Your Favorite Tattoo Hobo Has Returned

6 days ago

4 min read

The image shows a lighter tattoo artist figure with a slightly blurred background to make the subject stand out

GUESS WHO’S BACK IN THE BAY?

(San Ramon, California edition)

A wandering tattooer, a dirt bike, and a few remaining dates in the Bay Area

Well, well, well… look who’s crawling back into California.

After leaving in June and spending the last several months roaming the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies, I’m officially back in the Bay Area for November, with availability into December. I have a few appointment spots left while I’m here, so if you’ve been thinking about getting tattooed, now would be an excellent time to stop thinking about it and start emailing me.

I have returned from the wilderness with stories, approximately 8,000 photos, and absolutely no progress on my website portfolio. Some things never change.

THE GREAT ESCAPE (WITH A DIRT BIKE)

Since June, I’ve been using Vancouver, Washington, as my home base, catching up and working with my old friends at Hopeless Tattoo between adventures.

Along the way, I’ve visited four national parks: North Cascades, Olympic, Yellowstone, and Glacier, plus enough state and national forests to make my GPS question my life choices. I also hauled my dirt bike along and managed to ride in FIVE different states between July and October.

Because apparently driving thousands of miles into the mountains to look at trees wasn’t enough. I needed to find more creative ways to get covered in dirt.

Jokes aside, taking this time away from the usual grind has been genuinely life-changing. After years of burnout, getting out into the mountains, exploring places I’d never had the chance to see, and spending time in the wild has been more healing than I can adequately put into words. Turns out, sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is disappear into the woods for a while.

Highly recommend. Terrible for your inbox and bank account, excellent for your soul.

NEW ART, OLD WEBSITE

I’ve been posting photos from my travels on Instagram, and I intend to put together a proper photography album on my website soon.

When I find the motivation to tackle the never-ending, deeply cursed task of updating an artist’s portfolio, that is. Please keep me in your thoughts during this difficult time.

In the meantime, if you’ve been wanting a tattoo but aren’t sure what to get, I’ve added some new material to the Inspiration portfolio on my website. Go have a look!

The illustrations are my original designs, and any AI imagery included is there strictly as inspiration and a jumping-off point. I’m not interested in simply reproducing AI-generated art as-is without modification, unless a client is absolutely dead-set on a particular design. Even then, I’d want to make it work as a thoughtful, tattooable piece.

And as always, I’m more than happy to design something original with you, whether you come in with a fully formed idea, a vague concept, a collection of screenshots, or nothing but a suspiciously specific dream you had three weeks ago.

We can make something yours.

SO, WHAT’S THE PLAN?

For now, I’ll be in the Bay Area throughout November and for part of December, with a few appointment openings still available. This is a great window to start something new, whether it’s a one-shot piece or a larger project that we can tackle over two or three sessions.

I’ll be heading back through the Rockies over the winter and spending a significant amount of time in northern New Mexico over the next six months or so.

I grew up in New Mexico, and it’s been more than 20 years since I’ve lived there. My parents are getting older, and I want to be present to help out, especially with my dad turning the big 8-0 in March. Apparently, time keeps moving forward whether or not we’re emotionally prepared for it. Rude.

I’ll continue making trips back to California, because the Bay Area is still home to so many of my clients, friends, and favorite people. This place has a big piece of my heart, and I’m not ready to let that go.

Looking ahead to 2027, I also plan to spend more time in the Vancouver, Washington, area, just across the river from Portland, Oregon. So, all you Pacific Northwest folks, you may be seeing more of me!

As for where I’ll land full-time by the end of 2027? Your guess is as good as mine.

And here’s where you come in: If you live somewhere I should be tattooing, let me know! Seriously. If you’re in another city, another state, reach out. Depending on my travel plans, I might be able to make my way to you. I’m always happy to have an excuse to visit somewhere new, see familiar faces, and put some ink in some skin along the way. Consider this an open invitation to help influence the trajectory of my questionable nomadic lifestyle. I’m not entirely sure where it’s all leading, but for the first time in a long time, I’m okay with not having the whole map figured out.

Besides, I own a dirt bike in my 40s. Clearly, long-term planning has taken a back seat.