Left to right: Stephanie Primo, Mac Davey, Cece Pitts Henderson
Who are you and where
are you located, for those who are unaware or may not live in Cobourg?
How long have you
been a tattoo artist and what made your want to start?
Cece: I've been a tattoo artist for 3 years, my father was a
tattoo artist and he was my inspiration to become a tattoo artist.
Mac: I started my apprenticeship at the age of 15, I've been
dedicated to it for roughly 10 years off and on. Lately I've devoted all my
time to the industry. I was a pretty decent artist growing up and in high
school a lot of my school mates would take my designs down to the local tattoo
shop and get them inked on them. After a while of doing that the owner of the
studio wanted to meet me and I fell in love with the environment, the art and
everything involved with the tattoo world.
What tattoos do you
have and where? If you had to pick one, what would be your favourite?
Cece: I have a wide variety of tattoos all over my skin,
everything from horror to cutesy ribbons. My favourite would have to be the
autographs I got from the writer and producer/actor of Night of the Living Dead,
the original version of course.
Mac: I couldn't be bothered to count all my tattoos! They're
located anywhere and everywhere. If I had to pick one as my favourite, I would
have to say it's the jack o lantern on my neck, even though it's not completed!
Some tattoo artists
practice on themselves, are any of your tattoos self done?
Cece: Most of my tattoos from the knees down are all self
done, that's why I don't like to wear shorts. My favourite is the very first
tattoo I ever did on myself, it's supposed to be a rose but it looks like a
burnt cabbage.
Mac: Most of my tattoos are self done, during our
apprenticeships most artists practice on themselves before working on another
person. It allows you more freedom and control, and it's very hard to tattoo
yourself so the challenge makes tattooing other people a little more
comforting.
If you were to get
another tattoo, what would you get and where would you put it?
Cece: I would get a zombie gypsy, to kind of represent
myself, and I would get it on my upper left arm.
Mac: I have a few ideas on the go at the moment: a
traditional owl head design on my knee cap and some sort of octopus or Cthulhu
looking creature to fill in some arm space.
Do you have any
hobbies or enjoy doing anything besides tattooing?
Cece: I used to enjoy drawing as a hobby but now it's my job
so to break up the day and not get sick of drawing I like to go kayaking. I
also play a lot of video games and sing at open mic night in bars on my time
off.
Mac: Absolutely! All mediums of art I enjoy trying,
sculpting especially. I spend a lot of time with my two kids as well. But I
like to get a good video game in and do some fishing or camping when I get the
opportunity.
Do you have any
influences that have helped you throughout your journey in the industry or even
in your art style?
Cece: My artistic inspiration is Leonardo da Vinci and my
tattoo inspirations are mostly horror tattoo artists like Bob Tyrrell and Paul
Booth. The person that helped me the most in my journey to becoming a tattoo
artist was my mentor Mike Patterson. He taught me everything I know about black
and grey realism tattooing.
Mac: I have many many influences, if it wasn't for one
friend in high school I may not even be in this industry. My mentor who took me
into his shop was more than helpful and supportive and always striving to
better my artwork. And I take a lot of inspiration from world renowned artists
such as Paul Booth, Victor Portugal, Mike DeVries, and Tony Ciavarro just to
name a few.
What is your
favourite part about your job?
Cece: My favourite part of the job is listening to clients'
reasons for their tattoos. I get to
learn something new everyday! I like to get to know my clients and listen to
their stories, I get to meet some very interesting people.
Mac: There's no real single particular aspect that's my
favourite. Everything about my career is my favourite!
Describe how you go
about creating a realistic tattoo from the concept to the completed design. How
do you try to put your own unique touch on your tattoos?
Cece: First I get the client to use as many words as they
can to describe the design they want and I ask them to send any pictures that
relate to their idea. I like to try and get the feel and the emotion the client
is trying to convey. I also do my own research and find reference photos for
the piece. After all my information is gathered I sit down and start putting
all the pieces together. I send a few sketches to my client over the internet
to ensure I'm on the right track. Then after they have approved my ideas I draw
a final design and send that off for approval.
