Featuring Interviews

Transcription

MAGAZINE
TATTOO/CULTURE/LIFESTYLE
Featuring
Katie Jones
Dave Puhky
Cassie Askew
Interviews
Jeff Custeau
Nick Chan
EE
FR
Issue 1 / 2012
04
06
24
index.
West Coast Ink is a tattoo and culture magazine established in Victoria, BC. Created by owner
Ryan Bishop, the magazine has been developed to showcase the incredibly talented tattoo
community on the west coast. From tattoo artists, to shops, to models and more, West Coast
Ink Magazine has your daily fix to everything tattoo...
2 | West Coast Ink | Issue 1
04
Cassandra
Over 60% of her body is covered in tattoos.
Why? Read Cassandra’s inspiring story to
find out.
06
Jeff Custeau
Our exclusive interview with the tattoo
removal guy. He’s talented, funny, and he’s
got some great stories.
10
Jamie Miles
Full time truck drive, Jamie tells us his
passion for tattoos started before he could
remember.
16
Duncan Polson
Funny and sexy? You better believe it! This
stand-up comedian gets personal.
24
Nick Chan
Tattoo artist Nick Chan tells us about his
grind to success.
30
Tips from Beyond the INK
Getting your first tattoo? Read our tips on
“How to Interact with a Tattoo Artist”.
12
Cassie Askew
18
Katie Jones
26
Dave Puhky
Issue 1 | West Coast Ink | 3
Cassandra MORGAN
Photographer : Julia Loglisci
They say only the strong survive in this life; for Cassandra Morgan, this is an
understatement. Those who know Cassandra might say that she’s been through
hell and back, but her amazing strength and charisma allow her to live each day
to its fullest. West Coast Ink had the honor of meeting with this young woman
and listening to her incredible story.
B
orn and raised in British Columbia,
Cassandra is proud to call Victoria her
home. If you ever have the pleasure
of meeting Cassandra, you might find yourself speechless. With over 60% of her body
heavily tattooed, she is a walking form of art.
Most articles of clothing don’t even begin to
cover up her tattoos, but then again, why
would she want to cover them up in the first
place?
Cassandra’s story was very inspiring to us,
so we let her tell it in her own words…
“A few years back, I went through some major life changing events, and my tattoos became a story; a representation to each outcome of each event. The order I got them in
and their representations are very significant
and life changing for me. It was almost as if
each design, once tattooed into my skin, set
me closer to being free. When someone suffers such a significant amount of loss in such
a short period of time, one may ask themself,
what else can be taken from me? I believe
that my tattoos are something that no one
can ever take from me. My body is my canvas and it tells my story.”
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - “The protector I call him, was a major cover up of five
smaller tattoos on my back. I wanted to cover up my past and start with a fresh slate.
I decided to go with a dragon because of
the power and strength it symbolizes. This
meant the first step as a representation that
my number one priority in life is to be a good
mother and always protect my son. I thank
my son for helping me change my old ways;
he is the reason I strive to be the best person
I possibly can. Once I became a mom I realized that life was no longer all about me - I
would only live for that child.”
The Tiger - “A representation of the pride I
should always feel in myself; something I had
once lost somewhere along the way.”
Two Coy Fish – “There was a time when it
seemed that everything was against me and
my loved ones. One coy fish is swimming upstream, showing its struggle to swim against
the current. The second coy fish is swimming
downstream; this metaphors overcoming the
tragedy and making it through to the other
side.”
The Sugar Skull – “It represents life after
death. I feel as though people are always given a second chance. No one should have to
live with a haunting past or a shadow that follows them for life. Something great can come
from something bad; it is possible to become
a wiser and overall better person. One must
see the good from the bad instead of letting
it destroy them. Nobody likes to feel damaged and everyone expresses themselves
in different ways; mine was getting tattooed.
