Tee Jay

Location:

• White Tiger Tattoo
• Rochester, NY

Here is the point where I am supposed to come up with something brilliant and clever to describe myself so that you can be dazzled with how amazing and creative I am... fall to your knees in deep worship and know down to your very depths that I am the only person in the whole world who is worth trusting with your tattoo. Well, sorry, but that just ain't going to happen. In the grand scheme of things I am a pretty simple critter. I just like to make pictures. I have been drawing on everything that I could get my hands on since I was bitty. Since my Mother appreciated quiet activities, this behavior was encouraged. A nice little hobby. To tell you the truth, I wasn't even very good at it.* Not terribly talented, but definitely determined. For a while in my struggle into adulthood I held some "normal" jobs - but they just didn't cut it and I came back to art. In 1992 I started an apprenticeship under Sailor Fred (thanks Fred!!). Fred was like a Father to me during that time and taught me a great deal. Unfortunately he stopped coming into the Rochester shop and I moved to White Tiger. By the end of 1993 the previous owner of White Tiger decided that he was moving on. Leaving me with the choice of purchasing a tattoo shop or becoming unemployed. Obviously I chose to stay and the rest (as they say) is history. Today I am still (believe it or not) enjoying myself. I love tattooing completely and thoroughly. I know that were I to win the lottery tomorrow - I would still be tattooing anyhow (after I took a few weeks off to celebrate). I have however cut back on the projects that I am taking on. For the forseeable future I will be limiting what I start and passing along the projects that I can to other artists.