We were lucky to catch up with Sketch Gamble recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sketch, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I came up with Immortal Rose Tattoo & Art Gallery from my mother when I was child. She used to always say she wants her roses before she dies. While I’m a kid I didn’t have any money to keep buying roses to give to her so I would draw them. Everyday I would draw her a rose and she would critique it. Every day I would get better and better at drawing her roses. Once I got to the point of deciding I would become a tattoo artist she told me if I was serious about it she would be my first client when I got into a shop. In 2014 I started full time as a tattoo artist. She kept her word and was my very first client in an established tattoo shop. She got a rose on her shoulder that will forever symbolize the reminder that you can do anything as long as you believe in yourself and do the work to make it possible.

It’s also inspired by a poem by Tupac ‘the rose that grew from concrete.’ The idea of a rose starting from a seed and building the strength on its own to break through the concrete and establish itself standing tall all alone is so inspiring to me.

Also the art form of tattooing to me is an immortal art form. The ultimate art that has and will last forever in culture and on people’s skin. Once you complete the tattoo it will also be there and will forever be a bond between client and artist.

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

My name is Sketch Gamble and I’m a self taught tattoo artist, painter, and illustrator. I’ve been an artist ever since I could pick up a pencil. Trying out different mediums from paper and pencil to digital art. I first started freelance graphic design in 2007 my freshman year of high school. Designing flyers for parties, church programs, logos for small businesses and other small organizations. While selling my drawings in school.

One day a friend of mine got one of my drawings tattooed on him and showed it to me. After seeing that I instantly fell in love with tattooing and the immortality of the art form. My mission was to learn everything I could about the art of tattooing.

I first picked up a tattoo machine in 2010, my freshmen year of college. After 4 years I was finally accepted into a tattoo shop called Pens & Needles in 2014. I quit my job and was tattooing full time. I worked there for about a year, then moved to a shop called Red Wolf Tattoos. I worked there for 2-3 years and the shop was taken over by one of the Artist and became Golden Coils Tattoo. I worked at Golden Coils for about 4 years and have now opened my own studio called Immortal Rose Tattoo & Art Gallery.

Here our mission is to bring a new mentality to the art world and change the narrative of what is possible. Immortal Rose Tattoo & Art Gallery is an interactive creative design house with the purpose of inspiring others to be creative and find their own form of being an artist. Through tattoos, fine art, and fashion. Many people think they are not artists because they don’t know how to draw as well as the next person. This is a comparison that should not exist in the mind of an artist. The only comparison should be what you drew yesterday. Our message is to be the message and show people that everyone is an artist. We just have to find out what type of artist you are.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I spent 4 years searching for an apprenticeship. It was a lot harder to learn how to tattoo when I started. Until one day I went into one of the local tattoo shops within walking distance of where I was living. I showed them my work and asked about the possibility of an apprenticeship. They turned me down saying there wasn’t enough space. Understandable. So I came back the next day to get tattooed, pick the artist brain and watch the process of the artist tattooing me. The next day I came back just to sit in there draw and soak up the artistic energy. I kept coming back every day eventually the other artist didn’t mind giving me tips and pointers on my drawings along with great creative conversation. Over time I became good friends with the owner of the shop and the other artist. I kept coming back everyday for almost 2 years and never got the apprenticeship. Fast forward I’ve been tattooing professionally for a few years and the owner of the shop offers me a job.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Learning to pivot is how progression and growth happens. Having kids definitely caused me to pivot. Everything changed in my life, my business, and my career. Balancing time with the family and time for my career was and is hard. Especially since most shops encourage no children. Either way you have to sacrifice time in order to progress on either side. This idea lead me to the conclusion of opening my own studio Immortal Rose Tattoo & Art Gallery. A space that I can control and allow me to work and spend time with my family. Again completely changing my life, my business, and my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: Sketchgmable.com
• Instagram: @sketchxgamble
• Facebook: @Sketchgamble
• Twitter: @Sketchgamble
• Other: Immortal Rose Tattoo & Art Gallery. 510 Saint Mary’s St. Raleigh, NC 27605.