Something was released from me while sitting in that chair for over 100 hrs. The pain
changes you and I was fortunate enough to
get through the hurt and anger I once felt.”
portrait done by Greg Murphy at Union Tattoo. I have spent quite a lot of time working
with various artists at Union Tattoo. Mateo
has done some incredible cover ups for me.
He has tattooed most of what you’ve seen in
my leg sleeve. The way he was able to connect all of the paneling from my sleeve, down
my back, to the leg on the opposite side of
my body is absolutely incredible. I could not
have expected it to look any better!
“I have a large back piece with approximately
35 hours invested in it; all of this was done
by Bob, the owner of Universal Tattoo. His
attention to detail is stunning, the tattoo just
pops!”
An Angel - “My final tattoo is that of an angel
holding the hand of a fallen angel; one who
was living in darkness for so many years.
With the light shining on them the one angel
whispers to the other… Please let me take
you out of the darkness and into the light,
cause I have faith in you that you’re going to
make it through another night. After that tattoo I felt free and since receiving all of this ink
I feel different - content and happy.”
“A lot of people may not be able to relate to
me, or understand why someone would get
so many tattoos; but now you know. A tattoo
means so much more then just a pretty picture - they have a life of their own.”
Portrait of my Son - “I have a beautiful portrait
of my son with angel wings as a symbol that
this little boy saved my life. It is a gorgeous
I went head to head with
our drummer - Oldschool
WWF style!
Jeff Custeau
How many tattoo removal
companies have you seen
situated in an active tattoo
shop?!
would allow me to fulfill my desire to help people
while working in an industry that I loved. I trained
with and was certified by Lorenzo Kunz Jr. based
out of New York City. From there I joined New Skin
Laser Tattoo Removal and shadowed Peter Mckay
until I was ready to work on my own.
Photographer : Eubey Panter
“Motorcycles, old cars, and anything that hauls ass.” – These are just a few of Jeff Custeau’s many interests. Jeff’s the new
guy with New Skin Laser Tattoo Removal, the only company in Victoria that removes tattoos in an actual tattoo shop! Jeff grew
up around everything that inhibits the tattoo culture. Obsessed with music and art, he has lived a life of rock and roll and has
enough stories to tell to fill this entire magazine. Jeff and his band have played with such notable bands as: The Dead Kennedy’s,
Nashville Pussy, SuperSuckers, Vibrators and so many more. Jeff currently plays with a local band called The Stockers, who will
be releasing their newest album in 2013. We spent some time hanging out with Jeff, chatting about music and the tattoo removal
industry. Here’s what Jeff had to say…
H
ey Jeff! Let’s talk about your music. Let’s begin with the
inevitable question regarding your most memorable road
story.
The band and I were booked to play a show in Salmon Arm; we arrived late the night of the show, so you can imagine the difficulty we
would have trying to sort out accommodations before heading on
stage! After much effort to find a vacancy somewhere, we stumbled
across a senior’s home that ironically, was situated right beside the
venue we were scheduled to play at. We looked at one another and
said, “What the hell, let’s give it a shot!” We approached the lady at
the front desk and asked if she might have an empty room, and if
so, would she “rent” it to us for the night. Miraculously, she did, and
said we could stay the night for eighty bucks! Little did we know, the
senior’s home was actually for elders with severe brain injuries! Now
most people would take in to consideration the atmosphere around
them and probably try to stay extra quiet for the evening - NOT US!
You can imagine the kind of shit a rock band would get into when all
staying in one room over night. To paint a mental picture, imagine a
senior’s home turned into an old school “Wrestle Mania” ring! Guys
were jumping off furniture, we were tossing chairs and pretty much
anything we could pickup for that matter!
As I understand it Jeff, when you’re not touring with your band
and making music, you’re in the shop helping to alter and remove unwanted tattoos... How did you get into the tattoo removal business?
