GUEST ARTIST

RUBY JAY WATERS

July 15,16 2025

1: how did you get your start in tattooing?

I started my apprenticeship at the ripe age of 29. I always enjoyed and practiced art in my teenage years. I spent a lot of my 20s working in hospitality and felt like I was grinding away with no end goal. I upturned my life and went to Colombia on an open ended trip with no plans, this is where I found my self drawing a lot again. After many months I landed in nyc, very broke and with a lot of spare time outside my deli job there. I started going to the Brooklyn library and looking at tattoo flash books which I would say was where the fire ignited. Out of money and time to return home, I went back to my hometown for the first time in 10 years and began building my portfolio. Once I felt it was strong, I built up enough courage to ask for a chance at WA Ink Tattoo. Once I showed my work, my mentor said yes, I’ll teach you! And I’m still there today. 

2: how would you describe your tattooing style ?

I would say it’s a blend of traditional and Japanese, with a strong focus on Japanese folk art

3: where do your main influences come from? 

I travel to Japan a lot to get inspiration, I love collecting toys and books from there and often look to woodblock prints for my paintings. I am lucky to share the passion with my partner who I would say has a strong influence on my creativity

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4:Tell us a little about your painting and other fine art work. It looks like you really enjoy making a variety of cool stuff.

I love to paint and create outside of tattooing, the tattoo part can be high pressure where I feel like when I paint, I’m ultra relaxed and can roll with my mistakes/happy accidents.

I enjoy painting on rice paper, fabric, and canvas, as I’m progressing in my career, I find enjoyment in painting larger pieces.

I also like to experiment with dying fabric and creating something a bit different to the ordinary. 

I have some cool projects coming up with some ceramics too which I’m excited to work on! 

5: I love that you made temporary tattoos. Will you have those with you when you visit?

Thankyou, yes they are so fun! A lot of my friends have kids with tattooed parents, so I think it’s cool that they get to have that experience together. I have been sent so many photos of kids posing with their new ink and it makes me happy. I always used to draw tattoos on myself so I thought it would be a cute idea for other kids to have that opportunity to express themselves.

Yes I’m bringing a bunch with me for sale! 

6: do you have a lot of premade flash to choose from?

I have recently made a book of all of my painted flash which I have with me, hundreds of designs to choose from or to be inspired by, I’m always happy to do custom pieces.

7: anything else interesting about yourself , your travels, you tattooing experiences 

I have been getting tattooed a lot in Japan by this amazing tattooer called Rico, it has definitely been my favourite experience of getting tattooed as I learn so much from him and his partner Shion. Their humble nature and passion for the craft is very inspiring to me. 

I have travelled a lot in my life, I love visiting new countries and I look forward to tattooing in as many as I can throughout my career. I love meeting like minded people. The only downside would be that I can’t bring my dog with me! 

Thanks! My goal is to let the community here get to know you a bit, and hopefully build interest in your work.

GUEST ARTIST

JARRAD SERAFINO

JULY 15,16 2025

Jarrad

Where are you originally from?

Perth, Western Australia

How did you find your start in tattooing?

I feel quite lucky as the opportunity presented itself. I was always interested in tattoos from a young age and had friends who were already working in shops. I had secretly done a few tattoos already just for fun with no intention of taking it seriously, they were terrible. We would paint together and I would ask for advice, so they offered for me to apply for an apprenticeship at the studio to learn properly, the boss said yes and I started that day. Shops don’t clean themselves!

Any funny or interesting things that are unique to your history in tattooing?

I started my apprenticeship at 17 before I was even old enough to get tattooed. For the first few years of my career I worked for shops owned by outlaw motorcycle clubs, witnessed some pretty wild stuff.

What kind of inspiration influences your art the most?

Other than Japanese Ukiyo-e prints my favourite place to find inspiration would be travelling Japan. Visiting temples and museums and being in nature, seeing imagery, symbols and landscapes that are the source to these woodblock prints really inspires me, it can feel like your walking in the footsteps of the great Japanese artists.

Have you traveled much in the past? If so where are the coolest places you’ve been?

I’ve travelled a bit, America, south east asia but mainly Japan which is my favourite place of all. I’ve been 8 times, mostly to get tattooed but also to learn more about the culture. I completed my backpiece over there. Each trip we try visit different prefectures and explore the quiet out of the way places.

