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What 5 bands or musicians are in your current rotation?Â
Pseudogod, Â Revenge, Â Morketida, Â Cruciamentum, Â Abysmal Lord
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Favorite non-tattoo-related thing you did in the past year?
My girlfriend and I went to Vermont to watch the solar eclipse in 2024. We were hoping to find someplace somewhat secluded but unfortunately everyone else in New England seemed to have the same idea. Time was running out but about a half hour before the eclipse was scheduled to start we found a deserted Cemetery on a hill that was a perfect place to view the eclipse. The atmosphere got pretty eerie, as it does before an eclipse, then suddenly a hawk whizzed by us a few feet from our heads. The eclipse was very cool.
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What’s your overall perspective on the current state of tattooing, and where do you see it heading in the future?
Tattooing is in a strange phase right now but tattooing is a strange thing so in a way you could always say it's in a strange phase. We all know it's gotten pretty oversaturated in the past ten years. At the moment, it seems that a lot of tattooers are having to make an extra effort to stay busy due to the state of the economy and due to the aforementioned oversaturation. I've always thought that being able to adapt was an integral part of being a successful tattooer, whether we're talking about self promotion, changing a design on the spot to make a more successful tattoo, etc…Â
Things are always changing, tattooing itself will always be changing, having to adapt and go outside your comfort zone seems like it's more important than ever right now. A lot of people who are tattooing at the moment may have started during the big tattoo boom of the last ten years or so and may not have had to work hard to get people through the door. Promoting yourself in new ways seems very important at the moment and some tattooers may not be up for that. That's fine, it's time to shit or get off the pot. In the near future I think a lot of people will stop tattooing and pursue something else as a profession. We've been exposed to a massive amount of new and creative ideas due to how many people have started tattooing in the last decade which is great, but I feel positive about the inevitable future distillation of the tattoo community. For the most part those who feel that tattooing is their passion will stick around and the people who were never that serious about it to begin with will fade away. I've been framing it in my mind as "Tattoo Ragnarok", things will definitely change but tattooing will be reborn in more of a pure form.
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Where is your shop based, and what do you love about the location?
Our shop is in Brighton Massachusetts, part of Boston. It's located in a classic Boston neighborhood slightly outside of the chaos of the city but only slightly. The neighborhood is called Oak Square and it is unsurprisingly covered in oak trees. Best of all, the shop is about a mile from where I livehaha. We're situated on a corner spot which is really eye-catching when you drive by. Erik Reith, our shop owner, did an awesome job getting some hand painted signage and two long, custom stained glass windows for either side of the door. He was even kind enough to let me paint some folk art inspired ornamentation around the front door. The inside is very chill, and inviting. There's always incense going and it has a more welcoming environment than any tattoo shop I can think of. That seems to be the number one thing clients comment on, people seem to be really comfortable at the shop and people really seem to enjoy just being there.
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What are your favorite types of designs to draw?
One of my favorite things to draw is definitely back pieces. There's so many possibilities and so much room for creativity. That being said– if that was all I drew I would be 100% burnt out. It's sometimes more challenging for me to draw a simpler, hand-sized design that I'm happy with, but I do love how effective a design of that size can be.
As far as subject matter goes, I get a lot of inspiration from folklore, folk art, witchcraft, old films etc..Â
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With all the advancements in tattooing technology, which tools or techniques do you rely on, and are there any older methods you still hold onto?
I think people should utilize whatever tools and techniques work the best for them, as long as they're using them for that reason and not just out of laziness or because they don't feel like learning the ins-and-outs of other (less disposable) tools that may produce a better result in the long run as well as a deeper connection to their creative process. I use coil machines for outlining and shading and direct drive rotary machines for dot shading.
A few years ago I started getting really interested in trying to make coil machines (that actually run well) from scratch. I hadn't done that kind of thing in a long time and I think it was to the detriment of my tattoos. So I researched as much as I could, asked questions to some friends who were kind enough to share their info with me and I took a lot of notes. I even made a workbench from scratch out of 2x4's in the basement of the shop so I could really get into machine-making. In the end I made a few machines from scratch, wound the coils by hand, figured out how to braze a frame together etc… There's so much to learn, I just see it as a constant process. Over the past few months I’ve needed to devote more time to some painting stuff, so I purposely hit pause on machine-making because it's all I want to do once I start doing it.
The machines I made were not perfect, but using them to make tattoos taught me so much and I truly believe gave me a far greater connection to not only the tattoos I do but tattooing as a whole. I do really mean that people should tattoo with whatever tools they want to, but I wish that more people would take the time to see how their relationship to tattooing might differ if they took the more challenging route and studied the ins-and-outs of coil machines. The info is all out there for the taking now, that definitely wasn't the case when I started tattooing.
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In your opinion, how important is it for artists to evolve their style over time? Is it better to master one niche or explore different paths?
It's entirely up to the individual to decide what is and isn't important when it comes to something like how their style evolves. Spreading yourself too thin and trying to master everything obviously isn't the way to go, but as for myself– I get bored doing the same thing over and over again pretty quickly. There are definitely some basic things that I've tried to master over the years (such as linework) but, for better or for worse, my work is always changing at least a little from year to year. For me to stay as interested and passionate as I am about it, that's just how it's gotta be.