I worked in the healthcare industry for thirteen years. I wanted a
change from the standard, but I still wanted to help people. I wanted a
job that was “out of the box” so to say, and would keep me interested
for a long time to come. My passion for tattoos lead me to realize the
other side of tattooing, which was tattoo removal. This occupation
What are some of the challenges faced in the
tattoo removal business?
Misconceptions of how laser tattoo removal works
based on the crap people hear and read from the
internet. People don’t realize that it is in fact, possible to have tattoo’s removed, or they think that laser
removal will leave a scar. What many people don’t
know is that we can actually lighten an existing tattoo to then be covered up with a new one, or we
can alter and fix mistakes.
You have some tattoo’s I can see. Which would
you say is your worst one?
It’s a four way tie between the bumble-bee on my
leg, the tribal armband, the alien holding a match
surrounded by water (Circa, 1993), and the 4a.m
drunken decision to tattoo a blue diamond on my
hand.
Any future tattoos in mind?
A bowl of Pho, with a pair of chopsticks leaning
against the edge; this will compliment my taco inside the praying hands!
What’s the most memorable tattoo you’ve had
to remove?
I’m currently working on this one. So a girl walks
into the shop. She’s blonde, well dressed, and I’m
thinking she’s lost or something. She say’s to me,
“I have a bad ass tattoo I’d like to have removed!” I
look the girl up and down and can’t see any tattoos.
I said to her, let’s see this “bad ass” tattoo then.
The girl proceeds to pull the collar of her shirt down
only to reveal the actual words “BAD ASS” tattooed
across her collarbone!
What would you say is so significant about
New Skin Laser Tattoo Removal?
Both Pete and I are certified laser tattoo removal
technicians. We operate one of the best laser machines in today’s market and practice the highest
level of sterilization in our shop. Pete and I have both
fallen victim to the split decision to have something
tattooed on our bodies, only to realize years later
that we hate it and want to have it removed. For this
reason, we can relate to our clients and we understand their circumstance.
What does the future hold for laser tattoo removal?
Laser tattoo removal will continue to be a growing
industry. Some would argue that it will grow simply
due to the impact of these “wanker” tattoo shows
seen on television that influence young people to go
and tattoo the hell out of their bodies! Once these
20 year olds grow up and realize they aren’t the
heavily tattooed celebrities they see on T.V, they’ll
be looking to have some tattoos fixed or removed.
And that’s where New Skin will come to the rescue.
We fix, correct, and remove your bad tattoos!
3946 QUADRA ST. | (250) 727-7877
www.quadrasportsclub.com
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SQUASH COURTS
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KATIE JONES
Katie Jones
“I was counting down the
days before I was of age to
get my first tattoo.”
E-890 Esquimalt Rd. Victoria BC
250-590-8511
amie
Miles
J
F
or as long as he can remember, truck driver
Jamie Miles has had a fascination with tattoos. Maybe it was the art that he loved so
much, or the “thrill of feeling like a bad ass” as
Jamie describes it.
“I still remember when I was seventeen years
old. I was counting down the days before I was
of age to get my first tattoo.” When the time finally rolled around, Jamie ventured down to Universal Tattoo on Broad Street. With an idea in
mind and money in hand, Jamie got his very first
tattoo, a shamrock on his shoulder.
www.incendiarytattoos.ca
toos. Then one day I was chatting with my mom,
she told me that her father (my grandfather) was
a huge car fanatic. He would buy and sell cars
all the time. I have always been into cars and
have made a living over the years following in
the footsteps of my grandfather. My mother then
went on to explain how her father was covered in
tattoos. Call it ironic but I think the whole tattoo
thing might just be in my blood!”
Laser Tattoo Removal by
I think the whole
tattoo thing might
just be in my blood!
Months later, Jamie felt his other shoulder was
looking bare, so he decided to even things out
a little. Still impressed with the artwork from Universal, Jamie went back to have his second tattoo done - a fighting Irish leprechaun!
