I AM A TATTOO ARTIST!

I am a tattoo artist.My goal in this world is not to create a corporate kingdom of homogenized vanilla flavored "upscale" Tattoo boutiques. No ...my goal is to perpetuate the history of this art that I love with all my heart, gritty and dark as it sometimes is. This art (in our modern world) did not begin in fancy shops with stainless steel counters, high brow art and expensive furniture.employing politically correct and socially sensitive artists.. instead this art was incepted in dark and smoky parlors with dim lighting and the smell of danger in the air.The proprietors were not well dressed and polite shop owners only concerned with avoiding offending a society they had long been cast from. This art was instituted by the outcasts of "gentle society" These were the men and women who stared "normality " in the face and were not afraid to say,"NO THAT IS NOT FOR ME" They refused at great expense to conform ...to bow to the social mores' of a world that was so quick to judge...to condemn. These brave nonconformists freqently lived in the very parlors where they performed what the world at large considered not an art but an abomination ..an attack on their very senses. These dim smoky parlors were frequented not by the general model of the society that existed in its glass castles but instead by those considered tainted or somehow beneath normal society...the criminals the prostitutes the sailors...the denizens of the back alleys ...the Underworld .They came in droves to pay the wizards of ink and steel to be engraved with images that depicted the sorrows and joys and terrors and beautiful visions in their lives . For this they were judged and condemned for many years. Now in todays world of homogenized corporized computerized sterilized and normalized Tattoo boutiques there are those of us who remember the old ways....that are the last bastions of that rebel army that is so quickly so sadly fading away.Must we conform? There are those of us young and old who say "NO" If being a modern professional means cowtowing to disrespect and insults to our beloved art we say "FUCK YOU" I am a tattoo artist..I am proud of my forebearers who brought this art into light but maintained their dignity...their respect.If by not accepting the slings and arrows of idiots who consider my art cheap enough that they can insult me you call me unprofessional I can only say again....."FUCK YOU" You will NOT take my dignity!... If you choose to be a part of the herd of the homogenized so be it But do not try to put that yoke on my shoulders...it won't fit!!!...TAz

Thank you sir. That was marvelous.

You are certainly welcome.............TAz

Well...that describes how it has been since it's inclusion into WESTERN culture....but it wasn't quite like that for the thousands of years before that. It was actually held in very high regard in nearly every culture except for the West.

I am not a tattoo artist, I am a computer geek, entrepreneur, and a student of social rule sets. My goal is to push the art of tattooing onward and upwards. To educate the public on why and how to find outstanding quality professional tattoo artists. I want to help the public weed out the true artists from the scratchers so that the talented thrive and the good survive. I most certainly respect the history of tattooing from its inception thousands of years ago, love learning from it, and taking the best parts to do my best to improve upon them.

Why do we constantly feel the need to make self proclamations and let everyone know exactly what were all about?........................................just be! remember popeye?

Because it seems so many forget where we came from or never really know...ANd for Keepin it reel read the first sentence second paragraph i STATED IN ENGLISH... "IN OUR MODERN WORLD"

thats a good question! I guess I was responding to the post... *shrug*

i just meant in general ....................all of us .

Its probably not a bad idea to reflect and think about what is motivating you in this life. We're here for a good time, not a long one, and I often check in with myself to make sure Im working on getting everything accomplished that I want and I really want to accomplish everything I am trying. Good question!

This was one of my favorites too!

Well said , Taz, although I doubt many will have any real appreciation for what you said, let alone what it really means and, I'll go even further to say I doubt if many of these 'new age' folks even care. While I've certainly seen a lot of very welcome advances and improvements in this art, I've also seen the 'other side' as well, I guess it's what they call 'progress' (which, more often than not, is man's lame excuse for fucking things up and/or making money off it) Reckon there ain't much we can do about it, except stay true to our own principles and try to educate the public however/whenever possible and to continue to put out the best work we possibly can. I'm with ya brother, although, as you must know, we're dinasaurs so to speak. Fuck 'em...Do

There are always lines of division.... Those of us who revere, respect and learn from our histories... And those of us who see only the light ahead, the bright future, the right now. Those who seek to explore each avenue that came before, so that we might progress with knowledge of the past under our belts, living through our hands.... And others who wave it away as inconsequential, now is now, later is later, and the past is better left behind with those old traditionalists that can't see the future bearing down on them. I'm glad to be living in that grey area, instead of the high contrasted black and white of either side. Either way, great post :) Thanks for popping it back out so we can see it :)

