by Emily Fletcher
Last year, a popular Sheffield based tattoo artist was accused of inappropriate conduct. See our coverage from June 2022 here.
Shared on Instagram, many recounted their encounters with the artist. Since the accounts initial post in May 2022, they remain active on the account, continuing to share stories and experiences.
Despite what's happened, the artist is still tattooing.
The tattoo artists’ online presence
After deleting nearly half of their Instagram posts to maintain a low profile, they’ve been doing tattoos at their home ‘studio’ in Rotherham.
A source confirmed that this studio is merely just the spare room in their house. They are still taking bookings, and - though they’ve lost a lot - they still have 28.7K followers.
Their Instagram comments, undoubtedly, have been limited. This means that only their followers and the people they follow can comment on his content.
Right now, their page doesn't have any pictures of him. It's not clear if there were any before but, since the Sheffield tattoo artist group is close, there used to be tagged photos and now there's none of his face at all.
Yes, tattoo artists focus on showcasing their work on their Instagram pages, but it's uncommon to see one without at least a single photo of themselves, especially considering their involvement in conventions and guest appearances. This strongly implies that they’re intentionally hiding their identity.
The Peak District Retreat
The tattoo artist has been granted permission to host a ‘small tattoo gathering’ in the Peak District September 7th.
As stated by the artist, it has a ‘beautiful 5 bed chalet style lodge with its own private bar, hot tub looking over Rudyard lake and surrounded by beautiful views of the peaks’. Sounds like a honeymoon if you ask me.
Here are 3 reasons why this is the most ridiculous and potentially dangerous idea imaginable:
1, It’s unbelievably unprofessional.
Why, as a tattoo artist, would you want to take your clients for a trip to the peak district?
This not only speaks volumes about them as a person, but them as a professional too. If their focus is on making clients like them and appearing 'cool' and 'interactive' by going on trips, rather than prioritising the art of tattooing, you should not be a tattoo artist.
2, It’s a huge waste of money.
Being a tattoo artist requires investing in various equipment, along with covering your studio rent. I'm not suggesting you should pour all your disposable income into your work, but if you have funds for promoting your work, why choose an overnight stay at the Peak District?
There are better uses for the money, such as creating branded merchandise, giveaways, creating your own tattoo balm - literally anything else than an overnight stay in the Peaks.
3, Many are not aware of the accusations.
As mentioned previously, he still has over 28K followers, his Instagram comments are limited and all photos of himself have been removed.
The fact that he is aware that these individuals are either uninformed about his accusations or choosing to overlook them highlights the malicious intent behind his actions.
He recognises that he maintains a following and, as a result, holds influence. This behaviour is incredibly unprofessional and morally reprehensible.
What happened to the dog?
Not only has he been accused of being inappropriate with clients, but many have mentioned his hostile and aggressive behaviour towards his dog.
Some positive news to bring to this article, the dog has been rehoused!
Speaking to the person who runs the account
Reaching out to the account, @speakingout2022, I asked them a few questions.
You mentioned that the artist made fake accounts to view the page, has this happened recently?
“Yes, he has created many fake accounts to view the page as we have blocked his main account! But no, this has not happened as of recent”
Have other tattoo artists confirmed his behaviour?
“Yes, absolutely. Not all messages are shared on the page for privacy reasons - but many have.”
Are people still, a year on, sending in their experiences with this tattoo artist?
“The most recent experience that the person felt comfortable with us sharing was on July 4 of this year.
There are countless other messages though. We try to make sure their experiences are shared as anonymously as possible.
When people share their experiences, I think it makes it suddenly much more real for them, and many people have spoken about almost being in denial or trying to forget what happened because it’s so traumatic for them.
Lots of people message and say they knew something was off. That he was creepy and inappropriate. But, they essentially tried to forget about it because who wants to associate that uncomfortable memory with a permanent tattoo?
They try to tell themselves that surely, as he’s so well established and known, that he can’t be that disgusting, right? Then they find this page and read other peoples experiences and realise that they are not alone”
Key Takeaways
Ultimately, the tattooist continues to work and maintains an active presence online with a substantial following.
The true identity of the artist remains unknown to many. While no definitive proof exists, the fact that numerous individuals share incredibly similar accounts of their experience holds significance.
For those who wish to know who it is, reaching out via the Instagram account mentioned above is the most viable course of action. Unfortunately, we are unable to share their name due to legal implications.
Edited by Emily Duff