I didn’t have a traditional apprenticeship. I picked up some things along the way, some right, some wrong. After getting a spot in a real street tattoo shop, I found out very quickly that I had a ton to learn and to unlearn. The owner of the shop and the other artists showed me ways to improve my work. I devoured books and videos by and about artists at the top of the industry. I attended seminars hosted by some world renowned artist and picked their brains for missing tidbits to hone my growing skills. I attended a few conventions and even won a couple awards. I absorbed everything tattoo related I could find.

But I still want to know more…

I have always sought to improve upon what I had before. After spending 16 years of learning and living tattoo culture, I feel it’s time for a change. No, I’m not going to stop tattooing. That is a part of me that I will take everywhere. I think it’s time to see more of the horizon.

Captain James Cook and his crew saw those horizons. They are credited with documenting the tribal tattoo traditions of the Polynesian Islands and bringing those traditions back to Europe. Cook is credited with popularizing the word “tattoo” for the process of permanently embedding ink under the skin.  His crew, fascinated with the heavily tattooed Ma’ohi, received tattoos from the islanders. Upon returning to their home ports, these sailors spread their tales and fascination with ink to their peers.

Skip ahead about 100 years to 1876 when Thomas Edison created electric pens. These “electric motor driven appliances” became the backbone of the modern tattoo machine. The first actual tattoo machine was patented in 1891 by Samuel O’Reilly and from there, tattoos became more accessible to more people. The horizon of tattooing was greatly expanded. Less than 40 years after the first patent was issued, Norman Collins got his hands on a tattoo machine. Most people know him as Sailor Jerry and his impact on the tattoo world is still felt today. As a sailor of horizons prior to WW2, he was exposed to Asian styles of tattooing. That style heavily influenced his own and became synonymous with traditional Americana tattooing. He is also credited with creating purple ink expanding the original palette from the six colors that would stick in the skin. Today, we have hundreds of tints and tones to create tattoos. There are Sailor Jerry product lines for every taste. Personally I really like the spiced rum! 

There are so many other individuals who have influenced tattoo culture throughout history that I could discuss. And I want to. One of my goals on this adventure is to do just that. I want to connect with the roots of tattoos and sailing. I plan to travel to far off places and, while there, explore the local tattoo culture. Tattooing has become so mainstream that it is estimated that 3 out of 10 Americans have tattoos. In the 80s it was more like 2 out of 10. But what is tattooing elsewhere?

Online, I’ve seen some phenomenal tattoos. And so many more bad ones. But “bad” is subjective isn’t it? We can judge and debate good or bad tattoos for days but I think it matters more the story of tattoos. Why do we get them? Why do we pick the images we pick? I am often asked about what crazy or weird tattoos I’ve done. Really, I think all of them! Why do we spend our hard earned cash for someone to stab us for hours and leave with something that can’t be liquidated? If that’s not weird or crazy I don’t know what is.

The truth is we all have our reasons. Pick one and I’ve probably heard it as a reason to go under the needle. I like these stories. The good and bad. I’ve tattooed grieving parents and celebrating young adults. Party people and intellectuals. Upper- and working-class. Tattooing crosses all categories. They can help self-identify or pronounce our existence to the world. They help us heal. They help us deal. They are addictive. And they are everywhere!