I can't say enough about how wonderful The Nova Expansion is. The environment is so comfortable and welcoming. The service is excellent. The company you'll find yourself in is great, and the work done here is spectacular. It is definitely one of my favorite places to be!
Don't be intimidated by it being a private studio! This doesn't exclude anyone, this just means you have to make an appointment, and you won't have random people walking in off the street and interrupting your tattoo. This is an all welcoming environment, and you'll be made to feel right at home here. To me, it feels like a cross between a spa experience, and hanging out in my own living room! The studio is much, much cleaner than my living room though. There are artists coming and going, working on their craft, and each one has been unbelievably sweet and friendly. I have even been able to bring my 8 and 11 year old kids with me when I couldn't gets sitter! (although my kids are pretty well behaved...might not be the best idea for everyone) That's the environment though, one in which you'd feel good about bringing your family to.
The first thing that struck me about Justin, the owner, is that he is so kind, and down to earth. I was so tired of being treated like crap by pretentious tattooers every other place I had tried to make appointment. Justin exudes the perfect balance of the traditional No- BS attitude of an old school shop, extreme professionalism, and just hanging out with a friend. If you're going to spend hours with someone using a machine that pokes you repeatedly... Justin is a great choice!
Justin has insane talent. His technical ability is literally astounding. I can't believe how perfect the detail is on one of my tattoos in particular, how precise the lines are, and how the colors are blended- I still look at it in awe daily. I can't believe anybody could pull that off. That tattoo was a very specific request of an album cover.
However, I think what is even better, is just thinking of a concept...and letting Justin do his thing. He is extremely gifted. He can really take an idea and turn it into a visual expression of a feeling. Like a window to your soul, what once was only inside, can be made visible for all to see. He's a true artist.
His talent for understanding what people are trying to convey and then turning it into an artistic representation of their being, has been almost spiritual for me. I feel so lucky. My tattoos represent a journey of grief, and struggle - of gratitude and beauty. I've never had such a positive body image. People of every age, in every setting, stop to compliment me constantly. So much that I had to start carrying around stacks of his business cards in order to make it through the grocery store! Ha Ha! I swear to god. read more