As it turned out, Jamie’s passion for tattoos
would motivate him to continue getting tattooed
for many years to come. Jamie now has several
tattoos ranging all over his body; he told us he
absolutely loves each and every one of them.
Let’s hope so!
“The funniest part of this whole thing,” says Jamie, “is that I never knew why I was so into tat-
1026 Cook St, Victoria, BC
250-882-6521
www.newskinltr.com
Cassie Askew
“I have power over myself, and I can have the strength, courage and passion
to be who I truly am.”
T
wenty-two year old Cassie Askew, born and raised in Victoria
B.C, says that the largest tattoo on her body was influenced by
her rough grade twelve year in high school.
“While in high school, I had surgery to remove my gall bladder. After
just over two weeks, I dropped almost forty pounds in weight. As
many girls can understand and would agree, high school can bring a
lot of unwanted stress as it is, let alone having undergone a medical
procedure such as the one I did. Many people hounded me for my
outrageous weight loss that year; mostly accusing me of having an
eating disorder.”
Cassie chose three words to have tattooed on her body. These three
words helped her stay focused and carry on through her graduating
year: strength, courage, and passion.
“These three words got me through everything. They reminded me to
be strong and to not let the impressions of others affect me. I have
power over myself and I can have the strength, courage and passion
to be who I truly am.”
It was Ory from Empire Tattoo that created the piece of art for Cassie.
Cassie says she was open to his creativity and asked him to somehow
incorporate calla lilies with the three words. After creating a drawing
for Cassie, Ory made a suggestion to enlarge the tattoo. Initially, she
only wanted the piece to cover her rib cage; however, after seeing
the drawing, which stretched below her hips and onto the side of her
back end, Cassie fell in love.
“I chose to incorporate the calla lily into my tattoo because I am obsessed with the flower. Years ago when my high school grad date
brought me calla lilies, their elegance and beauty overwhelmed me
and I was hooked.”
This was Cassie’s third tattoo and she says it is by far her favorite.
Expecting more tattoos in the future, Cassie says she cannot wait for
her next one!
NAIL ENVY
BY CASSANDRA
778.676.0069
Sculpted, Gel, and
Acrylic Nails
Half Page Sushi Ad
Cassie Askew
Duncan Polson
Can you believe that this
hunk used to be the shy
nerdy kid in high school?!
Wait till you hear how this
Ontario native stepped out
of the shadows and into
the spotlight!
I
f this guy isn’t on stage making his audience laugh, you’ll either catch him
drawing, writing or getting another tattoo. Duncan’s fascination with tattoos
and the artistry that accompanies them started ever since he got his first tattoo
at the legal age of 18.
Born in Ontario, Duncan Polson moved to Victoria with his family when he was
six years old. This young artist’s roots map back to both sides of his family; he
has had the artistic blood flowing through him ever since he was born!
His first tattoo expresses the unity he has with his family. “Our family has always
been close,” says Duncan. “We have to be because it’s so big! My first tattoo is
of my family motto. I had the words, Manu Forti written on my forearm, meaning
‘with a strong hand’ in Latin.”
After receiving his first tattoo, Duncan quickly began to cover himself in artwork.
Like most tattoos, his reflect life experiences.
For such a young age, he’s sure seen his fair share of heartbreak. After a failed
engagement, Duncan pretty much dedicated his whole left arm to reflect his
personal self. The half sleeve that now covers his left arm was designed at Painted Lotus Studio in Victoria. The colourful tattoo portrays a restless ocean with
waves crashing against a broken pirate ship; suspended from the ship hangs an
anchor, which symbolizes stability. “It keeps me grounded” says Duncan. “It’s
like I’m able to stay on the right path even though it can be hard.”
From the bad experiences in Duncan’s life came some good, and within a short
period of time, it took a turn in the right direction. Not only can this guy make you
laugh and look good while doing it, he can also write, draw and act!
