Miya Bailey Q&A "Part 5"

Miya Bailey Q&A Pt 5 from artemus jenkins on Vimeo.

Miya Bailey answers questions about protecting yourself as a tattoo artist and balancing work and family.

Be sure to check out the trailer and support the upcoming documentary "Color Outside the Lines", a documentary on black tattoo culture. kck.st/​fglai1

What is "Black Art"??

Check out my lastest short interview..on the topic of "Black Art" a lot of people confuse me with doing "black art" because I'm black...but my subject matter is dream, love and imagination...I guess that would confuse people who don't really LOOK at the art and study what I'm trying to do...just check out the video...I will be doing weekly video blogs so be on the look out for the youtube channel "Miya Bailey"

Fly High...

It's 9:06am...and I'm up hoping my day at work will be better than my off days at home. I haven't smoked any weed in a few days, so I been dealing with my fuck ups head on, I really don't know if my "tattoo" clients read my blogs..it seems like mostly the fans of my ART and writing read them...everyone who reads them know how much I hate doing butterfly tattoos...so I did this piece (never finished it) about 3 years ago called "Fly High" this was when everyone wanted butterflies with the "Miya Bailey" eye in the wings...the ONLY reason I ever tattooed them was to make the PEOPLE happy...so I would smoke a blunt to zone out and do the tattoo and dream how it would feel like to be a high Butterfly randomly flying through the minds of my clients...maybe if I could FEEL the reason behind why they love them so much I would put my emotion and soul behind the tattoo...and for some weird reason it works. If I don't look at them as just a butterfly I won't get depressed by being asked to do them a million times in a year...Thank God for imagination, my escape from reality...I still don't like doing them, BUT its balanced out the look my clients give me once they see their new tattoo in the mirror for the first time...a rebirth of their body and spirit...I will finish this drawing, and put it in my book..I think it was the first time I had ever used color micro ink pens...I like the look so...its time to touch that drawing again...Fly High

My love for Marvel Comics....

In this stressful world we call the "Tattoo Industry" I escape in comic books...I have been collecting X-Men comics and other Marvel books since I was in 3rd grade..it brings peace to me...and I'm a lover of fantasy and good writing...and as an artist you know I LOVE it...here is a piece I did up in DC at Pinz-N-Needlez...this dude wanted me to use his favorite characters ( had to talk him out of the DC comics stuff..lol) so I used Punisher, Wolverine, and Gambit...alot of people THINK I just do colorful soulful or girlie stuff...but I do it ALL when I'm asked...and this brought me back to my old style of tattooing...no stencil..just sharpie markers...enjoy..

Just another day......

I woke up with a hangover this morning...went to Sugahill for their last night (they are closing down)..the vibe was real cool...Demayne and Kevin had an event out in Marietta and I missed it. I havent checked my email in a few days so when he sent me a text asking me "Are you coming out tonight" I thought he was referring to the last night at Sugahill...lol I guess I better start checking my email more....I needed to get out..I'm having some issues at home, having a hard time trying to balance a personal life and a business...I'm a warrior so I don't let stress stop me but it is really hard to focus on art when your not happy....so I smoke a blunt or 2 to ease the stress and maintain like the soldier my family raised me to be....Yesterday me and Prophet hit up Borders books for some new X-Men comics...my lil' man loves him some Wolverine so I will be taking me to see the movie this sunday....I miss seeing him so I'm trying to finish this waiting list off and take off for the whole month of August to spend sometime with my kids and finish up my book....once my book is released in stores I can cut back my tattoo hours and focus more on my children and open up more tattoo shops all across America....while it's time for me to jump in the shower and get ready for City of Ink...yall be blessed....peaceeeeeeee!

Rick Ross & Tuki Carter @ City of Ink

Today Rick Ross has released his 3rd CD "Deeper Than Rap" Rick Ross was getting tattooed by Tuki on this video. See what happens when you leave your camera at work, those dripping star cats don't know how to act when they see a camera..LOL There is NO place like City of Ink....drop by yall tattoos starting at only $40 and we are open 1pm-10pm no sundays....you never know who will be up there...we always have a few surprizes....blessings yall...and go buy that Rick Ross CD...peaceeeeeeee!

