All my clients in the past few weeks have asked at least one of these three questions; popular questions indeed! Thematically, all three questions focus on listening.

As with anything in life, the answer is never black or white. My aim here in responding is to share insight and help clients make their own informed decisions. Remember, this is your tattoo experience; I’m happy to guide you through it, but ultimately it’s your journey.

Should you choose to bring headphones to your session, I assure you: I won’t be offended! More than half of my clients bring headphones, even if they don’t use them the entire time. They commonly report it helps them find their “happy place” by blocking outside noise. Choosing your own music also gives you a feeling of autonomy and control during the tattoo process, which can be empowering and a source of comfort. I always recommend bringing headphones to longer sessions, even if you don't end up using them.

Aside from the hum of tattoo machines, you’ll always hear music in the studio. Should you choose to forgo headphones, the music playing varies from day to day, but the tunes overall encourage relaxation without being dull or sluggish. Think easy going vibes with an upbeat groove. Call me old school, but I still very much enjoy curating my own playlists. Music helps me maintain focus as well as set the tone for a relaxing atmosphere.

There's quite a bit happening during a tattoo session and my attention is being pulled in many different directions. Honestly, it can be difficult to hold a long form discussion while working, but I'm more than happy to chat in small spurts. I love getting to know my clients, it's one of my favorite parts of my job, so I take advantage of the moments where  there's less of a demand on my attention and I can be more social (like when someone first arrives, the stenciling process, and during breaks). If I chat while tattooing, I choose spots where I’ve found a groove and can confidently focus on both what I’m doing and the conversation at hand.

It’s helpful for both parties to be mindful of what topics you bring up while getting tattooed. Uplifting subjects such as: art, music, creativity, or perhaps a favorite vacation you recently went on raise the vibration in the room and can help distract from the discomfort of getting tattooed.

On the contrary, topics that feel charged or intense (such as politics, a recent workplace dispute, or past trauma) are best avoided. The connection between our minds and bodies is strong, and recounting these stressful topics can trigger your body's fight or flight response. This can elevate your heart rate, restrict your breathing and releases adrenaline and cortisol into your system which elevates your physical senses and makes the tattoo even more painful and unpleasant.

Tattooing is a team sport.

It takes two people to make a good tattoo; the client and the artist. You don’t need to be friends, or have anything in common for that matter; only a willingness to pursue a shared goal and the ability to listen. It’s a dance. The tattooer leads the dance, but both parties are active participants.

I am beyond grateful to have so many return clients that stick with me through the years. It’s the ultimate compliment, really. To have the opportunity to create real working relationships with people. To foster trust and thereby stronger work. And to make cool tattoos on cool people.

Quite a number of my clients have been working with me for well over a decade now. There are many individuals, but also couples and even whole families who work with me on a regular basis. I have so much gratitude for these relationships and am excited to build new connections with future clients.

Much gratitude. Thank you.

Collecting healed photographs of my work has always been something I value and enjoy doing.

I feel strongly that a tattoo doesn't really look "done" until a few months after its completion; at which point it's settled into the skin and the client has had a chance to wear it. Once a tattoo has been lived in for awhile, it takes on the energy of the wearer and it just feels different. It's a part of them and their story.

Plus, on a more superficial level, I simply like the look of healed black and grey tattoo work. The shading softens, black appears less dark and takes a more organic feel, and the skin is free of any irritation associated with the application and healing process.

Got a healed tattoo from me? Always feel free to reach out! I'd love to grab healed photographs.

As the saying goes: build your house upon rock - so when the rains come and wind blows, it will remain and stand strong. Only the fool builds their house upon sand.

I often think of this when starting a new tattoo; especially a large scale piece. Outlines are the bedrock upon which the entirety of a tattoo is built. A strong, confident foundation paves the way for a final tattoo that will both stand out in a crowd and stand the test of time.

Clients often comment that my outlines are more intricate and involved than what they are used to seeing, and that "if you just left it like this I'd be happy!" - and that's precisely the idea. Ironically, I often cover-up and alter the original outline while I'm shading a tattoo, but the step of creating a solid outline is essential for a variety of reasons.

