had established myself in the area as a realistic specialist and was booked out several months. Tattoo Charlie’s is a traditional street shop and the environment isn’t conducive to the kind of work I was striving to do. As much as I loved TC’s I knew that I needed to craft a space that felt true to my artistic background, so I set out to build a space that feels more like a working art studio than a tattoo shop.”

Embry utilized the knowledge gained at Tattoo Charlie’s to found his own tattoo studio, Muse & Myth.

“My tattoos now have a much more distinct aesthetic that feels true to me, and clients seek me out for that aesthetic specifically rather than just treating me as a photocopier like my early career,” he said.

Embry continues to pursue various artistic endeavors, most recently designing Louisville City Football Club’s warm-up jerseys for their upcoming “Keep Louisville Weird” night on Saturday, Aug. 29 at Lynn Family Stadium.

He also partnered with HOME Skateboards, hand-painting a skateboard which will be auctioned off for charity during the same event.

“Thankfully my wife and best friend, Trisha, is ultra supportive of all these endeavors. They would feel like delusions of grandeur to most, but she knows once I’ve set my sights on something that I will do everything in my power to try and make it real. It doesn’t always pan out, but the journey is often as rewarding as the destination,” he said.

Feature Photo by Daniel Swinney / The Louisville Cardinal