A Tattoo Artist...
In today’s western society the growing trend of tattooing has become much larger than just an art form. To some it’s a unique way to commemorate past moments and people, to others it’s a way of expressing ideas, beliefs, or traditions, and to a large population it is simply an accessory to their appearance or even fashion. In our great city of Toronto there are many young tattoo artists aspiring to one day be successful and have clients begging for a space in a busy schedule. For many artists tattooing is simply a career or another means of making income but to the real O.G’s, the true talents of the business, tattooing is an art first and career second.
About 2 to 3 years ago, after receiving a haircut from a local barber shop called Cut N Run, I decided that it was about time to get some fresh ink. Since there was a newly renovated tattoo spot which was conveniently located at the back of the barber shop and equipped with its very own tattoo artist I decided that I’ll give him a shot. His name was Jesse Shearman; he tattooed FAMILY on my left wrist and FIRST on my right. It was nothing too big at all but it was a simple tattoo done to perfection, exactly the way I wanted it. I left the barber/tattoo shop with a huge smile on my face; got a fresh cut and got the perfect tattoo. A few months later Jesse opened his own tattoo studio and named it Red9ine. From then on in I became a loyal and continuous client of Jesse Shearman and I slowly got to know the man behind the needle.
Jesse Shearman is definitely one of Toronto’s hidden talents: he is an artist at heart and a truly unique individual. To get a deeper understanding of the artist, the man, here are a few basic questions and short answers by Jesse Shearman:
What pushed you to become a tattoo artist?
“Conventional school was never really my thing so I decided to pursue other interests. I had a good idea of what I wanted to be doing, it was just figuring out how to get there.
I come from a family of musicians and artists so I guess my creativity comes naturally. Deciding where to channel that energy was the hard part.”
Where and how did you learn to tattoo?
“I owned my first tattoo machine at 16 and tattooed the crap out of my friends. By 17 I had started my apprenticeship in a street shop in Scarborough.”
How long have you been professionally tattooing?
“I have been tattooing professionally for 10 years.”
How long did it take you to get established in the industry?
“It depends what you mean by established. I feel like I’ve worked hard to get where I am, I’ve made a name and a reputation but I’m young and will get better with age, I feel like I’m just getting started.”
What motivates and inspires you to be such a good tattoo artist?
“First and foremost, the art. Even if everyone stopped getting tattooed I’d still be drawing, whether it be on skin, canvas or paper. Inspiration can be found everywhere; I’m just here to help people illustrate those thoughts, feelings and expressions. A big part of tattooing is being a collector of knowledge, experience, and the cool pieces that come from it.”
Check there website below:
RED9INE.com
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Photos of a few of Jesse's tattoos which he did on some of my friends and myself:
RED9INE TATTOOS
Nasty Nas getting inked by Jesse Shearman
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A Side Note:
Upcoming Tattoo Convention:
NORTHERN INK XPOSURE 2009
When:
June 19-21
Located :
Toronto Hilton
145 Richmond St West
Event Website:
tattoos.com/nix/
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