Hey folks. First off, I want to say that I absolutely love this site. My lady friend says I'm obsessed with the artist interviews because I watch them repeatedly. Hell I just like hearing tattooers tell their stories. It's very inspiring to me. I also really appreciate the fact that well known tattooers participate in the forum conversations right along with the average joes. No offense to others, but some of these folks [Tim Hendricks, Ms. Vargas, Mario Desa, Mr. Sylvia... etc] are my heroes in tattooing.
A little about me: I am a single father to a wonderful son [who has pretty severe autism] for the past 9 years. I have had him by myself since a week before his 2nd birthday. I am from a small town outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. I have been tattooing professionally for around 3 years. My story seems pretty common. I served an apprenticeship under a drug addict in a shitty part of Little Rock. Ran that shop single-handedly for 2 years. Decided to leave the area because I finally snapped and beat a crackhead half to death for trying to rob me [for the 5th time] after I closed the shop one night.
For the past year, I've worked in a piercer's shop.. well, until about a month ago. I learned that my story with that shop is also a pretty common story after reading the thread about piercers owning tattoo shops in the forums.
I am due to move into a brand new shop this coming Tuesday in a really nice area of Little Rock. It is called Lucky Bella Tattoo and the owners are Ryan and Brooke Cook. They have been tattooing in this area for over 10 years and I am very excited about the opportunity I am being given.
My goal here is to learn, and share, as much as possible with you fine folks.. and hopefully make some contacts to help me realize the dream of leaving Arkansas and really learning how to tattoo like the wizards.
Feel free to add me on Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000929391613
..and check out the Cook's work at Ryan and Brooke Cook Tattoos :
Thanks for looking, yall. I'm really glad to be a part of this community.