What’s your favorite part about Australian tattoo culture?

Australian tattoo culture is full of high calibre amazingly talented artists, my favourite part would be the close knit community, even though Australia is a big country the tattoo community is pretty close and it’s easy to get out there and meet inspiring artists.

Who are the most important tattooers from the really older generation that you are grateful for?

I started out doing a lot of American traditional style work and would always reference the greats like Sailor Jerry, Bert Grimm, Deitzel and Coleman and obviously Ed Hardy. Studying their work gave me an insight into bold classic tattooing. As my interest shifted into Japanese style work I read Ed Hardy’s ‘Wear Your Dreams’ which inspired me to dive deeper into the Japanese style. From there I discovered the works of Horiyoshi 2, Yokosoku Horihide, Ivan Szazi.

How does your work connect to them?

From referencing their work heavily in my own it helps me to understand the Japanese style. Through imitation it helps me to learn the flow of background elements on the body and composition. With enough time and practice I can filter it through my own hand, working towards creating my own style.

Something unique about yourself personally that has nothing to do with tattooing.

I’m really good at making pesto!

GUEST ARTIST

ELENA VIRGINIA SCHMITT

JULY 4,5 2025

Where are you originally from?

I’m from Bologna, Italy.

How did you find your start in tattooing?

I started tattooing in 2009, but I’ve wanted to do this since I was a kid. The first time I saw a tattoo, I was blown away by the idea that you could create permanent art on skin.

An important moment for me was meeting Riccardo Raviola the son of the famous Italian comic artist Magnus. He was a tattooer too, and when we met through a friend of a friend, he handed me a machine. I immediately bought went out to buy pig skin to practice on.

I had no clue what I was doing technically, not even how to set machines but I was beyond happy to finally tattoo real skin. A few weeks later, I did my first tattoo.

Any funny or interesting things unique to your tattooing history?

Too many to count — I’d have to write a book! But that first meeting with Riccardo was a pretty unique start. Also the years in my shop in italy we’re pretty funky🤣

Will you bring your prison machine project here?

Yes! I’ll definitely bring some jail machines with me during my guest spot.

How did that start?

It began with a fascination for the mechanism behind it. I had just completed a coil machine building course and was super excited to try other ways of making machines.

I remembered a video I saw years ago of Scott Campbell: he was walking around, finding parts in the trash, and building a machine on the spot to tattoo a journalist. That stuck with me.

I’ve always loved prison tattoos for their raw, meaningful, and visceral energy. After the lockdown, it felt like the right time to start this project.

At the time people knew what it meant to be confined, and there was a big need for something real and raw.

The first machine I built used a walkman motor. I made an eccentric cam for the needle’s movement, used a Bic pen for a tube, and tattooed myself. It was such a powerful experience that I had to share it with colleagues and clients.

Why should someone get tattooed with a homemade machine?

Because it removes all distance between the person and the tattoo. The technique is raw but strong. Each machine is used only once, which gives the object even more value and binds it deeply to both the client and the tattoo.

What kind of inspiration influences your art the most?

I draw a lot of inspiration from fantasy and engraving. I love fantasy subjects like Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Frazetta, Bosch Breugel and Dorè but also from the structure and clarity found in engraving and linocut. It helps me keep my compositions trying to keep them balanced and solid.

Who are the most important older-generation tattooers that you are grateful for?

Herbert Hoffmann was the first who really struck me, was lucky enough to meet him.

I read a lot about his ethical approach and the many stories he carried. And as a reference for my work the first who truly blew me away was Valerie Vargas.

I’ve been influenced by both. From Hoffmann, I learned to always respect the ethics and technical quality of a tattoo. I never do tattoos I don’t believe will hold up over time, and I don’t tattoo hands, necks, or faces unless someone is already heavily covered.

From Valerie, I’ve always drawn inspiration from the strength and aesthetic of her work.

Something unique about yourself that has nothing to do with tattooing?

Man i don’t know about this so ill tell you that i really love :

I love reading creepy books ( scifi,Classic horror, classica in general, poetry) Dungeons and Dragons, stay in the nature and listen to music, usually metal or dark ambient. Love to travel, love graveyards, skeletons and creepy things in general.

I live for my family and friends and I truly believe in positivity ( I know that hard to match with the graveyards🤣)

I’m a simple person! 🤣