The misconceptions of people with tattoos reminds me of a medicine commercial that rushes through the list of side effects. Tattoos may cause criminal behavior, unprotected sex that led to an unwanted pregnancy, unemployment, drug/alcohol problems, and immoral actions, but if severe symptoms such as jail time, Hepatitis C, getting more tattoos, or selling your soul to the devil occurs, seek God and repent or you’ll go to hell. What’s even scarier than those misconceptions, however, is moving somewhere new and finding someone you trust enough to let them permanently alter your body. For me, there are so many aspects that go into choosing a new tattoo artist, especially after moving halfway across the country. Things go through my mind like: is their artistry what I’m looking for, how long have they been tattooing, are they consistent and passionate about their job, are they someone I can get along with to go to for many tattoos, and how much do they charge? Choosing what to get is personal and my choice, contrary to popular belief. My tattoos don’t change who I am, but rather represent who I am, which is why finding a tattoo artist to permanently depict me is a big deal.

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It’s lunchtime on a Friday as I walk into the tattoo shop and let the woman at the front desk know I’m here for my appointment before sitting down on the couch between three other women. Two of these women are middle-aged, and one of them brought their 18-year-old niece. I’m about half the size of a normal person so I take up about half a spot, but I’m still surprised that we all fit (even if it felt awkward sandwiched between these women). I feel anxious rather than nervous to get a new tattoo, so I try to distract myself as I survey my surroundings. The floor is checkered white and black and brought back memories of my old best friend’s shop. There are quite a few glass cases filled with piercing jewelry, which is sparkly and would have normally forced me to look at it, but today was different; I only had one thing on my mind, and that was my tattoo. I look around, unable to be sandwiched for much longer and notice the artwork covering the walls of the shop rather than the normal “flash art” you usually see in tattoo shops. For originality purposes, I love this.

A cemetery-like wrought iron gate closes off the tattoo artists’ area so people don’t bother the artists while they are tattooing. Smart idea, I think to myself. Two tattoo artists occupy either side of the room just past the wrought iron gate. They appear to be in their own little world as people come in and out of the shop, but the artists remain unaffected and continue tattooing on their clients as if no one else was in the room–something I note I would never be able to do. When it’s my turn, I’m led into a more private tattoo room at the back of the shop that is painted black and is extremely dark. The next thing I notice is the door to the bathroom in this room has fake skulls glued to it and expanding foam that has been painted black and red. I wouldn’t have known about the expanding foam had I not asked. It appears as streaks and strings like veins and the striated muscle of flesh. I decide that I would have to try doing this one day because I love skulls, which most people think is strange, but there’s just something about them that draws me to them.

Jesse’s creation of skulls, expanding foam, and paint

The tattoo chair is large, black, and comfortable, and it’s set up lying down for my session, but I ask if I can sit up to be more comfortable. Everything that is touched for tattoos is covered with plastic, and my artist’s assistant has already assembled his stand with all of the needles, ink, water, paper towels, and ointment he will need for the session. Anyone with tattoos will tell you they love the sound of a tattoo machine, and I am no exception. He inserts the single-use tattoo tube that surrounds the needles into his machine, and I am soothed by the buzzing noise of the machine. He warns me not to be a crier, and I assure him I’m not.

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It’s true when you hear that tattoos are addicting, and having been almost two years since I had gotten one last, I had wanted a new one for quite some time. All of my tattoos since the age of 19 have been done in Texas for a total of 17 to be exact. After getting them for about seven years, I’ve created quite the collection that describes both sides of my personality: the girly girl and the tomboy. Tattoos just become a part of who you are. They define your character in the fact that you choose the art that gets tattooed permanently on your body based on your personality and the things you admire. Working in a bar, I am constantly asked about my tattoos. Who did them? What do they mean? And the list goes on. What I will never get is why people think that every tattoo on a person has to mean something; especially when the person has many. Occasionally I get the urge to make things up to make people feel as uncomfortable for asking me as they’re making me feel for having to provide an explanation. Rather than I get skulls because I like skulls, maybe next time I’ll tell them they’re for each of my dead pets. This wouldn’t be a complete lie; only one of the skulls has my snake that died wrapped around it whose name happened to have been Tattoo.