Duncan was always the shy guy in high school. Even though he stretches far
over 6 feet tall, he managed to only be seen when he wanted. It wasn’t until
Duncan moved to L.A., California, just after high school, that he realized he
wanted to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight.
At 18, Duncan was living in L.A. and attending comedy
school. He was accepted into the Groundlings Theater
School, and was actually the youngest student in history to
be enrolled. He excelled in both writing and acting; when
school finished he decided to take his jokes to the streets
and give stand up a real try.
Even at such a young age, Duncan let nothing stand in the
way of his dreams. Soon enough, Duncan was bar hopping
around the streets of Korea Town giving stand up performances in each and every bar. “Stand up is you by yourself,” says Duncan. “You don’t have to rely on anyone else;
it’s like instant gratification!”
It was only a matter of time though, before he was caught
as a minor in the U.S. bar scene; Duncan packed up his
California life and moved back home to Victoria to give his
comedy a try here.
“Stand up is you by yourself, you
dont have to rely on anyone else;
it’s like instant gratification.”
Since returning home, Duncan has proved to be quite the
funny guy. He has performed and opened for many acts at
different bars around Victoria such as The Temple Restaurant & Lounge, and Heckler’s Pub. Duncan says his acting
career has blown up since moving back home and has
even landed him a few rolls in small local feature films; one
of which got him a spot in the Whistler Film Festival. If
that’s not enough, his amazing sketches and doodles have
caught the eye of many local artists. Duncan told us he
hopes to one day be a tattoo artist himself.
For his best friends birthdays, Duncan had to think
of a last minute gift idea. Tattoo their initials on his
chest?! Why not...
A bright and successful future is within reach for Duncan
Polson. He says he hopes to soon move to Australia and
cannot wait to smother himself in the tattoo and acting industry there.
KatiE Jones
W
est coast local, Katie Jones, believes that tattoos are
a form of self-therapy. For numerous reasons, Katie
always finds a meaningful motive for her next tattoo.
She inks herself in memory of something important that needs
to not be forgotten.
Katie tattoos her body as a reminder of the life learning experiences she is constantly going through. “I get a tattoo to start
over - a new beginning - which represents my strength,” she
says. “I have the words Love is Blind written in an Arabic font
under my left arm. I believe that love is blind, 100%. Whether it’s
good love or bad love, it can always be blinding.”
To say Katie has a few tattoos is an understatement. If you take
a closer look, you can see she is covered from head to toe. “My
OBSESSION is tattoos,” says Katie. “I think everyone who has
them would agree with me in saying they’re addicting.”
One of her tattoos is of a naked girl wrapped in vines on her left
rib cage. “A naked woman represents beauty; inside and out,”
Katie says. On her right rib cage, again in Arabic script, reads
a quote that Katie lives by: “Be different, be brave, be true, be
great, have dreams, have courage, have strength, be someone,
be you, let me be me.”
“These are great words to live by,” says Katie, “and sometimes
I need a little reminder of that.”
Katie’s first tattoo was of a baby dragonfly on her hip. “I drew it
myself and wanted it short and sweet. I like to draw and write all
of my tattoos, or at least try to! They mean more to me when I
draw them and that way I know they’ll be original.”
Katie’s day of the dead/sugar skull tattoo on her right arm is her
largest tattoo yet. “This tattoo came to me at a time in my life
where I needed a fresh start. Day of the Dead (in Spanish Día de
los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebration that honors and
prays for loved ones who have passed away.
“It’s a celebration of life instead of
death and for me it represents new
beginnings in life to come.”
Get the hairstyle you really want.
