Art Battle: Miya Bailey vs Marice Evans

Fabian just emailed the poster for the "Art Battle" on Nov.21.. I'm battling the famous, Marice Evans....this dude is amazing so I'm honored... This will be fun.. We are doing it WWE style.. A LOT of shit talking....after the art battle I will be flying to New York, I will be tattooing up there from Nov.22 and leaving the night before Thanksgiving to get back home to the family... It will be a busy week... So Atlanta come support the battle, and New Yorkers call (828) 582-1080 to book a tattoo appointment with me, Tuki, or Sophie....Imani from DC's Pinz-N-Needlez will also be doing the guest spot up in Brooklyn with us...peace yall, I'm about to start my homeboy, Jinx's tattoo... It's his birthday tomorrow...


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Tomorrow at City of Ink: "Jean-Michel Basquiat" artshow

Tomorrow Nov.13th @ City of Ink...Artist, John Hairston Jr. from Charlotte, NC will be hosting "Hollywood Africans" a visual celebration of the life and times of Jean-Michel Basquiat.... Mr.Hairston and his crew "God City" has been making a buzz in the art scene lately so we are honored he is hosting his opening reception over at City of Ink.... The artshow starts at 7pm-11pm... So be there!

City of Ink
323 Walker St. (Castleberry Hill)
Atlanta, GA 30313
404-525-4465 (1pm-10pm)



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Walking home...

Tonight I'm walking from work reflecting on life...2 people who's opinion I really VALUE straightened me out about me using the word "hustle" when referring to tattooing....I never thought of it in a negative way, but I read their point of view and they are RIGHT...tattooing is not a "hustle" it's a lifestyle (which I live) and being "rich" will not get you respect from your fellow tattoo artists....different cultures and backgrounds see life, art, and business differently but I value everyones opinion and I never wanted to rub anyone the wrong way with my last post... And if I did I'm man enough to say i'm sorry for letting the general public know too much about the business and lifestyle of tattoo artists....I was just speaking to my friends and wasn't thinking about how many non-tattooers read my blog...I'm almost home now so it's time to roll one up... Drink some wine and look at a movie... Hmmmm maybe "Ray" or "Mo' Betta Blues" peace yall....


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Walk-Ins in Winter?

I have had this convo with many shop owners about their staff not focusing on booking appointments and waiting around for "walk-ins" customers. I grew up around hustlers, my mom being the #1 hustla I know....she taught me to never WAIT for money but to go after it... As a tattoo artist I honestly don't believe in walk-ins... I feel they are only for artists who are lazy and don't have a "business" sense...if summer time is busy with walk-in traffic then the winter will be slow.... So it's common sense to book all your winter appointments in the summer time....I have watched tattoo artist sit on their ass (even my own) without hustlin...I heard a million excuses "I haven't been tattooing as long as you or Tuki" that's ALL bullshit to me... I didn't have a full appointment book until City of Ink was open....the same amount time WE as a team opened the shop TOGETHER... The name is hot so I rode the wave...the same way everyone else should be riding the wave...when you wait around for walk-ins you are waiting on other people to FEED you...take destiny in your own hands, get deposits, build your own clientele, make them respect your rules and your grind, and book appointments in the winter or you will be BROKE... This is a peep talk to ALL tattoo artists who do NOT have any appointments today reading this blog.... If you have enough time in your hands to be reading blogs then after you finish reading this... Go to my facebook page, to my Twitter page, YouTube page, even myspace and STUDY how I market myself and connect with my clients and future clients... I don't feel I'm the best in the world.. I just feel I have written a blue print for fellow artists to follow... Burger King is not the best food in the world BUT I'm sure they marketed themselves so much that the people have to know they exist.... You get the message? The tattoo business is just like the music business 10% talent and 90% HUSTLE.... And if you have the talent to match the hustle you will be RICH....stay focused young artist, brand your name.... The path is there so follow the trail us older artists made for you... It's fool proof...


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I wish :-(

Man, Mr.Cartoon will be tattooing in New York the same time I will be tattooing up there... I would love to get a piece by him, but I can't spend $3000 right now before Xmas & birthdays with 3 kids.... He is worth every penny but i can't spend that right now....much love to Mr. Cartoon get that money and create some beautiful art...I'm only doing $500-$1500 sessions in NY....and people be complaining lol I wish they REALLY knew what I should be charging.. $500 ain't shit when the hotel is $150 a night plus plane tickets.....so Mr.Cartoon muchhhhh respect brother...you are inspiring me, thank you.


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Dragon Backpiece

This is one of my favorite clients from Delaware... He flys to Atlanta once a year and I tattoo them for 2 days straight... Right now we are on his 4-5 session...a lot of people rarely see me do Japanese inspired tattooing... That's because I'm never asked to do them lol I wish more people would do it... I decided to use my own signature style mixed with a slight realism look of black & grey with a few subject matters in color so they pop out... The next session will be add color to the dragon flies and move over to his arms to start a sleeve... Can't wait!

Just Listen...

This week has been really humbling...me and my wife sat down and talked for a few hours...everything she said was all truth...I never try to make excuses for my actions.. When I'm wrong I'm wrong period...I now see I wasn't listening to her and entering her world when she needed me...I now see how selfish and one sided I was...which made me think about a painting I did a few years ago for an art show with Pinz-n-Needlez in DC... It's called "Just Listen" some advice I should have followed myself...the painting was based on people just shutting up and listening to the souls of the people around them... To step out your shoes and put your feet in the shoes of others...being trapped in my "dreamland" where dreams and reality are one to me I often forget about the lives of the people I love around me... Having tunnel vision and only seeing my goals not taking any breaks in between to give myself to my family...serving the people but not being there for the peope close to me... The older I grow the more I see how fucked up in my ways I was....but the question is can I step outside of my world and go back to my foundation which is my family? Can I shut up and LISTEN? My free spirit just floats around like a balloon... But who will hold the string that's attached to the balloon? Will they let the string go so I float off into the sky for not listening? Or will they keep faith in me and hold the string tighter because they know a balloons don't live long? I will shut up now and "Just Listen"


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