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How do you see the relationship between client input and your own artistic freedom when designing tattoos?
I hadn't thought about it too much until now, but I think that I've been producing work and putting it out there long enough that clients either trust me with their designs or they kind of have a good idea of what the final product may look like since they've seen other stuff i've done. First and foremost, the tattoo is for the client and if they have input that they think is important I always have an open ear for it. On the other hand, if someone micromanages every minute detail of a design then they're just not going to get my best work out of me. Tattooing is a service, though a creative one, so I believe people should get what they want but I also believe it's important to tell people when you don't think you can do a good job at what they want.
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How do you handle creative blocks or periods where inspiration seems harder to find?
Creative blocks used to hit me harder in the past, but fortunately that's not the case (as much) these days. I try to keep in mind that times of heightened creativity come and go, almost by their own doing. The less I stress about something [like a creative block], the sooner it seems to pass. I always do this regardless, but more so in times of less inspiration. Looking for ideas outside the realm of tattooing is always helpful for me. I really just like creating in general, and there are so many different mediums to experiment with and learn from out there that it's hard for me to feel an all-out creative block these days. I can't wrap my head around how so many people can just tattoo and paint the same basic stuff as so many others and have that be their only form of creativity. That sounds incredibly boring and dismal– but that's just me.
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What advice would you give to aspiring tattooers or those wanting to get into painting trying to establish themselves in today’s competitive industry?
Do something that is unique but also has elements of familiarity about it. Also, if you're not willing to work hard and have the desire to constantly be improving then go kick rocks.
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How do you measure success as a tattoo artist? Is it based on personal satisfaction, client feedback, or something else?
For me, it's a combination of both. You gotta please the clients but you also have to please yourself. As an artist, it can be difficult to see your work through the eyes of others. But if you feel as though you've been working hard and trying to progress, then you should feel good about those factors at least.
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Do you thrive under the pressure of deadlines, or do you prefer having unlimited time to perfect your projects?
I'd love to say I prefer unlimited time– because in the past it has allowed me to really take my time and get things looking exactly how I want them– but having a reasonable deadline is always better for me. Not having any deadline can definitely let some projects go without completion unfortunately.
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What sparked your love for art, and how has that initial spark influenced your career in tattooing?
Like a lot of other tattooers around my age, I got really serious and maniacal about art through 80's skateboard graphics and culture, as well as underground punk and metal music. The artist Pushead had a hand in all of those things and his work was hugely influential to me. From time to time, I remind myself about all of those things that got me into making art when I was young, and it gets me really fired-up and inspired again.
A few years after I started tattooing, I began doing a lot of album art and shirt designs for bands. Music has always inspired me more than anything and since I'm not a musician, that was really my way of being a part of the music that drove me. Eventually, I started a small record label called Yersinia Pestis Records that I ran out of my apartment. I worked with underground bands all over the world, pressed their music on vinyl, and did the entire layout for a lot of the releases. It's the kind of thing I always wanted to do and I just did it with zero knowledge of how to do any of thathaha. I learned a lot, and busted my ass doing that and mailing out orders while also tattooing full-time and still doing illustration work for random bands. Eventually, I felt I was spreading myself too thin. I scaled back to really focus on trying to make the best tattoos I could, and only doing illustration work here-and-there when there’s ample time.Â
My point is, I'm still doing the kind of things art-wise that got me excited as a kid. All of that stuff– tattooing included– seemed completely out of my reach back then. I never would've imagined I'd have been able to accomplish any of it.
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How do you balance downtime with maintaining creativity and pushing yourself as an artist?
In my downtime I like to read, spend time outdoors, hang with my lady, watch weird movies etc… All of that stuff energizes and inspires me for when it's time to be creatively productive. I couldn't have one without the other, I really need both to maintain happiness.
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Where do you draw the most creative energy or inspiration from in your day-to-day life?
Like I said earlier, music has always been my biggest creative inspiration. I also get a lot from reading about folklore, witchcraft, history, stuff like that. I've always been very into strange cult/horror movies, and that kind of thing used to play a more obvious role in my creative output. These days, I try to do tattoos that are inspired, at least partially, by various illustration styles from the late 1800's to the early 1900's. I don't know how obvious that is when it comes to the final product, but it's a big part of the filter that I put my thoughts through when I draw tattoos.
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Are there any exciting new projects or plans you’re working on that you’d like to share?
I'm currently working on a four-sheet set of flash that I'm really excited about. I've done single sheets, and bits of flash here and there, over the years but I don't think I've done an actual set since 2006. The ideas are flowing out of me for that stuff– so that's a good sign.
I'm also working on a long term project with the band Nexul from El Paso. I'm doing an album cover painting and a black and white illustration for their next album. I've worked with them before, the band has had a lot of specific input on the art but they've also given me a lot of freedom. It's a pretty ideal situation for me, it really feels like a collaboration working with them.
I have a few new back pieces coming up soon which I always get really excited about. But these days, I'm pretty psyched about tattooing in general, so all the tattoos I do are exciting to me.
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