Mens Cut - $16 | Womens Cut - $35
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T
he first verse is a mother saying
to her daughter “I love you my
sweetheart and I’m always going
to try and lead you on the right path,
but I know you won’t always choose
that path.” The second verse is a
daughter saying to her mother “I know
you will always try and lead me on the
right path, but I want to choose my
OWN path, and ill be waiting for
you crying at the gates.” (Meaning the gates of heaven) The
third verse is my grandmothers
name, birth date, and death
date followed by “I love you
grandma, always remembered,
never forgotten”. The red spool
of thread symbolizes the tightly
sewn connection between my
grandmother, my mother, and I,
as well as my grandmother was
a seamstress. I got this tattoo
done on october 19 2012, exactly two years after my grandmother passed away. She was
the most influential woman in my
life and I pray I can grow up to be
half the woman she was.”
1609 Douglas Street | 250-590-3367
Krisztina Kadar
Tattoo by local artist Mateo from
Union Tattoo.
ARA
ENG
C
Photographer : Eubey Panter
Photographer : Pablo Badd
Hailing from the beautiful Kootenay
Region, Kyle Williams has been skateboarding since the age of 13, and
began tattooing in 2001. Riding for
Rippen Geraiff Boards in Nelson, BC,
Article Clothing in Clagary, and Rare
Form, this Victoria resident gets it in.
ICK
CHAN
N
Tattoo and coach/mentor to Nick.
Jim, what can you tell us about Nick? How has it been coaching and working with him?
He’s a pain in my ass! Hahaha... no, Nick’s great. He is just like me
which helps us get along so well! Nick is like family to me and to the
rest of the shop now.
I had a blast coaching Nick through his apprenticeship! I never had
to show him the same thing twice; when I show or teach him something, he just nods his head and runs with it.
I told Nick in the beginning of his training that I would show him everything I knew, and that my goal was to make him better than me.
But I said to him, “If I teach you everything I know and you decide
to just up and move away... I will find you and cut your FUCKIN’
thumbs off!”
did I know that while I was grinding away in Edmonton, Preston and
Jim Carter, a tattoo artist and shop owner in Victoria, were stewing
up an opportunity that was about to change my life!
When Preston arrived back home from the tattoo convention he told
me to pack my bags and that I was moving back home to start a full
apprenticeship with Jim Carter at Incendiary Tattoos.
Within a few days I was home again in Victoria and meeting with Jim
at his shop. Jim gave me the run down and basically had me start
right away. I picked up my old job again with the City of Victoria to
help pay bills and survive while I began my journey to becoming a
full-time tattoo artist.
“Being a tattoo artist is kind of like being a rockstar... except you don’t
perform on a stage.”
W
orking as a tattoo artist sounds as if it would be a pretty easy
job (minus the fact you have to be good at art); you get to
sleep in, show up for work sometime in the afternoon, draw
some things, meet tons of people, hangout with your buddies and
listen to loud music! Well although many tattoo artists do in fact get to
enjoy this as a daily routine, they don’t just waltz into this luxury overnight. It takes time, dedication and countless hours of practice. We
sat down with Nick Chan who recently graduated as an apprentice
artist of Jim Carter at Incendiary Tattoos. Nick talks about his grind
to get into the tattoo industry and his struggle in the early months
back in Edmonton, AB, where he got his opportunity and first role in
a tattoo shop.
How did you first get started in the tattoo industry, Nick?
Two years ago I was at a tattoo convention at Pearkes Arena in Victoria. I had a few tattoos at the time and figured I would try and get
another one while I was there. I sat down with Preston Hamilton who
was representing Demons Ink tattoo shop. During my session with
him, I expressed interest in getting into the tattoo industry and asked
him how I might get an opportunity. He explained that it was very hard
these days and that usually the only way in is through an apprenticeship; so I asked him right there for an apprenticeship! Much to my
disappointment he turned me down and that was pretty much the
end of my session with him, so it was time to leave. I left the tattoo
convention pretty bummed and discouraged but I wasn’t about to let
that stop me.
About six months later I got a phone call...it was Preston Hamilton.
He asked me if I was still interested in tattooing and said he had an
opening at his shop; I literally dropped everything, packed my life and
moved to Edmonton.
