MICHAEL GETZ

What was it that initially sparked your interest in tattooing?

For me, it was living the lifestyle that I always wanted to while being able to create financial freedom based on my own ambition ⸺ Was it hard getting an apprenticeship? How was yours? I was asked if I wanted to do an apprenticeship. Even though the process was difficult and intense at times, getting into it wasn’t that difficult. I was approached about the opportunity. It had equal parts sterilization and application as it did brown liquor and the party life. Times have changed ⸺ Who or where do you get your inspiration from?

I get a lot of my inspiration from studying shapes in nature and the contour of things from actual scenery to facial structures. I use these things to enhance a lot of the horror realism I do ⸺ What did your family and friends think about you getting into the tattoo business? They were always supportive of me following my passion but didn’t believe that a hobby could become a career ⸺ What would you say is your favorite part of the job? My favorite part of tattooing is the opportunity and the freedom to express my creativity and skill through helping others express themselves and the faith and trust that comes with it ⸺ Have you ever had a bad tattooing experience, and what was it? I had a guy read the Old Testament to me for five hours straight once; that was probably the worst experience of my life ⸺ What is the most important advice you can give someone new to the art of tattooing? Always be as excited to do the tattoo as the client is to get it; being a tattoo artist doesn’t make you cool; it’s the passion that you put into the tattoos that makes you unique ⸺ What do you enjoy most about tattooing and working with clients? Honestly, clients walking through the door as one person and leaving feeling a little bit more connected to who they truly are ⸺ Can you tell us about your favorite tattoo that you’ve ever done? I did a tattoo of myself aggressively eating a banana, wearing a sweatband on a girl’s buttcheek, with no hesitation ⸺ How do you stay inspired and motivated as an artist? We all hit artist block; we can’t avoid it. It’s just a matter of having a lot of things in your life that fills your cup to make sure motivation stays. ✕

Hi, I’m Molly. I’m a full-time tattoo artist from Seattle, Washington. I grew up playing outdoors on a 20-acre piece of land, going to church and taking every art class I could, and those are the things that still influence my work today. I’ve always loved working with people, and tattooing gives me the opportunity to use my art in a way that is deeply meaningful to others. It is a great way to make a living, and I could not be more grateful to have this as my career ⸺ Who or where do you get your inspiration from? I find that I draw a lot of inspiration from nature and history, as well as folklore and the spiritual subject matter too. I have folders within folders on Pinterest of animals, flowers, church windows/ altars, art nouveau paintings, and mythology. I think I find the best inspiration from allowing myself the time and space to be curious, go down rabbit holes, and just enjoy where my research takes me ⸺ Was it hard getting an apprenticeship? How was yours? I actually went to a state-regulated tattoo school in Portland, Oregon. I know many folks in the industry have a lot of trepidation about tattoo schools, which is fair for those schools that have no checks and balances in place. However, I loved my experience. I learned from multiple artists, had access to great resources, and was given an incredibly thorough education on safety and sanitation. I can honestly say it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made for myself ⸺ Have you ever had a bad tattooing experience, and what was it? I think the worst experience for me was when I did a guest spot in Los Angeles, and the shop owner basically accused me of short-changing him. I was so gutted. I’ve worked so hard to build good rapport in the industry and work with integrity, so that was pretty mortifying. Thankfully he didn’t spread any slander about me, and I was just able to leave and not look back ⸺ What is the most important advice you can give someone new to the art of tattooing? Don’t let the industry intimidate you. Be humble, take advice, and learn all you can from those who came before you, but don’t let anyone scare you away. If you even think you MIGHT have something to add to the global conversation that is tattooing, you probably do. ✕