Mac: That's a tough question, I try to avoid realism
actually! I focus a lot on cartoony style artwork also known as "nu
skool". I do a lot of custom work from memory so a majority of my work has
my own unique touch to it from start to finish.
What have been your
most and least favourite tattoos that you have done?
Cece: My most favourite tattoos, if I must choose, are the
one's that have the most meaning to my clients, there's no way I can only
choose one favourite! I love tattoos that come with a story. I can choose a
least favourite though, no problem, it's all the name's I have to do when I
know the person is going to regret it later. I try to talk them out of it but
some people are just set on getting their partner's name. I always suggest you
are with a partner for many many years before you get such a tattoo. Cover ups
are hard.
Mac: Anything custom from my own head will always stand out.
I don't really have a least favourite, tribal I'm not to picky about but
everything I do is enjoyable regardless of the design.
What has been the
cleverest or original tattoo that someone has ever asked you for?
Cece: Oh that's easy!
A zipper on the end of a scar! Turning a long scar into a zipper is very
clever and original and helps the client deal with their memories of that scar.
Mac: As of today I would have to say the Zombie style
pac-man is right on top.
On the other side,
what has been the silliest tattoo that someone has ever asked you for?
Cece: That has to be a set of eyes on the back of a client's
head. He wanted to convey the message that he has eyes in the back of his head
and I made that happen!
Mac: A toaster with angel wings.
What's a tattoo
that's trendy now that you wish would just go away?
Cece: Pretty much any tattoo that is found on Pinterest or
Google Images. Seriously though, tattoos that celebrities have are always the
most trendy, like infinity symbols. Fads and trends fade, they're not good
choices for tattoos and should stay on t shirts.
Mac: I really can't answer that question out of respect for
clients that may be sporting those designs.
Have you ever had a
client who changed their mind about getting a tattoo midway through the
process? What did you do?
Cece: Yes I have had that happen and fortunately it was an
easy change. But that was a one time
exception, changes midway are not advised. You need to be sure about your
tattoo well ahead of the appointment day.
Mac: Only once, they didn't change their mind, they just
couldn't handle the pain. I did what I could to make it look complete and
allowed them to come back at a later date.
What do you think a
client should expect from you as a tattoo artist?
Cece: Communication and Honesty. Tell me exactly what you want and if I draw something
for you and you don't like it just tell me. My feelings won't get hurt, it's
your tattoo and I want what you want. Satisfaction. On the other side of the
fence I am honest with my clients, I give my honest input on their ideas and
how their tattoo will work best.
Mac: Above all, to be courteous, respectful, and ensure a
beautiful piece of artwork is created.
What do you expect
from the client in return to make a successful tattoo and good artist/client
cooperation?
Mac: Having trust in the artist and not bartering over
pricing are two major things to come in mind. Allowing the artist to custom
design the piece will result in a far better tattoo.
Is a professional
attitude important to you, or do you think being yourself is better?
Cece: Both. I have a personal relationship with my clients
as well as a level of professionalism that they expect from me. I can joke
around and be myself around my clients but I am also serious when it comes to
the job at hand. My clients like that. My
clients like my honesty and they like my humour, it's win win for us both!
Mac: I think an equal mix of the two is critical.
Professionalism will better your reputation and shows your clients you are
serious about what you do. And being yourself (providing you're not surly and
impolite) will allow you to have better conversations with your client and help
them design a piece that suits them the best, I always prefer to get to my
clients and have a few laughs in the process.
You guys have gone to
many conventions be it for tattoos or pop culture, like Fan Expo. Do these
experiences help you as a tattoo artist?
Cece: Absolutely! We
go to tattoo conventions to learn new techniques and to learn about new products
on the market. We get to network and communicate with fellow tattoo artists and
make some really good friends in the industry. We go to conventions like Fan
Expo to see what's trending in pop culture and to be inspired by new art and
ideas.
Mac: Absolutely! Many of these conventions and expos
attracted many different types of artists and people from around the world,
getting exposure and mingling with those that have incredible talent by
bouncing ideas and asking for advice allows us to expand on what we know and
what we didn't know previously. Plus they're a lot of fun!