Now I bet you’re thinking, “So that’s it? That’s how he got into tattooing?!” Well no, that’s not it; that’s only the beginning!
In Edmonton I was pretty much the shop bitch . My job was to clean,
scrub toilets, answer the phone, and if there was still time left in the
day after all that, I could practice drawing. After months of this I still
was not allowed to tattoo, and therefore I could only earn a minimal
wage. I was barely making ends meet between working at the shop
and working the kitchen at the local pub in the evenings. Eating Kraft
Dinner at each meal became a routine; I was depressed! I tried to
keep my head up and keep focused but the truth was, I missed home
and I missed my friends and family. My boss could see that I was
down and he knew that I wished I was back home again.
A year had passed since I first met Preston. The tattoo convention
was being held for a second time back home at Pearkes Arena. Little
As an apprentice with Jim, my job was quite similar to the one I had
back in Edmonton - scrubbing tubes, cleaning the shop, answering
the phone; however it wasn’t too long before Jim had me tattooing
on pig skins for practice. Soon after that I was starting to tattoo on
my own body, and before I knew it I was tattooing my friends! I will
never forget the day; Jim came in to the shop, walked into the back
room where I was drawing and said, “Nick, it’s time to start tattooing,
buddy!“
I was only allowed to tattoo my friends at first, and could only charge
$15/hour. That was a year ago. I graduated the apprenticeship program with Jim and today I’m a certified tattoo artist charging nearly
full rate!
What does an average day look like for you now, Nick?
I wake up at 6 am every morning and head to my day job with the City
of Victoria. At 4 pm I leave work and head straight to the shop and
work for another 3 or 4 hours!
What’s your long term goal? Will you continue as a tattoo artist?
Absolutely! My motivation is the vision I have of one day becoming a
full-time tattoo artist. If I play my cards right, I’ll be tattooing for the
rest of my life!
How do you like working at Incendiary Tattoo, and more so, how
do you like working with Jim?
I absolutely love it here! Jim is an incredible coach and I owe everything to him. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today
if it weren’t for him; he gave me a chance and I will forever be grateful
for that.
We had a chance to briefly chat with Jim Carter, owner of Incendiary
Dave Puhky
I
f you can manage to look past his big muscles and
six pack abs, you’ll notice this guy has quite the
elaborate sleeve tattoo.
West Coast Ink had the pleasure of meeting up with Dave
Puhky, an island fitness fanatic who says he’s currently in the
best shape of his life.
You may be unable to tell now, especially after chatting with
him, but in his teenage years Dave was actually quite mischievous. It wasn’t until after getting himself into some trouble that
he realized he needed to make a change to better his future;
Dave looked to competitive MMA fighting to channel some of
his aggression.
“Training and working out has always been an important part
of my life,” Dave says. “I have found that wrestling and fighting
has always been a good way to let off some steam and regain
my thoughts.”
West coast native Dave Puhky has a passion for tattoos and
the tattoo culture.
This Saltspring Island native moved to Victoria when he was
twenty-one years old. Dave, who had already received a few
tattoos, says that it was important to him that his next tattoo
represented something of extreme significance.
“I had wanted a larger tattoo for a long time,” says Dave. “I
had a couple of small ones already, but I really wanted a larger
more detailed tattoo; something close to my heart and meaningful to my life.”
For a young man, this twenty-four year old has been through
a lot of heartbreak and life changing experiences. “When I was
younger, I got into a lot of trouble with drugs and alcohol,”
says Dave.
This was just the start to many problems that were about to occur
in his life. Dave was involved in two high-speed car accidents while
under the influence. The first one happened when he was sixteen,
and the second when he was eighteen.
Dave said at one of the accidents the paramedics had to actually
cut him out of the car! Amazingly, he was fortunate enough to survive both car accidents, walking away with only a few bad cuts and
bruises.
