This year I’ve prioritized the people I love and principles I find most rewarding. One principle I’ve focused on is seeking new information. Luckily for me learning how to do things differently in the tattoo world is actually really cool.
In 2021 I went to the Knoxville tattoo convention. I was fortunate to have scheduled a full sleeve appointment with a new client for the convention. Before the weekend was done I made sure to reach out to would be shops that I could return to keep the in progress work going. I really only had one shop in mind though. Riverside tattoo, it’s owned and run by a tattooer named Nick Moran. I met Nick in Baltimore years ago when I was traveling with my mentor and ended up trading some hand painted flash. Nick was traveling a lot and had a good vibe to him and that stuck with me.
I walked into riverside Sunday morning the weekend of the convention to see if I could have a place to work for a few days in the coming months. I’ve come to learn that a straight forward question is generally returned with a straight forward answer. The answer was yes.
Now back to august 2022. I’m on my way for my 3rd visit at Riverside tattoo. I have 2 in progress clients working towards finishing sleeves and a new client I’ll be working with on a 3/4 sleeve he wants to complete that he started in Japan.
All this to say every time I leave for a trip I’m reminding myself to stay open and observe. Looking forward to what traveling the last few months of 2022 will bring.
Nick Moran’s Client at Riverside Tattoo in Knoxville Tennessee