Outlines are the glue that holds a tattoo together. Unlike paper or canvas, which is for the most part a fixed surface, skin changes greatly over a person's lifetime. Our bodies are alive and are constantly regenerating and repairing themselves. Most sources say that on average our skin cells completely regenerate once every few weeks. Think of that along with every day wear and tear such as bumps, bruises, and sun exposure.

The boldness of a strong outline takes much longer to soften when compared to shading (which, in most cases, is already soft). Creating a solid outline is a tried and true method of ensuring that a tattoo will hold up over time.

The outline is also the first step of the application process, meaning it allows me to make decisions on the skin that I simply cannot account for during the drawing process. Every individual's skin is quite different. Aside from more obvious attributes, such as complexion, there are many unique characteristics that come together to tell the story of a person's skin: pigmentation variation, tone, texture, elasticity, blemishes, wrinkles, scars, body hair, and much more that all affect how I approach a tattoo. Even on the same client, one's skin varies greatly in different areas of the body. To ignore these variables and use the same formulaic approach for creating a tattoo would be a great misstep.

The outlining process allows me to "feel out" the skin I'm working with and develop an approach that will carry over into the shading process.

The first pass of an outline also allows me to edit the design, in real time, and develop a concept of how it while be shaded. As a tattoo develops, I often cover-up much of my original linework with shading and re-sculpted lines. This is a less traditional approach that can be attributed in part to the way that I was taught to tattoo, as well as a reflection of my painting and charcoal drawing process outside of tattooing.

Developing a strong design is a process achieved through application of subsequent layers of information. Unlike when working on paper or canvas (which for me tends to be a more experimental), I try to be calculated in my decision making while tattooing, yet open-ended enough to allow each individual client's skin to inform the process. I want to respect the client's time and experience of getting tattooed (...yes, it's uncomfortable). A solid outline sets up the rest of the process, so the shading can be done swiftly and efficiently.

Some recent outlines...

In 2017, Heather reached out about completing a single mandala tattoo on her right forearm. We completed the piece and then shortly thereafter made a couple more appointments to fill out the rest of her forearm.

Piece by piece we continued to work together, until seven years later to the exact day, she had both arms fully sleeved. 

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with the same person over such a long period of time; it certainly isn't something I take for granted. There's a lot of trust involved on both ends of the relationship between client and artist. It requires effort from the client to be available and open to ideas as well as ultimately letting the artist be the captain of the ship on their journey; the artist is required to check their ego at the door, listen to what their client is requesting, and find a way to achieve their client's goals in the best way they know how (by pulling from their own experience and artistic intuition).

I'm super grateful for the opportunity and the experience that these experiences provide.

It makes me a better tattooer, which leads to better tattoos, which leads to happier clients. Everybody wins.

Rebekka and I recently finished up her second sleeve. The first (comprised of floral, geometric elements, and an anatomical heart) was completed 5 years ago in 2019. The most recent was completed over the course of a five months starting in late 2023.

The tattoo on her inner arm depicts the figure of Amphitrite from Greek mythology; the Goddess of the Sea and Marine life as well as the feminine balancing force to her husband Poseidon. The outer arm depicts a clipper ship being attacked by the mythic Kraken. The sea is both calm and tranquil; it is also both turbulent and chaotic.

It's all about balance.

I love tattooing flowers.

Floral tattoos lend themselves quite nicely to the flow and form of the human body: complimentary shaped petals that mirror and echo the curves of an arm and leaves that tumble and twirl around the curvature of a rib cage. These design are always a joy to draw and to tattoo. I'm always excited when potential clients reach out with design that include floral elements.

Birth flowers for loved ones, herbs for healing, or botanicals that acknowledge significant life events. Perhaps the blossoms from a wedding bouquet  or blooms which used to adorn the backyard of a grandparent who has since passed away; flowers are a powerful way to mark something meaningful without having to disclose the underlying intent of a tattoo. There is always strength and potency in subtlety.

Flowers emit a balancing of energies. Their bold power exudes delicate grace and a fragility that's met with unforgiving resilience. We give flowers to celebrate birth and acknowledge death. The intoxicating scent of a rose cannot be enjoyed without cautiously minding the prick of its thorns. There's an exciting tension created by two opposing forces together in harmonic union.

Here's some projects that feature floral tattoos...