who we are
JUSTIN NORDINE Words by Lexi Reich | Photo by Will Campbell
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rand Junction native Justin Nordine, 39,
time opened it as a real studio in Grand Junction.
owner of The Raw Canvas, says his life as
Nordine’s style is an infusion of watercolor,
a tattoo artist began with a leap of faith, and
nature, animals, geometric shapes and humanity.
there’s much more to his career choice than
He opens his bookings twice a year, and within
he thought.
a 24- to 48-hour period, he’ll receive anywhere
from 200 to 260 inquiries.
While earning his masters in art education
in Denver, Nordine built a curriculum around
the art and history of tattooing and taught it to
on Paramount Network, which aired this past
high school seniors in the city. While teaching,
summer, on June 11, 2019. He was sent home on
he discovered his major passion for the art form
the fourth episode, and while he hopes to return
and ultimately left the education field to pursue
another season for redemption, he also says it’s
it as a career.
time to respect the climb he’s been on and just
enjoy life.
“I wanted to do this,” says Nordine. “I was
Nordine competed for the title of Ink Master
missing being an artist. I loved teaching art but I
wasn’t creating anymore. So, I took the leap.”
about his art, but it’s not — it’s the clients that he
Nordine originally thought it would always be
Many thought he was crazy. And Nordine says
describes as the beautiful humans who sit in his
to their defense, he kind of was. He left his stable
chair every day that make him love what he does.
income to become a self-taught tattoo artist. He
stresses that he doesn’t recommend teaching the
and tragedies, all in the name of a tattoo they
art form to yourself, but under his circumstances,
can take with them and have as theirs,” shares
it was how he had to pave his own way.
Nordine. “The stories they have shared and the
“They share their lives with me, triumphs
When he was teaching, Nordine’s students
return of so many has really given me a beautiful
developed a fake tattoo studio in the classroom
look at life and all the stuff we all go through
and named it “The Raw Canvas.” In October of
… We are all so much alike, just with different
2008, he came back to The Raw Canvas, but this
stories. But we all bleed the same.” :
