The story so far
A tattoo artist's path from Colorado to Las Vegas—shaped by creative obsession, the people who believed in it, and a private studio built around the experience.
01 — The story
I've been lucky enough to spend a big part of my life making art, meeting interesting people, and somehow convincing people to let me permanently draw on them for a living.
My journey as a tattoo artist started in Colorado, but it has taken me through different studios, different chapters of my life, and eventually to Las Vegas. Along the way, tattooing stopped being simply what I do for a living. It became part of who I am.
02 — The story
Justin has been one of the greatest supporters and mentors in my career as an artist. More importantly, he gave me something very few artists ever get to experience—the opportunity to actually make a living doing what I love instead of becoming the stereotypical starving artist.
My apprenticeship began at his first studio, Mountain Ink, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. It was an incredible experience, and I was surrounded by an amazingly talented group of artists. Paul, Megan, Jason, Amanda, and Wink rounded out the crew.
Being around that much creativity every day challenged me, inspired me, and helped shape not only the tattoo artist I became, but the way I approach art in general.
03 — The story
When Justin sold Mountain Ink, we opened a small two-station studio farther up the valley called Eagle Vail Ink Lounge—or, appropriately enough, E.V.I.L.
To this day, it was one of the coolest places I've ever worked. A mountain river ran directly behind the studio. We'd sit on the back porch and watch bald eagles fly overhead, deer wander nearby, and raccoons sneak around looking for food from the restaurant below.
It was an amazing place to tattoo. Unfortunately, Colorado also has this cold white stuff that falls out of the sky every winter. Eventually I decided I had experienced enough of that. Las Vegas was calling.
When I moved to the desert, I chose the name EVILution Tattoos as a tribute to my Vail Valley family while also representing exactly what was happening in my life—the next evolution.
04 — The story
When I arrived in Las Vegas, I was determined to turn EVILution Tattoos into something real. My first location was one small room inside a large salon and spa. It wasn't glamorous, but it gave me exactly what I needed: somewhere to work, meet people, build relationships, and begin establishing myself in a completely new city.
About a year later, I reached one of those moments where life gives you two completely different directions. I could move back to Colorado, or I could take a chance. A larger location became available just down the road, and with the encouragement and support of my family and friends, I took the chance.
That little one-room operation grew into a five-station tattoo studio. Running a larger shop taught me a tremendous amount about tattooing, business, people, and myself. But eventually I realized something important. Bigger wasn't necessarily better for me.
05 — The story
What I really loved was the personal side of tattooing. Long before I ever became a tattoo artist, I remembered every tattoo experience I had—not only the tattoo itself. I remembered what I was wearing, what the weather was like, who was with me, what was playing in the background, and how the entire day felt.
Justin also taught me what I jokingly think of as the art of distraction while tattooing. A good movie, music, conversation, artwork on the walls, or simply having somebody you trust sitting nearby can completely change the experience.
So instead of trying to create the biggest tattoo shop I could, I eventually began creating the kind of studio where I would want to get tattooed. Something smaller. Personal. Comfortable. A place where clients can relax, bring somebody with them, watch something, look around, talk, laugh, and hopefully forget—at least occasionally—that I'm repeatedly poking them with needles.
That's the environment I have today, and it feels like home.
06 — The story
I'm still evolving. Tattooing remains at the center of what I do, but I've never been particularly good at limiting myself to one creative outlet. Illustration, graphic design, animation, clothing, shoes, tactile artwork—if I can put an idea onto something, I'm probably going to try it.
I don't know exactly where all of it will lead. And I think I'm okay with that.
Looking back, I'm incredibly grateful for every person who has been part of this journey—to my family, my friends, my mentors, the artists I've worked beside, and every client who has trusted me with their ideas, their stories, and their skin.
Most of all, I'm grateful to Taylor and Aurora for giving me reasons to keep pushing myself creatively and reminding me what all the work is ultimately for. And to everyone who has allowed me to make a living doing something I genuinely love: Thank you. Seriously. I still can't believe people pay me to do this.
The part that changed everything
Somewhere along this journey, my definition of success changed. On September 29, 2018, I married my wife, Taylor. Taylor has been beside me through the ups, downs, questionable ideas, long days, late nights, creative obsessions, and all the uncertainty that comes with trying to make a life as an artist.
Having somebody who believes in what you're capable of—even during the times when you're questioning it yourself—is an incredible thing. Her love, patience, encouragement, and support have given me the freedom and confidence to keep pushing creatively and continue trying new things.
Then, on December 8, 2021, our daughter Aurora was born. And my world changed again. Becoming a father gave me an entirely different reason to keep creating. Aurora is my motivation to keep learning, experimenting, drawing, tattooing, animating, designing, and chasing the ridiculous ideas that pop into my head. I want her to grow up seeing that creativity has value—and that doing something you genuinely love is worth working for.
She's also become a familiar little presence around the studio, usually working on an art project of her own while Dad is working on his. These days, being an artist, husband, and father aren't separate parts of my life. They all influence each other.
Taylor is the person standing beside me, encouraging me to keep moving forward. Aurora is the reason I want to keep becoming better. And together, they've given everything I create a little more purpose.
Still creating