As an art therapist I believe that reflection is a necessary part of maintaining ones dignity and ones chosen path in life. The sad thing is that most people don't take the time to reflect on our history and how it effects our present, we just brush it aside. The way of the modern world is to cut down all that is natural, all of the roots, and make way for "progress", and in the process we lose the very things that keep us alive. Like the natural world and the wonders that are in it, I believe that art keeps us alive. The history of art is an amazing one, sometimes people were excommunicated and looked down upon for expressing their opinions and beliefs through their art. Was art not created to help further explore and express ones beliefs and opinions? Never allow modern society to take away the meaninfulness of art. Never let someone tell you you are not an artist...if you put enough of yourself into something it is art...planting a seed can be art, a childs drawing IS art, an elderly woman's poem and wishes to their family IS art, and so much more. The talented tattoo artists of today have the responsibility, in my mind, to continue creating their art without losing the base from which them came. Incorporate new things, but never forget where you came from and respect it, because it is a wonderful art form. And just as a side note...if you're NOT a TALENTED tattooist...use canvas, it can be just as meaninful and won't make the wearer hate their body. Leave the fine arts to the people with talent and explore yourself through your art on your own time and on your own canvases. Great topic! Dana

I know there are more people out there...what do you think!?

Dana that was nice.....welcome to the forum... legacy

Taz, ya know I love ya bro! And I definately give a good God damn about the Old-School... Hell I've given you my two arms! Just given you and some of the old heads out there my RESPECT!....J

I agree completely with what you said Dana, about remembering where you came from and incorporating new ideas and techniques into that foundation....thats actually how I got the name Legacy....I'm always talking about the old ways and how things used to be...and friends of mine would say stuff like "you're so young what do you know about the old ways?" I didnt have to be around back then to have access to the research and knowledge of the old ways, you just have to read and hang around a lot of old timers... The saddest thing I see today, and actually in my 26 years on this planet, is the lack of loyalty in any field...In todays society we are almost forced to conform as Taz so elequently put it , in order to make enough money to survive...And most could care less of the traditions in the culture of which they belong.. But there are very few of us who do this for the love of the art and not money...Sure we partly do it for money, we'd be lying if we said we didn't , however some of us would still be doing it even if we didnt make a single penny off of it.......because we dont see art as something we do...we see it as something we ARE....You could take away all of my tattoo equipment, pencils, pens, paint and canvases and I would still find a way to create a masterpiece..... again thanks for your words and welcome aboard Legacy

Legacy, Thanks for the warm welcome! Yeah, it is sad, I'm only 24 and sometimes I don't like to tell people how old I am because they assume I don't understand. All it takes to understand, is to listen and do some research...I'm a therapist, listening is my job! I can't imagine my life without art either. I try to help the people I see to cultivate the artist within themselves, because I really do believe that art can change ones outlook on life. I don't have a tattoo yet, but I can't wait until I do. In getting a tattoo there also seems to be a sense of belonging. It is possible to belong without having to conform...one of my goals in life is to connect with as many different people and groups as possible...hopefully the tattoo community can be one of them! Dana

Dana, Good posting, I hope you stick around, tattoo'd or not. Welcome to the forum. Your line of work sounds fascinating :) -S

Thanks Saivge. I hope to stick around for awhile, always good to chat with interesting people about what's going on in our world and artistic professions. And if you ever want to know more about art therapy you know who to ask!

Hey Dana...as I said before ...I like your attitude and I appreciate what you got out of my littlE tirade...I think you and Legacy are the ones who really felt what I was in my humble way, tryin to say...its not that I advocate living in the past...I am all about moving forward into that bright new future...but doing so in such a manner that the old ways are not forgotten. I hope you stay with us for a while....thats what is so great about our little "home" here...you don't have to be a tattoo artist...it isn't mandatory to be tattooed....all we ask is that you come with respect for all and a love for art.... Once again welcome...I think you and I will be having some wonderfully juicy arguments...uh oh I mean discussions!!...TAz

Hey Taz... Youre awesome... I really like hearing alot of your comments. You always have something neat to say... and you're an artist I look up to. My name is Halo... and I am an artist that has only been tattooing a measly 3 and a half years... but Ive come a long way. Not only do I respect my fellow artists and EVERY piece of art I see... I do remember I was a scratcher, doing this on freinds to pay my rent. And I fell into this hard, got my apprenticeship... traveled from Baltimore to Ohio to Hell City to take pictures with Bob Tyrrell and Kat Von and get tattooed by Salt Rock of 12 Monkeys, just to shut my mouth, watch and learn an artist at work. I don't pretend to know anything... just want to, and to be successful doing so. Take a look... http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/fallynchyld/HellCity/ I love this industry and the people I have met, and what it has done for my life... especially in the act of being humble to the industry like you say... get my apprenticeship, shut up and learn. Just listen and suck it up... I love where its taken me... And in this time that Ive had, I feel strange calling myself a tattoo artist out of unworthiness. Out of respect of learning, and knowing the growth process, you are the artists... Im not just hear to learn the trade and its tricks, but to enjoy it and soak it in. Also My portfolio is online... Ill be joining tattoonow.com soon. My portfolio is a little dense right now being that I work in all ALL GHETTO neighborhood... so I don't get to do much besides hearts, roses, crosses, praying hands and letters. Very rarely do I get to do ANYTHING near what you guys do... but Ill update it soon. Take a peek... be brutally honest. So thanks, for all you've taught, and what you do share. Halo