Jason Kelly
In the summer of 1995, I began tattooing at the age of 15. My dad had a tattoo shop in Marietta, GA, upstairs from a motorcycle shop and right next to the high school I rarely attended. I would hang out in his shop making needles and drawing tattoos for his clients until he finally started letting me tattoo my friends.
At first, it was pure rebellion. Punk rock. Anti-social. But then I started seeing tattoos in magazines that looked really good! True works of art. I knew then that I wanted to see what I was capable of. I wanted to put tattoos on people that were more than a scarred-up symbol of rebellion. I left my dad’s studio to seek out more guidance and inspiration.
Years later, I have worked in many shops all over Atlanta. I have done countless guest spots and conventions in different cities all over the U.S. and parts of Europe. I have a wonderful community of friends in tattooing and a large clientele consisting of eclectic people from all walks of life.
I enjoy getting to know my client personally. With every request I get, I try to design each tattoo to fulfill the client’s vision in a way I can be proud of. I do my best to stay versatile and able to take on any idea that’s brought to me. If I do not feel like I am the best for the job I will respectfully refer you to another local artist who may be.
I love traditional Americana tattooing. I love symbolism and lettering. I love anything that goes against the grain of popular tattooing. I also love the common images that have been spoken so loudly to tattooed people over the last century. Roses, daggers, eagles, pin-ups, and panthers. Tall ships with mermaids. Wolves howling at the moon. Arrows through a heart with a lover’s name. Any image that has a story to tell or a secret to memorialize.
Regardless of the subject matter of your tattoo, your tattooed skin tells your story in your timeline. A ten-year-old tattoo says who and where you were ten years ago. And as so many tattoo critics say, “What about when you’re 80 years old…” an 80-year-old tattooed person will tell you wonderful stories of everywhere they’ve been and all the things they’ve seen. Tattooing and being tattooed is still the ultimate rebellion for me.
