July Artist Sticker - Jay Aarts

How long have you been tattooing?

4 years

Song that's on repeat at the moment?

Joy by Oceana , Orchard by Windhand and always on repeat NeckDeep.

What got you into tattooing?

The first memory of tattooing I can recall that made me want in, was highschool. I was in year 10 and a girl I was friends with... her boyfriend had this huge green looking goblin creature on his stomach and stretched ears. He was older then us by a few years and out of school. I was already into the ear mods and listening to metal and all that noise so I remember really wanting to become friends with him. His name was Evan. Evan and I became close enough friends that he invited me out to his parents property. Found out that his brother was a tattooer. Half kitchen wizard half legit at a semi run down shop in our local town. Evan had his brothers set up in his bedroom/caravan. I remember Evan setting it up and showing me how the whole machine worked. I was frothing. Next minute Evan was passing it to me saying " well go on on then, crack into it". So I shaved my thigh , grabbed a pen and drew a heart ( organ ) and the words Have Heart. Funny story that.. HAVE HEART is a straight edge hardcore band from Boston. At the time I wasn't edge. Quite opposite. Now though.. Ironically I'm straight edge, 9 years sober and my first tattoo represents just that. 

Couple of years later I turned 18 and I went to a street shop and honestly never left for 8/9 years. I started getting tattooed by all the dudes in the shop then eventually becoming friends with one of them. We got tight. He was old school. Super loyal to the coil kinda shit. Taught me from a young age the ins and outs about tattooing and tattoo culture. How to respect it. How to navigate people in the industry. What a good tattoo looked like, What a bad tattoo looked like and more. I was there every weekend. He couldn't get rid of me. I was like a fly buzzing around his head. I wanted to know everything and anything about tattooing. From the age of 20 I was stencilling my own tattoos, setting up bench, helping customers, learnt how to piece etc etc ... you could say I started a long ass unofficial apprenticeship and i loved it all. The tattoo gods spoke haha.

I eventually did my first paid tattoo in 2021 and never looked back. I now work in a beautiful studio in the heart of Alstonville NSW 30 mins south of Byron Bay. I am so grateful to be apart of my studio and team. The shop and everyone in it mean the world to me. I love where I have come from. I love where I am. And I love where I am going. Specialising in Traditional, Neo Traditional , illustrated and black work I'm always seeking my next challenge and want to continue learning everyday. CHEERS to tattooing.

What do Tattoos mean to you?

The world. Apart from my gorgeous wife and beautiful Son + our pup GojiBear... it's my drive. I don't know what I'd do without tattooing. It feeds my soul, it feeds my family quite literally. I never take a tattoo or a client for granted.

Favourite product from The Tattoo Warehouse?

Triple Black Dynamic

One thing you can't live without as a tattoo artist?

A heavy weighted steel grip for my machine. Always. And maybe a can of sparkling coconut water to get me amped!

Advice for your younger self getting into tattooing?

I think I have made the right choices since that caravan. Hard times and good times lead me to now! And now is pretty magical, pretty rad ! I'd probably say chin up, stick in your own lane.