My Son's Obama Speak

I'm very proud of my son, Prophet Ayim Bailey. He's 8 years old, and he's in the 4th grade. I don't like putting me personal family life online BUT I had to share this part of my life with yall...God bless the youth, and teach them to be better than we are...very good job, Mr. Bailey...daddy love you, young man.

"Prophet Obama"



PS...Prophet wrote that speak himself.

MiyaBailey.com...coming SOON!

Mr.Soul has uploaded my splash page for my website. I want the site to be basic and CLEAN. I want the art, paintings, tattoo, and the ONLINE STORE to be the focus point. I hope all of you support me the same way yall supported me with, Prophet Art. Mr. Soul is a busy man, he is still working on thecityofink.com and other side projects so I want to thank my brother, for making the time for me...love you bruh!

miyabailey.com....COMING SOON!

Before I'm Gone.....

I was up last night looking at the Oscar (which was VERY inspiring) and I thought about all the artists, writers, and musicians who died early. And how people only give them that special love after they are dead. Most visual artist are not understood or studies until after their death. Can you name a black artist (TODAY) that has gotten that same fame, praise, money and following since Jean-Michel Basquiat? I know A LOT of talented artists and I often think will they became rich from their God given talent? Or will they just be another no name artist with the lack of business sense? Am I selfish to want it ALL when I'm still alive on Earth? I don't want to be another famous dead artist, I want the people to feel my work of art right now. I want the people to understand my story and my past while I'm alive. And of course I want the money also...I have a wife, 3 kids, a family, a crew and MANY goals and dreams I have to make come true. When Jax passed away a few months ago, it woke me up. You never know when today will be your last day...and you never understand an artist until you understand where they came from and why they are the way they are...Words inspire me and words and visual things inspire my art, so support your local artists...to create something from nothing is genius, so don't wait until the artist is died to start studying their art and their history...do it while their alive...you never know what your words can do to an artist work.

I missed last friday's photography show :(

I hate I missed last fridays photography show @ City of Ink. I heard VERY good reviews about the show. My homegirl Carla is an amazing photographer based out of ATL. I hired her 2 years ago to shoot one of our fashion shows at City of Ink. I felt her spirit and I knew she would grow in her talent. Friday I bought 2 pieces of her work for my personal art collection. I collect photos of young artist I KNOW will be famous once their my age..so I bought a Corey Davis and Tim Friday piece..I'm a fan of both of those young men, and Carla shoot them perfectly. Tuki beat me to the punch and bought a self portrait photo of Carla herself..nice move bruh...LOL

Also try to make it to OUR 2 Year Anniversary Art Show this FRIDAY FEB. 27th @ 7pm-11pm
at City of Ink of course....free food, free drinks,and music by DJ Wildlife....be apart of the Castleberry Hill Art Scroll....blessings, Miya Bailey

Growing Dreams...

I listen to the people...their voices are like seeds to me and my mind is like a flower pot. Anything a person tell me I can see it visually..sometimes that's good and sometimes it's bad...the gift and the curse...I try not to focus on negative things so I let the peoples voices come in and inspire my art...My brother told me, he loved me today, my son gave me a kung fu punch to my jaw and laugh about it because he got in a good one, my wife gave me the most beautiful smile today for no reason, and this homeless dude cursed me out for not giving him some money...all of these things grow dreams, and my dreams always become my reality..and that reality is my art...my world, City of Ink....we grow dreams like fruit and feed it back to the people...since they inspired it anyway...360

