Hello all,

I’m joining this forum in the hopes that I can forge some positive relationships. I had been a parlor owner for a few years and been burned frequently by tattoo “artists” that wanted to take advantage of my kind nature and try forcing me into seclusion. Funny thing is, I always have been viewed as an outsider by tattooists in this area even though I’ve been living here since 1997–so I would think my “transplant” status would have worn off by now.

By nature, I’m very easy going–to a fault. I let people take advantage of me, not deliberately, but because I want to see people as people and not necessarily as all bad guys. I try to see the good in all people and do my own thing, having a live and let live attitude toward life.

What I have learned is that there are a lot of people in this very small neck of the woods that live in the shadow of greatness. . . . Seattle and Tacoma have a great deal of talented artists that claim them has hometowns, and whether it’s by business or art talent–and most of these people up here cannot distinguish the two–they set out to do whatever it is in their power to discredit each other and act like adults in diapers. Never in my life have I been witness to so much intolerance and nuisance behaviour as I’ve seen up here.

When I opened my shop, I kept to myself by staying away from other shops. I didn’t talk shit about anyone, I didn’t care to know who was doing what for work on who or when, I just wanted to do my own thing and make a living. Instead of being left alone, I have been ostracised and hunted down, online, off-line, in real life: you can only imagine the childishness I’ve witnessed in the last four years.

I’ve had artists who worked in my shop embezzle from me, lie, cheat clients, post libellous crap about me online after being fired, steal my business away by doing any combination of the afore mentioned actions. . . .you can imagine that at sometime any normal person would feel defeated. Well, I’m not. I’m not going anywhere. Karma has a very interesting way of working it’s magic. The truth always comes out. If you are one of these idiots reading this and you decide to retort in some sophomoric way, understand that you are only making an ass of yourself in-front of people that have a great deal more maturity than you. I am not going away. I will continue to tattoo–an art-form that I love and enjoy doing. My clients have stood behind me and my work for many years.

Telling people that I sodomise my dog on craigslist, use dirty needles, spread HIV and Hepatitis, or any other crap just shows your desperation and the fact that you feel threatened by me enough to create a juvenile fuss. Thank you for the free press. Most people who see those kinds of post see how over the top and desperate you are, so you are just fanning more people my way. My clients have such loyalty to me that they tell me when these posts occur IMMEDIATELY.

I am an important contributor to this industry because I represent the art-form to clients as a professional. I don’t need affirmation from any of you that I am good, or that you disprove of my work. I don’t care. All I care about is what the client wants.

I think that it is time for legitimate tattoo artists to band together and kick to the curb the criminal element of our industry. As tattoo becomes more and more socially acceptable, tattoo artists need to project a live and let live respect for one another. I’m not going to spend my time looking for ways to hurt someone, but I will defend myself. I served my country under fire from third world ass holes that wanted to kill me. Anything that you do to me here can be met with in court and I will win. So keep it up! The more crap I see online, the more screenshot images I’ll have to give to my attorney.

I’m sorry that my introduction to this forum is like this, but I just want to make it very clear that if I find that the forums I join are full of bullshit and whining, I will not waste my time hanging around if moderators do nothing about it. I hope that this forum is full of professionals and not a bunch of children who bought their tattoo kits on ebay and feel threatened by those of us that do this for a living and actually enjoy it for the art as well as the money. Bottom line–Business is Business–and those responsible for destroying my good name, my business, and reputation will be dealt with.

Otherwise, thank you for providing a forum where professionals can talk, and bullshitters can walk.