Life as Art as Tattoo
Benjamin Naiser
My life has always been about making art. As a child, my ma would buy giant rolls of paper that I would spend hours doodling on. I was given my first easel by the time I was 4, by 6 I was taking art classes in and out of school. I was mostly learning how to draw from life, instead of imagination or recreation.
Throughout my early schooling art was always at the center of my interests, by middle school I had gained an obsession with tattooing. The school I attended had to make rules against drawing on yourself, because I would spend hours in class making semi permanent tattoos with sharpies.
In high school I spent most of my time partying, but always took art seriously. I was in advanced classes and was somewhat involved in the artistic community. This trend continued throughout most of my college career.
During my last year of college, I dove deep within myself. I was scared, of not living a life worth living. I did an internship, got my degree, and tried everything I could not to get “a job”.
I spent a year after college doing freelance graphic design, and working on a few projects that never seemed to be beneficial. During this time I was beginning to understand that I needed to start thinking about things differently. Art became my means of survival.
This is where the story gets long (scroll down to read it), but I’ll make it short: I completed my obligations, packed my bags, headed west to learn the art of tattooing. I lived in Los Angeles, and spent a year learning how to apply tattoos. Once I had figured that I was capable of standing on my own two feet, I left LA and headed east to build my tattoo career.
Once I was back east, things began to happen at lightning speed. Within a year of moving across the country, I went from living in an RV with no real business, to settling into a home and handling what is essentially a small business. This has been an absolute dream come true, but at times stressful. Art has transformed throughout my life as fun doodles to serious tattoos as a means for survival.
Art now pays my bills, feeds my belly, and is my means of acquiring what I was out of life. So naturally I will take it very seriously. Though I’ve come to let money and clients force me into submission. The business requires that I am firm, and my soul requires I find enjoyment. The greatest conflict in my current position, and I find it hard to make a choice.
There’s a chance I don’t have to make a choice. I can decide to enjoy tattooing, art as business. I will no longer let tattooing or art create stress in my life, or make me feel trapped. I will only make art when it is comfortable, and tattoo with people who are as serious as I am. This may or may not work, but I will not let the art of tattooing as a means of survival consume my entire being. I love tattoos, but I also love my family and friends (not to mention myself).
Lately I’ve let tattooing and art get in the way of other areas of my life. Which is unhealthy, and will be changing. There is more I want of this life, and I very much intend on getting it.