My first tattoo was Princess down my side just like Travis Barker’s Cadillac tattoo, go ahead and try to figure me out, I dare you. Trust me when I say I have plenty of tattoos with meaning, and just as many without, but for the ones that do, I sometimes find it rude when strangers ask what they mean. It’s personal, that’s why I got them. As far as the individuals who also mouth their opinion that I ruined my body, they don’t have to like them. My tattoos. My body. My prerogative.

While bartending, I came across more names of artists in the Lehigh Valley than necessary from guests, but I stumbled across Jesse Probus and his shop Sick Ink Studios about a year ago, and I very much admired his work. There are too many people who don’t put enough thought into who they choose as their tattoo artist, which can result in shitty tattoos. Moving halfway across the country and finding a new tattoo artist was daunting because essentially, whatever they put on your body is there forever. Sure you can get them lasered off but that’s painful and costly. After seeing the consistency in Jesse’s work over time through his Facebook, I made up my mind that his artistry was what I was looking for.

A few months ago I messaged Jesse about getting a tattoo and met him for the first time after putting the down payment on my tattoo. I couldn’t believe that he was booked out through August, but that alone tells you how great of an artist he is. Jesse put me on his cancellation list so I could get in earlier than August because there’s no way in hell I was going to wait until August to get a tattoo. He had a few cancellations that I had to turn down unfortunately because I wasn’t about to skip class to get a tattoo. With each increasing cancellation that I had to turn down I became more impatient. Finally Jesse messaged me with a Friday appointment that worked with my schedule. Hallelujah, praise the tattoo gods!

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Jesse begins tattooing on my arm and I barely feel a thing. I’m surprised but grateful that he has a light hand. I notice he’s wearing ink-splattered pants (the norm for most tattoo artists), a black wife beater, and the bottom half of his gold grille—a trademark that surprisingly fits him. Jesse is covered in tattoos as many tattoo artists are and I can’t help but thinking about how in any other setting, he must get extremely judged by people who don’t know him, but he tells me he doesn’t even notice it. I can relate with that as well; I’ve almost become immune to it, as I’ve found it’s something I expect to be asked about or stared at for.

Jesse Probus: My new tattoo artist and good friend

I find myself in awe as I see the skulls that line the top of a high shelf behind him, and explain how much I love skulls too. However, this is obvious on my part as most of my tattoos are skulls, which includes the one he was currently tattooing on me. Jesse informs me that six of the skulls are real. I want to know more about them as I find myself in shock of his collection. He explains to me that he will only buy skulls that have a “story” because otherwise they’re worthless in both value and money, but the ones with history, such as the ones he collects, range from $650 to thousands of dollars, simply for a skull with a “story.” Jesse and I find we have a lot in common and talk and joke for the entire three hours, he’s very down to earth and says he likes to be drama free, which I can also relate to. His appearance, occupation, artwork, and skull collection seem like they would intimidate most people, but are all things that I instead feel comforted by because I admire his originality and carefree attitude that is much like my own, but turned up a few notches.

After Jesse finished my tattoo, he rubs ointment on it, and then wraps it in Saran wrap. We then walk out to the front for me to pay. I thank him and tell him I’ll be back as soon as possible to finish the other side of my arm. He tells me to just let him know when I have time and he’ll fit me in somewhere, which is what he did for me that day as well.

My newest tattoo addition by Jesse Probus

He went out of his way to fit me in his schedule on his day off, and he did an excellent job! Jesse is exactly the artist I was looking for, and I’m thankful to have found him as both an artist and friend. His expertise is everything I had envisioned and his quirks and similarities are an added bonus. I soon realize just what Jesse had meant when we talked about the service industry in general, if you take care of people, they’ll take care of you.

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At the end of the day, Jesse is a hardworking tattoo artist who is passionate about his job, which shows through his exceptional and unique artwork. To the naked, judgmental eye, Jesse and I may seem unapproachable or strange, but all it takes is an open mind to realize that we’re both hardworking, passionate people who may or may not be nerdy goofballs. By getting to know us you might even learn what some of our tattoos mean instead of rudely assuming we want to tell you personal things about our lives. I have come to find that the people with the more tattoos are less judgmental than those with none. Every person has a story; we just prefer to put ours on display.