Louisville, KY
A PAINTERLY APPROACH TO TATTOOING
I aim for the timeless quality of the painters of antiquity, whose work continues to stir the heart centuries later, crafting visual narratives that are at once deeply personal and archetypal.
HISTORY
My career as a tattooist took a meandering path that arrived where it began.
From a young age, I was deeply interested in drawing. As a child, I spent countless hours copying comic books and studying the human figure and portraiture. In my teenage years, I discovered surrealism through Salvador Dalí, along with the grotesque, energetic ink drawings of Ralph Steadman.
Around this time, I also took college classes in art and philosophy, remaining a devoted artist without knowing where it might lead.
BEGINNING
My tattoo career began in 2000, when I entered an apprenticeship under Richie Romano, owner of Capitol Hill Tattoo. The shop carried the legacy of Peter Tat2, one of Denver’s original tattoo pioneers. Over the next five years, I tattooed professionally in Denver, Massachusetts, and Florida, coming up in the bygone era of bikers and ex-cons who graciously took me in and showed me the ropes.
Over time, however, I lost inspiration, and began taking night classes in painting in pursuit of an aesthetic better suited to my own artistic instincts. While I respected and enjoyed the work of my peers, I wasn’t excited by it the same way they were—and went searching for something that felt meaningful to me.
EDUCATION
A turning point came during my travels to Madrid, where I was awestruck by the masters in El Museo del Prado—Velázquez, Ribera, Rubens. More than draftsmanship or imagery, what captivated me was the way my perception shifted upon seeing these works. For days, even weeks later, everything felt beautiful. It was then that I realized the artist’s purpose: to distill an idea, story, or feeling, and then represent it in a way that transforms the viewer’s perception.
Upon returning to the U.S., I enrolled at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado—a Buddhist-inspired college where my studies combined art, writing, and world religions. I earned my BFA in Interdisciplinary Studies, completing a thesis focused on public art.
At Naropa, I focused on merging visual art with Eastern philosophy. I was drawn to the work of Paul Cézanne and the teachings of Chögyam Trungpa, while also being conceptually inspired by the avant-garde as modeled by Wassily Kandinsky. The idea of living at the cusp of cultural evolution fascinated me, bringing with it a profound sense of social purpose and responsibility.
My mentor, Robert Spellman, encouraged me to explore this path. More importantly, however, he taught me to explore my own inner workings through a contemplative approach to art, teaching me to see with an eye that was uniquely my own.
Eventually, my path shifted again as I began to sense a certain pretense in the world of painting. I didn’t want my work to exist only on the white walls of galleries or in the private collections of art-collector elites. I wanted to create art that could speak directly to people.
My home art studio in Old Louisville, KY.
ART FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
My disenchantment with the sterile art world led me to study under painter and activist Leo Tanguma, renowned for his provocative murals at Denver International Airport.
His work taught me to see art as a living, revolutionary narrative—capable of awakening and motivating anyone who encountered it, much like the religious masterpieces of antiquity that once inspired a collective soul, but imbued with a spirit of social justice and harmony
During this time, I painted a 30-foot sculptural mural and received recognition for my campus activism, yet I sensed something still didn’t quite fit. Political art, though well-intentioned, often felt theatrical, pedantic, and overly simplified.
I wanted to explore a more universal, humanistic idea—one that didn’t rely on ideology, but leaned closer to Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey—while also making it accessible to a broader audience.
I explored storytelling by merging archetypal imagery with the visual language of mass media. I pursued an MFA in Animation and Visual Effects at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. My thesis—a satire on heroism—earned several awards and led to an internship at NetherRealm Studios in Chicago, the creators of Mortal Kombat. I later co-created the indie game Curse of Eternity, available on Steam and Xbox.
My 3D work can be viewed here
3D animation: actually, it would be good to have a short description of this project in here. 5 words.
A RETURN TO TATTOO
Despite these successes, I found myself drawn back to tattooing. While the game industry was well-intentioned in other respects, it often felt bogged down by commercialism and economics, compromising aesthetics and vision for marketability—a trade I was not willing to make.
After more than twenty years in the tattoo industry, I returned to square one, taking courses with world-renowned tattoo artist Thomas Carli Jarlier. His technique and dedication to tattooing as a fine art medium reignited my passion, prompting me to approach the craft with a fresh palette and a renewed sense of purpose.
Fast forward several years, and I’m still at it—as excited and passionate as I’ve ever been.
The way I now see it, each design is a standalone narrative for an audience of one. My clients seek me out to translate their ideas into visual form. I carefully consider the images and descriptions they provide, then apply decades of experience and education—both formal and personal—to create something beautiful and indelible.
My goal with each tattoo is to mark the skin with what matters most to its wearer. Simple and intentional, each piece is crafted for one individual, yet resonates with something universally human. This process, and its outcome, brings me immense joy and satisfaction, as well as a deep sense of purpose, knowing I have helped someone realize their own unique vision.
Currently, I study with my close friend and mentor, oil painter Seth Fite, a student of Odd Nerdrum. Our ongoing conversations about art, philosophy, and spirituality—from Velázquez to Dostoevsky—continue to shape my work and expand my perspective.
Never one to rest on epiphany, I continually refine my craft, maintaining a sharp philosophical lens on my work, and challenging myself with new technical skills. I regularly revisit traditional study, practicing life drawing and oil painting, while immersing myself in the work of the old masters.