God and War

I'm a warrior. I'm not the hardest man on Earth, but I'm no pussy. This o.g. told me, " Once you find your fear in life you have to leave the streets because when another nigga know your fear he will control your world." I thought about it and I didn't have any fears in life. I wasn't afraid of death, I wasn't afraid of pain..I felt heartless and animal like in the streets. My grandmothers prayed for me everyday, but with no father around to really show me how to me a man, I had to learn on my own, and I'm STILL leaning. This drawing is a reflect of the pain males go through not having a father to show them the way to manhood. To all the warriors, not because they want to be warriors but the hood made them warriors. I was an artist in a warrior surrounding forcing me to become cold and ONLY expressing my pain and hurt in my art. I never showed a woman ANY weakness. I always protected my family from snakes, and I was never afraid to lose my life for my pride, honor, or my word....times change and I grow older and wiser, the warrior is still there but the artist control this world now and not the streets...God has a plan for me, and War is no longer my mission.

The Fairy....

This piece was inspired by a young lady I know. She is a free spirit I have watched grow over time. She grew in both good and bad ways..and both ways I understood why she did the things she did. Sometimes I wonder if my relationship with my daughters and sisters are strong enough that they feel comfortable enough to talk to me about ANYTHING. About their relationships with the opposite sex, school, opinions on boy issues, all that shit. I wanted to take away all the fancy clothes she wears, and give her wings so she could fly away from all the demons she was running from...

The Soil....

I wish women TRULY understood their true power on the planet earth. Most of the men I know just want a woman who he can chill around, be himself around her without censoring his thoughts or his opinion, and have some blunts rolled up and ready when he gets home. The mixture of some good weed and a stress free, drama free woman and a drink of wine and boy would that be pure heaven...but you can't forget the backrub...real KING shit. This mixture reminds me of a garden of passion, and the woman is the SOIL. You mix all the males dreams, some weed, some wine, some soulful music, and a lot of love/lust and understanding and that soil will grow some beautiful moments in time....and everyone loves flowers :)

OK...exit Miya Dreamland..and get back to REALITY...this art is real life....

This drawing was inspired by a lesbian couple that I have been tattooing over the past 7 years. They are always at peace and clearly madly in love with each other. They told me once how they stay so happy with each other. She said "I have those blunts ready for my baby when she gets home. I pull her pants down and put her to sleep. When she wakes up I will have dinner ready for her. She takes good care of me, I am her soil." Inspiring they were...thank you for sharing your life and trust with me...ART is meeting new people and sharing a part of you with them...thats peace and understanding....heaven

I wish I told him....

I wish I told him how much I loved him, and how I looked up to him as a big brother.
When we were in the streets, I listened to all your words of wisdom. You always told me "Souljah, you are better than these damn streets, do something with your art." I didn't listen at first, I wanted to hang in the streets with you. I wanted to be a better street soldier than you, you inspired me. You gave me one of my first guns, you taught me how to get away from the police, how to be strong even when I was afraid, how to never show emotions to another another man, and how to never look weak in front of a woman. Now your gone and all I can remember was how you looked the last time I seen you. You let the streets beat you, you let drugs beat you. While I was in college making a new crew, I wish I would have tried harder to save you from the hood. I wish I would have told you the samething you told me...I love you, and I miss you my brother. Your Pain is my pain....

Her Flower.....

Her flower is the most powerful thing on Earth. Men and women chase it too death. Some even lie and turn on their friends and family for the power she holds between her legs. Like a flower, bees fly inside to get what they need for life. Men do the same..we fight 9 months to get out and our whole lives fighting to get back in. So this drawings represents the humans and animals chasing it too DEATH. The worms represent death (6 feet under) and how some flowers are posion...and some give pleasure and LIFE.

Love and Lust

I did this piece for my book. It's a story of a beautiful woman who is flawless in beauty. She wants to fall in love, but the men she deals with can't see pass her looks so sex and lust is all they see when they look at her. She has the power to have any man she wants but it's never love, it's only lust that draws them to her. Her soul is lonely but her body isn't. She goes out with a lot of different men looking for love. The more she goes out with different men, the more men look at her for just sex. No man wants a woman who has been with different men, so lust will forever be her friend. And she will never be lonely until she grows old and her beauty fades....

She's a beautiful lonely soul...