I can’t think of a time where I wasn’t trying to draw or create in some way. I remember as a kid spending what felt like days on this drawing only to abandon it because it wasn’t turning out the way I wanted. The next day when I got home from school it was hung on the refrigerator and the feeling I got knowing someone liked my art enough to want to display it for the world to see was overwhelming. In time my art would fall off the refrigerator, they would rip and slowly they would disappear.

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      I was around eight years old when my older brother came home with a tattoo, it was that day I learned tattoos never fall off, rip or disappear. I knew then I needed to learn how to tattoo. Fast forward through my teens where I made horrifying tattoo machines and destroyed anyone who would let me practice on them and trying to hangout in tattoo shops I landed an apprenticeship. I started tattooing as a licensed artist in 2008 and in the last 15 years I have been blessed to have met so many amazing people, tapping into their vision and bringing that vision to life. I have worked alongside so many creative minds who have all help shape and influence not only my theories on techniques but my love for tattooing.

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      Experimenting In the last 15 years I’ve narrowed down and found the style I’m most passionate about doing and am now focused more on doing only custom/original designs all falling within the style of black and grey realism/surrealism. If you feel like your vision meets with my style then let’s make your vision a piece of art!

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                                          - Rick James