聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Vivid Crystal Tattoo Studio and Shoppe recently hosted Caleb Morgan, a Florida tattoo artist with Elysium Tattoo, which he runs with his wife Alisha. Morgan has made a name for himself in the tattooing world and Crystal Begin, owner of Vivid Crystal, was excited to welcome him back for a third time to Stoughton.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Morgan had always been interested in art, but becoming a tattoo artist wasn鈥檛 something he had really considered.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 went to two different art schools actually,鈥� Morgan explained. 鈥淚 first went to the Rhode Island School of Design and then I attended the Cleveland Institute of Art.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 was disillusioned with the prospects for artists and went into healthcare; I was an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) and a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant).鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He was working in a nursing home when he met Alisha, his wife. While working at the nursing home one night he had drawn on her leg with a marker.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Smiling, Caleb recalled the exchange of thoughts on his drawing from that night: 鈥淎lisha said, 鈥楾his is awesome!鈥� Which it wasn鈥檛, it was terrible, I sucked. But, she said, 鈥榊ou should do this.鈥� And it wasn鈥檛 something I had really considered before.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥nce we were married she kept going on and on about it and she forced me to buy a tattoo kit,鈥� he said laughing.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 From there Morgan headed to the Tattoo Learning Center and his new career took off. Opening a shop first in Connecticut, he and his wife, who is also a tattoo artist, then opened one in Florida as well.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 lot of artists would say the money [as their favourite part of the job], but I would have to say the satisfaction of knowing something you drew, you created, is going to be on their body forever,鈥� Morgan explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost a rush when you see what you鈥檝e created as a permanent part of their body. You put a lot of work and effort into the image for them to wear forever and they鈥檙e pumped about it, that鈥檚 the best part.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although creating this permanent art is Morgan鈥檚 favourite part, he also stressed, 鈥淭attoos are permanent and you have to know what you want, really think about it before you do it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The artist has two main styles of tattooing he works with, which includes Traditional Realism and New School. Traditional Realism being a style that recreates an accurate depiction of the subject of the tattoo, while New School takes on an intense 3D imagery, is colourful, and is based on graffiti.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 like things that have a strong contrast,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚 want someone to see my work from across the street.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Morgan has travelled the world as a tattoo artist, attending numerous conventions each year, earning awards for his work, and doing different guest spots, as he has with Vivid Crystal.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y latest award was at the West Palm Beach Convention,鈥� Morgan explained. 鈥淚t was for a two-day, large back piece that I did, and there was high competition there.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hose are elite conventions, they鈥檙e not small conventions by any means and earning an award is very tough.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 With his background in health, Morgan also decided, as he cemented himself in the industry, that he wanted to be part of teaching at the Tattoo Learning Center and has helped to open one in Florida.聽聽聽聽 Here the fundamentals to advanced techniques are taught, with people attending that are already tattoo artists and others, new to tattooing, looking to get into the business.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e focus a lot on the proper way to tattoo, how to do it safely and cleanly,鈥� Morgan explained. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so many people tattooing out of their home, which is extremely unsafe, and the institute helps alleviate that because it educates people.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was over four years ago now that Morgan first met Begin who attended the Tattoo Learning Center in Florida.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐rystal is one of my top students,鈥� Morgan said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 created a good, successful tattoo shop. It鈥檚 good to be able to pass on knowledge and see them succeed with tactics and techniques you鈥檝e taught. Not only is she successful, but she鈥檚 successful in a small town which can鈥檛 be easy in this line.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Begin added that the local community has welcomed her, a lot of her business comes from the surrounding communities as well which she says helps being in a smaller centre when people are willing to drive two-hours to come see you for a tattoo.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪he has a great shop and a great crew here, and before first coming, Canada was one of the few places I hadn鈥檛 been to,鈥� Morgan explained. 鈥淚 definitely like your summers better than your winters though.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Appreciative of the praise, Begin added, 鈥淚鈥檝e been open for four years and I鈥檝e invested everything back into the shop for the best products and for our clients鈥� comfort, so they can have an experience like no other.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 more about the art than the money.鈥�
