INK-EEZE Pro Team Member: Mr. Scary

  • Mr. Scary

    1992 was the beginning of the end of Mr. Scary, at least as a movie special effects artist. Mr. Scary had met world-famous tattoo artist Kari Barba while he was in Los Angeles working on some special effects. Kari had looked at Scary's fine art and graphic art portfolio at that time and suggested that Scary think about a career in the tattoo arts.


At the time, Mr. Scary was having a great time in the movie and theater industry and didn't have a need or desire for a different career. Unbeknownst to Scary, the tattoo seed had been planted! The movie special effects industry was quickly headed for the computer era, and Scary was thinking about a new career... tattooing.

After a few years at the school-of-hard-knocks, Mr. Scary met Uncle Bud Yates and was shown the road of true tattooing. Uncle Bud was the president of the National Tattoo Association, and would become one of the most important mentors of Mr. Scary's career. Uncle Bud opened many doors, and gave Mr. Scary opportunities of a lifetime.

Mr. Scary soon became an up-and-coming artist in the tattoo industry. In October, 2004, he became the only tattoo artist to ever have the same tattoo published on the cover of three different tattoo magazines in one month. Mr. Scary spent 2004 to 2006 touring the world tattooing, and in June 2006, hosted the 1st Denver International Tattoo Convention. It seemed that Mr. Scary had the tiger by the tail... but that is usually when tragedy teaches a person humility. In the summer of 2006, Mr. Scary and his wife started an ugly divorce. In August, 2006, Uncle Bud Yates was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident. Now Mr. Scary had lost his "tattoo dad." Mr. Scary had to put his touring lifestyle on the back burner and take care of things at home, giving room for a new perspective and a new energy for art. Again, tragedy came into Scary's life. In October, 2008, Scary's oldest son, Austin, was diagnosed with cancer. This is when painting and sculpting came back into Scary's life while he spent time at home with his son Austin during his treatment -- art at it's purest, for art's sake. The pain and suffering that life brings can bring new perspectives. Conquering the trials and tribulations of life can inspire an artistic energy and bring new creative visions to the surface. Now is the future for Mr. Scary, an artist that has seen it all, and survived... and thrives! Mr. Scary is transforming as an artist and tattooist every day, and the future is going to bring out the true depth of this dark artist's soul!

Special thanks to a few amazing folks: Kari Barba, Uncle Bud Yates, Shanghai Kate, Paul Booth, Bob Tyrell, Tony Olivas and so many more...
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