We recently connected with Joe Perry and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Joe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Within the last decade, I have been able to build a clientele base, and a reputation that has allowed me to make a living off of my artwork and my tattooing, as well as build myself a business within the tattoo community, which is in the process of growing.

As a creative, making a living from Art has always been the ultimate goal. When I graduated High School in 2007, I wasn’t entirely sure how to make that happen, so I attempted to follow the path of an Art Educator. I went to college and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Art Education in 2011. However, as a creative, that path didn’t pan out the way I had hoped. During my first year as an art teacher, I enrolled in college again to earn my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts, which i acquired in 2014. It was during this time that I began to seriously find my artistic voice, and pursued the direction of being a full time artist. By the time I had earned my BFA, that’s when I had also achieved the position of a Tattoo Apprentice.
With my knowledge of the arts, I was able to apply that to tattooing, and excel quickly in the industry. And by 2015 I was able to leave the education field, and start tattooing and making art full time. I worked at the same tattoo shop as an independent contractor where I had earned my apprenticeship, and then by 2020, I was able to move on and grow further and open my own tattoo studio, Tell Tale Tattoos.

If I knew then what I know now, I do think I would like to skip that period of chasing an education degree and career. I mean, we All have that thought of “I should have done this instead.” But at the same time, I don’t regret it. I feel that path was a major player in making who I am today and what I’m capable of doing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

From childhood, I’ve always been drawn to art. I can remember trying to replicate drawings of Looney Tunes, and Bill Waterson’s “Calvin and Hobbes”.
Drawing my ideas and my thoughts was the easiest way for me to communicate, and express myself.
That continued all through school. And by 2007 when I turned 18, and was able to get my first tattoo, I discovered an art form that really spoke to me. I absolutely loved the energy and the environment of tattoo shops. So much so that during my period of pursuing my education degree, my artwork and such still harkened back to the art of tattooing. Even my senior exhibit for my BFA in 2014 was centered around portraits of tattooed individuals. Once I was accepted as a tattoo apprentice, I knew I had to hone my skill and dedicate myself to the craft so that I could elevate myself and my capabilities beyond what was the ‘norm’ at the time. So I used my knowledge of art and design and applied it to what I was learning as a young tattooer.

This approach to tattooing as an artistic craft allowed me to communicate with clients in a way that allowed me to create not just a “tattoo” for them but also an original piece of artwork for them to wear permanently and proudly. In turn, that’s also one of the things I’m most proud of as well; being able to create something unique for my clients and something that is more than ‘just a tattoo’ but something that is just as much a piece of myself as it is a piece of my clients.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

If I had to choose a particular goal that is driving me and my decisions, it would be “fulfillment”.
All too often creatives are stuck in a world where we are forced into the proverbial “box” and expected to stay there because we’re told to. Then we’re expected to just coast through our time on this planet just accepting that. And during my time of being a member of the standard work force, I realized how unfulfilling that is, and how legitimately painful that can be.
So I abandoned that school thought simply to experience fulfillment. To feel joy in what I do as a profession. To feel gratitude for getting to do what I do. To be proud of what I do. I gave up the safety of that box to pursue a dream that I could be part of something bigger than myself, and contribute to that. Feeling fulfilled in my life is far more valuable to me than the steadiness and safety of a desk job.
And now as business owner, full time artist, and tattoo artist, I’m able to experience that fulfillment, as well as contribute and give back to my community that has allowed me to build my dream.

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

In my experience, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist in the tattoo community is getting to create something for people that they enjoy, that they earn, and in some way can make them feel complete.
I’ve learned over the years that journey of Getting tattooed can often be a very healing journey for people. Whether they are healing from an unspoken trauma, healing from loss, healing a part of themselves, or placing a tattoo on themselves that makes them feel stronger or more accepting of themselves. Their journey is their own. However they have chosen Me to accompany them on that journey for a short time, and have chosen me and my art to create something for them that signifies a portion of that journey. Being a part of their story that helps them feel more confident and more comfortable in their skin is endlessly rewarding. And without those individuals and those interactions, I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.telltaletattoos.com
• Instagram: @jperry_artist @telltaletattoos_13
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/telltaletattoos

Image Credits

Personal Photo: Sarah Bokone, Boko Photo