“In court, the charges laid against me resulted in fourteen days in jail,
$5,000 in fines, two years probation, and five years without a driver’s
license. Trust me; I realize now what most people would say – what
an idiot!”
Dave had to learn things the hard way, as do many young people,
but after going through all of this, it was clear that he had a guardian
angel looking over him.
“I definitely have someone watching out
for me,” says Dave.
Shortly after his accidents, Dave suffered the loss of his best friend
who passed away from HIV; it was the first time he had lost someone
so close to him.
“The last time we saw each other was in Los Angeles at a Shiny Toy
Guns concert; every time I hear one of their songs now, it reminds
me of him.”
Significance is what Dave wanted for his next tattoo, so significance
is what he got. With some of the major life altering experiences he
had faced, Dave came up with three meaningful ideas to influence
his tattoo. The first tattoo would be of a guardian angel, which Dave
knew he wanted to place high on his arm. After losing his friend, Dave
decided on a shiny toy gun and a steel rod to symbolize the unbreakable bond that linked their friendship.
When Dave moved to Victoria, he searched for an artist with a specific style and level of creativity to develop his ideas into a great tattoo.
He found Ory from Empire Tattoo.
“He does custom work which I love,” says Dave. “Ory took my three
ideas, put them together, and drew up something that was absolutely
amazing. Getting this tattoo was the best decision of my life and I
love it!”
Dave says his tattoo addiction is now full blown and he cannot wait
to start another piece.
As far as his fitness goes, Dave now trains at Island MMA/Peterec’s
gym on Fisgard Street in Victoria.
“I have some great people and coaches there”, he says. “One of the
biggest parts of it for me is the individuality of the sport. It takes a
good team to help make you who you are, but when it comes down
to a fight, it’s all on you and I like that. I just hope to stay free of injury
as I feel that I have a very bright future in this sport.”
On The Cover
Tips from Beyond the INK
Directory.
Bellasol Tanning & Spa
4462 West Saanich Rd, Victoria BC
250-744-1202
www.bellasol.ca
New Skin Laser Tattoo Removal
1026 Cook St, Victoria BC
250-882-6521
www.newskinltr.com
Black Label Tattoos
250-715-6039
www.inkfiend.com
Nail Envy
Cassandra
250-676-0069
Clipped Hair Salon
1609 Douglas Street, Victoria BC
250-590-3367
Quadra Sports & Fitness
3946 Quadra Street
250-727-7877
Incendiary Tattoo
E-890 Esquimalt Rd, Victoria BC
250-590-8511
www.incendiarytattoo.ca
Rhino Print Solutions
13880 Mayfield Pl, Richmond BC
604-232-5600
www.rhinoprintsolutions.com
Goatthings Jewelry
Ashleigh Toby
250-589-1232
www.goatthings.com
Shizen Sushi
1702 Government St, Victoria BC
250-381-8228
www.shizensushi.ca
Jeff Martin - Urge Studios
1026 Cook St, Victoria BC
250-380-2989
www.urgetattoos.com
Steve Drane Harley-Davidson
2940 Ed Nixon Terr, Victoria BC
250-475-1345
www.stevedraneharley.com
Kyle Williams
250-300-8337
[email protected]
Tommy’s Supplies
34 Egypt Rd, Unit A, Somers CT
866-209-7361
www.tommyssupplies.com
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Contact us for your free subscription!
Issue 1 / 2012
Editorial Director
Ryan Bishop
Editorial Assistant
Julia Loglisci
Graphic Design
Stephen Richter
Photography
Julia Loglisci
Eubey Panter
Art Direction
Nick Chan
Printing
Rhino Print Solutions
Special thanks to...
Jeff Custeau
Pete McKay
Jim Carter
Nick Chan
Jess Clark
Julia Loglisci
Pablo Badd
Zus Richter
Sean Morley
Millennial Group

Featuring Interviews

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