Do you think tattoo
artistry gets enough respect as an art form? Or do you think it carries some
kind of social stigma?
Cece: The social stigma of tattoos is slowly dying. With all the tattoo television shows on the
air tattoos are becoming more and more mainstream every day. However, you will
still have a hard time finding a job in a small town if you have visible
tattoos, large cities are more accepting of the art. I do not think tattooing
gets enough respect as an art form overall, we are still considered the black
sheep of the art world. Hopefully someday that will change.
Mac: Well that's a funny question to answer really. Tattoos
and cave drawings are the two oldest forms of art. That being said though there
still is a bit of a stigma around the art. Years ago tattoos were reserved for
delinquents, sailors, gang members etc... Nowadays it's the non-tattooed people
that seem to be in the minority. But I think that as the years go on tattoo art
will be accepted worldwide as a viable career choice and people with tattoo's
will be less discriminated against.
Do you think that
tattoos will ever be accepted fully as a form of art?
Cece: Yes, with so many television shows about tattooing and
so many celebrities getting tattooed there will come a time when people without
tattoos will be the odd ones in society.
Mac: I think I just answered this question. Yes most definitely.
Just in the last decade this industry has really taken off, with new
innovations happening every year, more and more publications being printed, and
even television shows and movies being made I believe there's no where to go
but up.
For those who would
like to start tattooing, do you have any advice for them? What do they have to
do to be certified?
Cece: I highly recommend seeking a professional tattoo
apprenticeship. You can be the greatest artist in the world but if you do not
understand the risks of tattooing you can hurt a lot of people. Cross
contamination and the spread of disease is the number one risk in tattooing
without training. If you are an artist and you are confident in your work than
you should have no problem wanting to do things the right way, like making sure
you and your clients are at minimal risk of infection. Do some research, visit
tattoo shops, talk to artists. Don't give up, do what's right.
Mac: Draw draw draw draw and draw. Try different mediums of
art to better your skills. Don't be afraid to go into a shop with a good
attitude and sense of humor. Always try and talk to the shop owner and artists in
person if applying for an apprenticeship. Above all else show the dedication,
and your passion for the art form. It's a very competitive industry and
incredibly difficult to get your foot in the door. You need to set yourself
apart from the people that want to get famous and rich. Certification varies
around the world, but as a standard a solid apprenticeship lasting anywhere
between 1-5 years is an absolute must.
Thinking into the
future of the art of tattooing, where do you see it going in the next ten years
or longer? Where do you see yourself in that time?
Cece: Well I see there is a trend going on right now. Everyone wants to be what they see on televison. However, television is also educating the
general public. Soon the trend to become a tattoo artist will be outweighed by
clients wanting better quality tattoos. The more the public is educated the
more aspiring tattoo artists will be forced out of the business. In ten years I
predict a lot of the current tattoo artists will throw in the towel for lack of
work. The public will not tolerate incompetence and irresponsibility for much
longer.
I'm 44 years old, in ten tears I see myself tattooing a lot
less and becoming more involved in promoting younger artists. I actually plan
on becoming the PR rep for my current artist Mac Davey. He's an up and coming
young artist and I see a lot of potential in him. I would get great joy in helping him become
successful in his career.
Mac: In 10 years I hope safe practice and traditional
teaching methods are still being used. I hope the supply companies around the
world and machine builders continue to innovate new products. I honestly can
say in 10 years I hope I'm still doing what I love to do, putting beautiful
works of art on people and doing it with a proud smile on my face.
Any last words for
anyone reading this?
Cece: Yes. Please do research and make sure the tattoo
artist is skilled in the style you want and make sure the artist is regularly
inspected by the health board.
Mac: Cheap work isn't good and Good work isn't cheap? All I
can say is I appreciate your taking the time to put together this interview,
articles like this better us all as a whole and help people understand that the
tattoo world is getting bigger every year. It's one of the oldest forms of art,
and we're not going anywhere anytime soon.
