Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amy Ward. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Amy , thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I graduated high school, and I was considering going to college, I asked myself, “If I get done with school and can’t find a job in the field I pursued, what would give me enrichment that would be valuable regardless of if I make money at it?” Art was the obvious area of study that would be enjoyable and that I would love to spend time learning more about regardless. I had been doing clay sculpture, ceramics, painting and drawing since I was 11 years old. As I took the steps to study Fine Art at Portland State University, I was exposed to an artist that had recently finished a Tattoo apprenticeship. As soon as I watched the body art process – the design get created and applied with care – I instantly knew it was something I would love doing. I loved the aspect that this was a painting on a three dimensional canvas, a living canvas – that has a personality that would steer the art they collected. The collaboration with the client and ultimately coordination of applying the permanent Body Art was also a relational endeavor. I noticed the relationship was important to give the collector what they would enjoy for a lifetime, and this challenge inspired me to follow this dream.

Amy , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I studied fine art before learning to tattoo professionally. I have been tattooing professionally since 1999, after undergoing a formal tattoo apprenticeship at Shades of Gray Tattoo, in Oshkosh Wisconsin. In 2000, I bought an existing shop and named it A-ok Tattoo. A-ok Tattoo shop’s location has been open in Roswell NM since 2004. As well as body art, I produce sculpture and paintings – available in the shop 2 Ravens Glass Art Gallery. Our shop strives to be the cleanest of all tattoo shops worldwide, we care about your health first and, of course, amazing custom tattoos that you will never see anywhere else.

One thing that has set me apart is that I have always offered custom tattoos, designed at no extra cost, for collectors of body art. I have always been interested in the human form, my initial ceramic sculpture always incorporated it into compositions. I began sculpture in 1991 as a youth and have been a body artist since 1999. I’ve noticed that tattoo collectors cherish exhibiting a tattoo that is a unique statement only they own. Each tattoo collector is my gallery, that is interacting with the world daily, showing my work anywhere they go: to the store, being in public et. The life of a tattoo may be appreciated by someone not expecting to see art that day, and the personal interaction is sometimes very connective and inspire exchanges in the middle of a mundane setting. It still amazes me that these human galleries are on display and daily they walk and talk about the art we created together.

My experience in fine art, sculpture & painting, gives me an advantage when designing and tattooing for inspiration. Tattooing is an amazing mix of 2 dimensional artwork on a 3 dimensional canvas. I truly love that the anthropomorphic aspect of my individual human canvases bring endless opportunity to create a 2-D image viewed in a multifaceted 3D form.
At A-ok Tattoo, I use only the highest quality and safe inks. My passion is to prioritize the client’s health and to achieve ink longevity so the Body Art done by me looks the way we intended for a lifetime.
We put our clients first and honor their living canvas by making sure we consider all things so that this is an awesome experience. We will set you up for success, so all you leave with is an epic tattoo and hopefully a fun story. We will be transparent and consider all your needs for Amazing Body Art and Safe practices and products.

I have been an advocate and continue to commit myself as a profession specific voice for the Tattoo Industry. In 2017, I was nominated by the New Mexico Governor to serve on the NM Body Art Board, representing Establishments. I am currently a member of the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, a member of the AFDO Body Art Committee, and a member of the NEHA Body Art Committee. My hope is to collaborate and educate the public on safety in regards to collecting ink, to lead the quality discussions on information regarding Tattooing.

+ Body Art Professional License, cleanliness is my priority
+ Every piece is custom drawn by me, never to be repeated.
+ I only use the highest quality inks and tools. Your safety is the most important part of our process.

As a Tattoo Practitioner, I have an ink standard.
As a tattoo collector, do you think about the ink that is left in your skin?
Ask your Tattoo Artist what their Ink Standard is!!

After all, the Tattoo collector lives with the ink for a lifetime, and as a tattoo artist, I am the final checkpoint for the products used in the process. My role is important: to consider my supplier and the ink components so I can be transparent with my clients and get the desired result of this amazing Art form that has historically been part of our culture for thousands of years.
I have noticed my clients feel assured I have done everything to make sure they are safe when getting inked by me and that has produced word of mouth that brings clients back, with their children, and their grandchildren.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I originally was drawn to making and creating art because it was fun and challenging, my senses enjoyed the act of creating with clay and I loved observing the world and rendering what inspired me. I have the capacity to work clay and paint and tattooing, so as the years of practice the technical side and physical labor of making art has become second nature, so, I can really be at full attention to the art I am creating. As I have spent 25 years applying tattoos to living canvases, there are many rewarding facets of being a body artist. The most impactful to me is the relationship between the tattoo client and I, as we plan and design a permanent work that they will live with every day going forward. It is a commitment for the collector in a way different than any other art collection. It is an honor to be the last check for the quality ink and clean practices that honor their health and life so they can live and love their body art and that it ages well and compliments them and their 3 dimensional composition. I have been sculpting with the intention to make them the subject of my designs for body art. I feel many times that the artwork I have made finds it collector, because the client needs that design…like it was made only for them. I truly enjoy creating custom artwork, often with deep personal significance that lives on display all day every day, out in the public eye with a chance to be seen just when someone isn’t expecting.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want to enjoy what I spend my time doing, to be true to the unique interests I have. I had tried a few instruments as I grew up and found that what I could actually enjoy spending time with, I got better due to that enjoyment and I had even more fun. So, as I chose to learn Fine Art outside of primary school from the age of 12. As I chose my area of study in College, I decided to pursue Art because I knew I would at least enjoy learning and despite the amount of work school was, it never felt like a grind. My goal was to hopefully be able to render what I could observe with my eyes. I saw so much beauty and was inspired by the masters of art that sculpted and painted amazingly realistic human forms with gesture and unique style. So, as I became a tattoo artist and studied the human form for composition to inspire my designs in 3-D sculpture, I learned so much about the human form in proportion through the thousands and thousands of hours I worked in body art. I ultimately love depicting the human figure in gesture to express movement somehow, and that has been what drives me because it is inspiring to watch people as they relate to each other. Relationship inspires me, and I will continue to seek out how to create work that captures just a glimpse of the beauty I see in people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aoktattoo.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/aoktattoo
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/aoktattoo
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/@aok_tattoo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AokTattoo

Image Credits

Amy Ward, (Joe Ward) aka Free, Brett Schenning