Well I have just had one of the most amazing creative experiences of my life. And I have a spectacular tattoo as well. The process of getting a tattoo doesn't get a whole lot better than this.
Truth to tell, I contacted Joel partly because of a negative review on this site. He has lots of positive reviews from another place of business, but I was intrigued by the one star review here that revealed an artist careful enough and respectful enough both of his work and his client to say no to a design he knew would not work. That is a rare thing. There are a million crappy watercolor tattoos out there, and tattoos on body parts that look unnatural and that someday the client is going to regret. I didn't want that client to be me and the review made him sound like he had the guts and integrity to say no if he needed to.
So I emailed him. Was thrilled his books were open and that he agreed to do my project. Sent him a million ideas which I am sure drove him totally batty as they were not at all consistent. I am a writer and thinking about a visual project is hard for me. What I was after was an emotion, a sense of joy, release and spiritual balance. A life well-lived. Oh, and I wanted a sunset.
We had some back and forth via email, I paid a fee for the watercolor painting and a deposit on the tattoo. That was another part of his process that I liked. After he designs and paints the watercolor, if it isn't the tattoo you want you can take your painting and walk away. He is an amazing artist so the water color is bound to be wonderful and I didn't feel like I was taking any risk.
We texted images back and forth, had a long talk on the phone, set a date and when it arrived I flew out to Texarkana (the airport has ONE gate -- least stressful arrival I've had in my life!) I met Joel that afternoon to review our ideas as he was about to start the design. Of course I threw a couple more thoughts into the pot and as he strove to distill my ideas to a single essence, I kept adding more. We were both exhausted, but we both knew we could walk away intact if it didn't work so it was frustration without tension (if that makes any sense). The evening ended with a beautiful picture (really, incredible) but when he photo-shopped it on my leg it wasn't a great match.
So I slept on it and the next morning wrote him a note explaining what I liked and what I didn't. It was a long note. His response to my flow of words was genius. He invited me over to paint.
I never actually picked up a brush but sat with the paints and the painting and we talked. Things clicked immediately and he started to paint a new image with me watching over his shoulder. When he finished I had tears in my eyes. He told me I would know when it was right and I did. Viscerally.
He had created a soaring, joyful soul, back arched, arms reaching to a star filled sky that was contained in her up-turned face and her streaming hair. She was wrapped in a gossamer dress that contained the blazing sunset and her feet were hidden in the waves she stood in as the rippling water reflected the brilliant colors of the dying day.
I could not be happier. The creative process wasn't easy on either of us because we have learned different ways to take that journey, but it worked beautifully because a) I knew his work and had faith he could express my idea if I could only articulate it and b) I had trust that he wouldn't let me make a decision I would regret later and that I could walk away if I needed to.
That trust and mutual respect between client and artist is essential. Funny how it was a negative review that let me know I could count on it.
I haven't had my last tattoo, but I have found my last tattoo artist. Thanks a million, Joel. read more