 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement .(July 2016) |
Greg James is a well-known tattoo artist. [1] Greg's tattoo designs and original artwork have appeared in magazines, books, documentaries, and at the Hard Rock Cafe.
| This article contains content that is written like an advertisement .(July 2016) |
Greg James is a well-known tattoo artist. [1] Greg's tattoo designs and original artwork have appeared in magazines, books, documentaries, and at the Hard Rock Cafe.
At the age of fourteen, Greg began drawing flash for his brother, Tennessee Dave, and eventually apprenticed with him in 1976. [2] From single-needle black-and-gray work to classic Americana tattoos and ultimately the large, custom Japanese artwork for which he has become well-known, Greg tattooed continuously in Los Angeles (on Main Street in downtown L.A. and also the Pike, in Long Beach) for nine years as he continued to hone his craft. [1]
"I wanted to do superlative work. So, I made a choice. I would either quit tattooing or try to get in with Cliff Raven at Sunset Strip Tattoo. Cliff hired me. That's the beginning of the story." [1]
In 1985, Greg joined Sunset Strip Tattoo in Hollywood. Originally opened by Lyle Tuttle in the 1960s, the shop was then owned by Cliff Raven and subsequently Robert Benedetti, pioneers and innovators in the Japanese style of tattooing.
For over twenty-five years, Greg played a large part in building the stature of the legendary studio, becoming "the real star at Sunset … the tattoo artist's tattooer." [3]
During his almost forty-year career, Greg has also apprenticed numerous other tattoo artists, including Chris Clemence of Montauk Tattoo, [4] Eric Blair [5] of Subculture Tattoo and Dollar Bill of Sunset Strip Tattoo.
In September 2012, Greg opened his own tattoo studio, Tattoos Deluxe, in Sherman Oaks, CA (formerly Subculture Tattoo). [22] Over time, Greg has emerged as a thoughtful and moderate spokesman for tattooing. [23] Despite being at the top of the industry and known worldwide, [1] [3] Greg has also earned a reputation as "a genuinely nice guy", [11] [24] "quiet, modest and understated", [25] "…one of the nicest people I've ever met, and his work is truly amazing." [10]
Of tattooing, Greg says that "So much of what we do is really a personal thing between two people. It's not about the art so much, or the craft, or being the cool guy." [26] "Tattooing to me is like welding. You have to lay the lines down. You're using tools. It [the tattoo] should look like it's always been there. Like it's part of your body." [27] "You know, the average person today thinks tattoo artists nowadays are rock stars. But we go through a lot. We really put a lot effort, time, and communication into what we do. And it's permanent. You can't tear it up and throw it away when you're done with it. All these tattoos that I've done for thirty years--I carry those around in my head with me." [28]
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