• 11 – Connection – the art of it all

    Once we find real connection — to our craft, to others, and to ourselves — something shifts. The work stops being just practice and starts becoming part of who we are. Each piece, each story shared across the chair, leaves a mark that is carried by both.

  • 10 – Purpose: Finding the Why Behind the Work

    My purpose is evolving — part healing, part storytelling, part helping others find meaning through art. If I can create something that helps someone see their own story in a new light, then I’ve done more than tattoo; I’ve connected.

  • 9 – Reflection: The Story So Far

    Each of these themes could stand alone, but together, they form something much stronger — a living design. They remind me that personal growth, like good tattoo work, isn’t done in one sitting. It takes layers, healing, and the courage to see how each piece will flow into the next.

  • 8 – Resilience: What Comes After

    Whether it’s a reckless choice, a rough patch, or a bad tattoo you learned from, resilience is the art of turning the temporary mess into lifelong meaning. It’s about owning your past without letting it define your limits.

  • 7 – Acceptance: Becoming Just John

    The two koi represent balance—the constant movement between opposing forces that defines growth. Light and dark, strength and vulnerability, discipline and freedom. Acceptance is about finding peace in that balance, not trying to erase one side or the other.

  • 6 – Patience: The Time It Takes

    Patience means trusting that progress is happening even when you can’t see it yet. Every pass of the needle, every line drawn, every step forward matters—whether in art or in personal growth.

  • 5 – Perspective: Another Piece of the Story

    The story I want Honor and Ink to tell is the process of transforming what can be viewed as mistakes into stories of triumph. (not the bad tattoos. LOL) Not just isolated tattoos, but a body of work that flows together—symbols, memories, and meaning woven into something larger. Each tattoo, like each blog entry, is…

  • 4 – Putting it all out there

    Just like a tattoo doesn’t come together in one stroke, healing doesn’t happen in one session. It’s about consistency, patience, and being willing to let someone guide you who has the experience to help. That takes trust—and trust isn’t easy.

  • 3 – “Inktober, Shading, and Why Art Should Feel Like Riding a Scooter in a T-Rex Suit”

    Tattoo artist improving shading skills with Tattooing 101’s Artist Hour while joining Inktober 2025—progress, practice, and keeping it fun.

  • 2 – Being Human

    So if you are struggling with what you are seeing as failures, take a moment to breathe, learn from the lessons that life is teaching you, and then keep putting in your reps.  And once you figure it out, take a moment to celebrate your success.  And maybe figure out how to share your lesson…