www.facebook.com/jimi.newton.92    

We are having an

ARTIST CHOICE TATTOO SALE WITH PLENTY OF IDEAS AND DESIGNS THAT ARE AS LOW AS 50%-75% OFF.

SOUTHERN BLUES TATTOOS & PIERCINGS

1901 S. Jupiter Rd, Suite#103

Garland, Texas 75042

(214) 341-2875

www.facebook.com/jimi.newton92

www.facebook.southernbluestattoos.com

Hello, it's my pleasure that you have taken the time to grace my page with your presence.

 My name is Jimi .I'm extremely happy that you stopped by my page. To tell u a little about me, as u can see from some of the pics I'm a professional tattoo artist.

I've been doing this going on 20yrs. now. The first couple of years weren't that great but it was still what I felt I was 2 do in this life. I spent a few yrs. looking 4 an apprenticeship (someone 2 teach me)and finally found one. I had been in and out of so many Tattoo Studios looking for someone to take me in and teach me how to be a professional tattooist.

It was one door being closed after another. After so many rejections I began to think it was almost hopeless. I was young to begin with and, as much as I hate to say it, Black on top of that. All the odds against me. But in truth, when are they ever in your favor. I realized that I need a plan. I needed more than just asking for it. I set my sites on one Tattoo artist that had a cool nature about him. He had a small shop, but who needs alot of space for this anyway. It was not lavish or anything like that but he had what I wanted and was were I was trying to be.

 I started just coming around the shop as often as I could. Day after day showing my face and asking small subtle questions about what it was that he did. I had told him several times that I really wanted to be a Tattoo artist and he would say things like, "Well keep at it and you just might make it one day". I would tell him about the tats I was doing at home which was not the way to do it, and he stressed that to me over and over again. I knew he did not like talking shop with me but he was kind-hearted enough to blow me off smoothly. The more he showed his dislike for what I was doing the more that he influenced me to want to do this the right and not the wrong way.

Alot of Artist have a start like this also. But I wanted to be like him, a REAL PROFESSIONAL. He told me "ANYONE CAN PUT SOME INK IN SOMEONE'S SKIN BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE THEM A TATTOO ARTIST!!" THERE IS A big difference in the 2. And the more he spoke the more I listened. He did not tell me much but what he said made alot of sense. Once I realized this I was even more determined to be good at what I wanted to do. The more I wanted to be like him. I would do little things at his shop like grabbing the broom and start sweeping up his waiting area. He would say "NOW YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THAT" and I was like "hey it's no problem, I'm always hanging around here anyway, I might as well do something instead of just being in the way." He didn't like it but he didn't say much else about it.

Day after day, and week after week I was there. It was alot better than hanging in the streets which was leading me in bad directions and alot of other troubles. I didn't want to wear out my welcome but I was drawn to the studio like "flies to sh*t". One day I was in his ear bothering him with questions again and he said to me "YOU REALLY WANT TO BE A TATTOO ARTIST THAT BAD HUH?" I said, HELL YES! He looked at me for a minute like he was in deep thought and then said come back here and let me show you how to clean some of this equipment for me since you are always here.

He sat me down and we got started cleaning all this stuff. He showed me how to be careful cleaning because of the Blood and Bacteria on the equipment., and was explaining how you have to be careful because you don't want to get what someone else has by not being careful. After he was confident that I would be ok doing this, he started to walk out and leave me to it cause he had some clients out front. He turned to me and said, "You will have to learn from the bottom up if you want to do this." I said, "no problem". He was like, "we'll see".

Day after day I was there. Cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. It was alot of work and still nothing about tattooing had we done. Weeks went by but I was cool. It was sorta like that movie THE KARATE KID. WAX ON WAX OFF. LOL. And once I had all that down we started on learning about sterlizing and sanitizing surfaces. He really took his time with me and taught me so much and we still had not done one Tattoo yet. Sometimes I would get frustrated because I was doing everything except tattooing and one day while I was in one of my frustrated moods he explained that "YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THERE IS MORE TO TATTOOING THAN JUST TATTOOING." And that was all he had to say to remind me that he was teaching the trade and the business at the same time. He said to me, "LOOK, WITH YOU BEING BLACK IT WILL BE EVEN HARDER FOR YOU TO GET A GIG. SO YOU NEED TO HAVE AS MUCH SKILL AND CRAFT AND EXPERIENCE AS YOU CAN GET SO THAT IF THEY STILL TURN YOU AWAY , IT WILL NOT BE BECAUSE YOU ARE NO GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO. KNOWLEDGE IS SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN NOT SAY YOU WON'T HAVE."

And he was right in his methods of training me. Well, one thing lead to another and after what felt like an eternity, he started teaching me how to build machines, needles, mixing inks,etc. He really gave me all that he knew and had to offer. I was so grateful for him being in my life when I needed him the most. Soon I was tattooing in the studio and it just blossomed from there. When I look back on the tattooing it was not the best but you had to start learning first. And the more we worked at it the better it became. I wish he could be here now to see how I turned out, but life chose to take him from this world. I miss you Frank, and I know you're proud of what I became.

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR ME. I'LL HONOR YOUR NAME FOREVER

TATTOO PICTURES