To B Sting or not to B Sting...

To be, or not to be--that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

And by opposing end them... - Hamlet

I've been an artist for thirty years now and counting. I've worked as a graphic designer, sign painter, Illustrator...I've worked for a couple of newspapers, design studios, printers...silk screened t-shirts, airbrushed t-shirts, backdrops for hair shows, retirement parties and for photographers...I've painted murals in homes and painted my kids faces on birthdays and halloween.

I have no huge portfolio, no hidden chest full of work that I've done...there is no scrap book of photographs. My career or better put, my life as an artist hasn't been filled with countless successes...no wall of awards and there is no big bank account. I suffered many things over those thirty years to be an artist; some things I suffered at the hands of others and some by my own undoing. I've quit, given up, thrown away, tore apart, cursed, cried and passed out in a drug induced drunken depression. I hated art.

I hated everyone I had ever associated with as an artist. I hated old employers. I hated those who would not employ me. I hated my clients. I hated myself.

I could spend the next six moths blogging about all that depression, hate and lost time, but that's not where I wanted to go with this. :::snickering::: I opened with an excerpt from the soliloquy "to be or not to be" spoken in Shakespeare's Hamlet to give the gist of my misunderstanding for so very long as an artist, as a human being. Regardless of having set backs, be they caused by others or myself...all is not lost. You could consider this blog as a continuation of an earlier blog "get busy living or get busy dying"...I'm not trying to be the existentialist, although I do believe that choice makes a big difference in what we do everyday.

Its not over and I'm not done. I love being an artist...I love being a Tattooist, a body artist.

I love ranting and the occasional use of the F word...well more than an occasional use of the word. But thats not important.

Its taken me the better part of five years to make the decision to become a tattooist. Since I've made that decision I've had the term "scratcher" tossed loosely around me, but not directly. I have been in many "entry level" positions and I've worked as an entrepreneur. On both levels of employment, first and foremost, I had to learn the job. I spent a year just to learn the proper equipment, health and safety requirements, I've talked to tattooist and I've seen a few work...not all professional tattooist are open to the idea of giving someone too much information and I can understand this. No professional wants to be liable for someone else's mistake by giving direction other than in a controlled, professional setting...basically, an apprenticeship or lessons. Even in the case of a professional setting the tattooist will only allow the student to work at his/her pace.

As a professional artist it has been a sobering and humbling experience to work at this slow pace. However, I have had the great fortune to have had a great deal of support...I have had major benefactors from friends to family...family to friends that have included financial support, moral support, artistic support and much more. I've earned an opportunity to at least be considered for an apprenticeship at a professional shop...I enjoyed the conversation with the head of the shop and I believe I can set some goals there. Most importantly I have had the support of clients that have trusted and enjoyed my work as an artist.

I've got one major obstacle to over come and we'll see if things will fly in a month.

I choose to be a body artist because I love the art form...I love the fact that most of the "professional" tattooist I've researched and or talked to are "artist"...they paint and design. I am a Tattooist and I choose to be.

more later...