Back in the spring of 2024 I was showing artwork at Kai-Lin. In walks a motley crew of folks who seemed interested in my drawings and paintings. Luke, the gallery go-to guy, introduced me to one of the group. Although it was loud in the gallery she had a thick German accent, we hit it off immediately. She asked me where I was heading with my art. I told her I was looking for a tattoo mentor so that I could start tattooing. Rewind about ten years...
Atlanta has been exploding in so many ways. The tech industry is growing, and the movie business seems to be putting down more roots constantly. A few years prior, we'd sold a small tech company that I co-founded back in 2011. After that, I worked as an animator for a while with a great business partner who looked out for me when my mental health fell off. He kept feeding us work, while I diligently looked for a cure for depression. I found no such thing. I also fell in love with and married my now wife. During all of this, I kept a sketchbook on me, at my therapist's suggestion.
There are about 30 full sketch books on the studio shelf. While I was out and about, I would draw. I still do. Often, folks were curious and asked if they could see what I was working on. Usually, they'd flip through the pages of the book and compliment the artwork, and often ask questions. The question that came up most; "do you tattoo?" I'd say no, and just go back to drawing. My friends and even my wife started expressing frustration that I hadn't even considered tattooing. Eventually, in 2023, I gave in and investigated the art form.
After a little research it was evident that someone who draws every day and understands high contrast designs is a pretty good fit for tattooing, even if they themselves don't have much ink. So, I went further down the rabbit hole, and by January of 2024, I dropped about $5K on tattoo supplies to get myself motivated. I still had some money in the bank, so I went and bought a new family car, and thereby emptying the savings account. Meanwhile, I was letting all my old clients know that I was out of the internet business. And bit by bit, that's what I've done. My strategy was to burn the boats. By ending nearly all my old career and depleting the bank account on supplies and transportation, I would be forced to make it. The only thing I did was make art and target tattoo shop owners to speak with them. The artwork came out good and got hung in the show at Kai-Lin Art in the spring. The tattoo shop owners ghosted me at every chance. Then, Alisha and her motley crew walked into the gallery.
After explaining that I was burning the boats and that I was still searching for a mentor, she said; "My husband is a tattoo artist. You should speak with my husband." I looked over and saw two men that came in with her. Wondering which was her husband, knowing it was too loud to be heard, I got nervous trying to determine who was who. Then, I saw it. A large tattoo on the side of a bald head. That's commitment. That's her husband, the tattoo artist. And it was Caleb Morgan. I quickly scrolled his Instagram, saw the incredible quality of his work, and felt my throat get dry.
I'm a pretty unassuming, brown-haired, neatly dressed guy. I look like I am in my late thirties. All this makes for a very forgettable look. Caleb, on the other hand, is littered with tattoos and has a huge grey beard, and a mean look on his resting face. The ships have been burned. I trudged forward. At first, I thought, this guy doesn't feel like talking to me. Instead, he quickly complimented me on my artwork and said his friend was potentially interested in buying a piece. Then an old buddy from art school came up. Dan! Dan Curran! I introduced him as my very first friend from Art School orientation back in 2000 at the Atlanta College of Art. Caleb started talking about the silly stories from his days in art school. About an hour passed and we both knew there was something here we could both benefit from.
Presently I'm a tattoo apprentice under Caleb, and sometimes Alisha. I've been with them since the spring of 2024, at Gallery Chimera. Caleb gave me the green light to begin charging for tattoos at an apprentice rate in early 2025. We have a private tattoo studio, located in the gallery. The gallery is impressive. Alisha and Caleb Morgan have taken over this small space and made sure that every square inch is used in at least two ways. There’s a new show monthly, keeping the walls dynamic and interesting. Emerging and established artists alike showcase their work here. Our tattoo clients are impressed by the ever-changing curation of artwork. I love it there. Artists, coffee, tattoos, stories worthy of a podcast, and creativity out the wazoo make this place an oasis for us. I’m brimming with pride to be a part of this cast and so grateful for the opportunity to translate the art to human flesh.
Although it’s early in my tattoo career, some folks assume I am no longer an apprentice. I’ll take the compliment. Big thanks to everyone who has come out to get some ink. I look forward to seeing you all again. This may be the most exciting move I’ve ever made in my art career. I look forward to seeing you all at Gallery Chimera. Make sure to reach out if you’ve got questions about a tattoo. We don’t take walk-ins, so make sure to hit me up first. Oh, and yeah, I'm still doing wall murals.