(PICTURES ABOVE WERE FROM MY EARLY DAYS TATTOOING, 2ND AND 3RD TATTOO)
Ill remember where I come from!!!!
So I love tattooing and piercing. One of the most difficult thing as a shop owner to do is to find solid, reliable, and stable people with good attitudes to work with. I have had two people from day one who have stuck with the shop and I consider fit the criteria above for the most part. We are all human and have our moments just like myself. I have had one apprentice make it to actually tattooing as an artist since I have opened. I find myself at the shop day after day and questioning how much some people really want to improve themselves or chase after their dreams. I am living mine but my dreams dont end there. I have had to slow down and really nurture this dream until I move onto something bigger to compliment the current dream. The more and more I end up giving people the chance to learn how to tattoo, pierce, or work in a drama free shop; the more I realize how many people just dont have the tenacity or perseverance to make it. I can see how artists and shop owners get frustrated and dont even want to deal with taking anyone on to teach them. At times I get over it but other times, I believe in people and giving people chances as I have been given. As I talk to other owners and visit other shops, I find they have issues finding reliable people without big egos to work with them as well. I guess no matter where this industry takes me, I need to remember where I come from (the early days of some just giving me the opportunity to learn or trust me with their skin), or I will suffer like many of those I see and come across with their ego's running their lives. No one knows it all or knows all the answers. Im happy to not be the one that does. I love being a worker among workers I guess. I hope in the long run I will maintain what I have built and the dreams that I have realized.
