Pepe
Well, let me take you back to where it all started... Mexico City, the homeland where I was born. My culture and my country are the blue prints of my soul. My mother raised me with religion and respect, to work hard for my keep in life, and to her I owe my life.
As I said I was very young when I started to dream of being a tattoo artist, after seeing the tats on my brother in law, I was 11 years old and I was hooked, my roll model with ink on his skin, I needed one too. I wanted to put my mark on people, have them roam this planet with my artwork on their skin for the world to see. At that age, I started to tattoo myeslf with a home made tattoo gun. Then my friends needed artwork too, so I branded them as well, crazy fucks trusting an 11 year old. When I was 16 years old I felt another calling,that one you all know very well, the dream that is called "The American Dream", so I decided at that tender age to go for it, without even a goodbye, farewell, or a hug to my familia, I JUMPED... the border that is, and off to Nueva York I was headed, with nothing in my pocket I was free. I worked my hands to death, I beat them up doing construction for years, and years, so as the story goes.
I had almost forgotten about that dream of being a famous tattoo artist until one day... it happens that I am married to the person who helped me remember my dream, I used to sit in my room when I was tired after a long day and just draw, she saw my drawing and said these exact words to me, "What are you doing wasting away a talent that God gave you, you have a gift that God does not just give everyone, he blessed you with this, with the intention that you would do something with it." And with just that simple sentence, she changed my life. I am doing what runs through my veins, I am tattooing. As of Feb. 10th 2006 I have been working in a real tattoo shop (not out of a shed in the back yard) with two of the greatest friends a guy like me could have, Stevo thanks man, and Mr. Greg Fly, (son of the legendary J.C. Fly R.I.P.) they gave me a chance and the best thing is they believed in me and my work. I am doing what I love, I tattoo all kinds of people now.
Photos from Pepe's Portfolio:
