My name is Simon and I work at the Uk’s most highly regarded tattoo studio: The Middleton Tattoo Studio in Manchester. The studio’s proprietor is one of the best tattoo artists in the world: Mr. Louis Malloy.
My tattoo journey started in 2001 on a hotel balcony looking out over the city of Bangkok. It was my 40th birthday and I had made a conscious decision that life was about to begin….
I had spent over 17 years with an airbrush in my hand painting anything from crash helmets to mobile phones and although it had provided me with a good living at times, I did not love my craft, in fact at times I detested it.
Change was in the air. That change came through a chance meeting with a slightly mad German fellow by the name of Wido in Hua Hin Thailand. Wido along with his Thai wife owned and operated a Western style tattoo studio in the town and upon seeing some of my airbrush work Wido was curious to see what, if anything, I could do with a tattoo machine.
Much to my horror a local American ex-pat was hastily offered a free tattoo by “the new guest artist from London” and he picked a Henning half sleeve from the display of flash on the wall.
Despite my protests I was told to “get on with it” under the supervision of Master Kitty the studio’s head artist. Twelve hours later I had completed my first tattoo and confessed Wido’s “little white lie” to my American customer, who as it happens was very pleased with his new tattoo.
I was more than pleased with my first effort; I was absolutely fascinated by it. I knew there and then that there was nothing else that I wanted to do with my time. I was going to be a Tattoo Artist, nothing else interested me and nothing else mattered.
Since that day I have been on a rollercoaster of a journey, I have had good times and worked with some great artists and I have had bad times and worked with some not so great people. I opened the Thai Tattoo Studio and spent four years working in Thailand with Master Ya. I traveled to the coldest part of Scotland to work with machine builder Jimmy Jack and Rocket Ronnie Inkdemon.
I now tattoo at The Middleton Tattoo Studio and I hope to collaborate on a tattoo with you soon. I work in any style and consider myself a versatile tattooer.
And why am I an “International Non-Award Winning Artist”?
I don’t tattoo competitively. I love what I do. It’s reward enough.
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