GARAGE 13
20 Questions: Kat Von D
Photography: Estevan Oriol
It finally happened. Outlaw culture, and everything that goes with it, has officially gone mainstream. It’s far too easy to just plunk down enough cash to be a weekend bad-ass – a new bike, a new tattoo and a new t-shirt can all be had just by parking the mini-van at one end of a strip mall and burning up the credit card toward the other. But that’s cool – those bike shops, tattoo parlors and Hot Topic chains are expendable. They all serve an important purpose by simultaneously quenching the thirst of all those Asses who feel the need to be Bad and preserve the authentic chopper builders and tattoo artists for the folks who have and always will do it for nothing more than the damned love of it.
And there are a few real tattoo artists, in particular, who have done Popular Culture an un-repayable solid by bringing their work to the masses. Kat Von D is one of the most important artists plying the trade today – a triple threat of raw talent, beauty and personal style who is at once available (seen weekly on The Learning Channel’s outrageously popular “Miami Ink”) and unattainable (she won’t just tattoo anyone and she won’t just do any tattoo – thankfully). We got the rare chance to sit down with Kat in her beloved Los Angeles for this latest 20Q.
1. How has the art of tattooing changed meaning for you in your 11 years as an artist?
Tattooing has definitely opened my eyes to what I think is one of the world’s most challenging medium. People are finally beginning to view tattooing as an art form instead of something that sailors and hookers get. Tattooing has always been one of my main priorities and not much has changed for me. I still love it and I still live for it and I know that will never change.
2. How have your clients changed over the years?
My clientele has changed in many ways, but prominently because of the success of the show and being type-cast as the girl who does all the portraits, new clients tend to be along the same lines as the people you see on the show. For instance, now I find myself doing a lot of memorial tattoos and people coming prepared with all their stories and reasoning behind the tattoo, whereas before the show, people just wanted to collect a portrait from me – whether it was a portrait of someone who passed away or a hero or a celebrity or whatever. I think that some of my new clientele is searching for some closure to help them deal with the loss of someone and they truly believe in me. But I definitely embrace my new way of doing business. I mean, nothing beats the way someone thanks you and hugs you the way these people do when I’m done with their tattoos. People are SO appreciative and it’s made me realize my role in tattooing and I’m cool with that!
3. Is there a relationship between your classical style of tattooing and your wild fashion style?
Well, I think that my biggest influence in life is music. And music has influenced my artwork for sure and my style, I think. I mean, it influences the bars I like most and the people I hang with. Music is my life just as much as my art, so it would make since that my tattooing would go hand-in-hand with my style, right?
4. Can you see yourself anywhere besides LA?
You know, I’ve done quite a bit of traveling in my short life and I have seen some amazing places and things, but I could never leave Los Angeles. Every time I leave L.A. for too long, I start going through withdrawals. I know a lot of people don’t like it and could never live here, but living in the middle of Hollywood is where I belong. There’s such a romantic side to LA; the people, the lights, the nightlife, the weather.. .it’s just the best, I think. I mean, you can go to surfing snowboarding, go to the dessert and the downtown all in one day if you wanted!
5. Who, in history, are your art heroes?
I come from a pretty artistic family. Both my grandparents on each side were painters and I think that’s where I might have gotten some natural ability from, but I am a huge fan of all the great masters: Da Vinci, Michaelangelo and Caravaggio, especially. But as far as modern day artists, I’d have to say that Michael Hussar blows me away!
6. What was your first tattoo, who did it and when did you get it?
The first tattoo I got was this little Old English “J” on my ankle. It stood for James, my boyfriend at the time and first love. That lasted a few years and after we broke up, I figured it stands for Jesus now. Totally kidding.
7. What do you hate about tattoo culture?
There’s not much that I hate about the tattoo culture. I guess the worst part of it is the people that misrepresent it. It’s such an over-saturated business, filled with young tattooers who flatter themselves into thinking they are capable of tattooing the world, thus we have such bad tattooing going on nowadays. I think tattooing is a lifestyle and it’s something that you are born with, to a certain extent. Anyone can be apprenticed and learn “technique,” but if you don’t have the eye of the tiger, you probably won’t be a good tattooer. Sometimes, I wish tattooing would go back to the Old School – you know, when people didn’t open up within miles of another shop and everyone respected each other, when it was like a tight circle: a tattoo family. I think nowadays, people don’t care enough about it or have the love for it and treat it like the sacred thing that is. Instead, they think it’s a “cool” job where you make a bunch of money and get laid, which is definitely not the case.
8. What were your teen years like? What were you into then?
Well, I started tattooing at the age of 14 and got into my first tattoo shop in San Bernardino at the age of 16. So, I would have to say I was kinda brought up in the tattoo world during my teens. I listened to a lot of punk rock, went to shows all the time, was a hopeless romantic kid and pretty family orientated. Although my family and I went through a lot of harsh times dealing with some of the choices I’ve made, we have always managed to make it work.
9. What kind of cars are you into? Where does your taste in cars come from?
Well, I have a new Cadillac, but whatever. My favorite car I own is a 1951 Chevrolet Tudor Deluxe. I got it when I was 18 and I chose that car because when my father was that age, he had the same car. Since my dad is my hero, I found the car to be perfect for me. But, dating a bunch of douche-bag boyrfriends who, at the time, had me convinced that they were “mechanics” of some sort, it took a long time to get it on the road and once I ditched the loser boyfriends, I just realized that you get what you pay for. I’d rather just take my car to someone reputable, pay a bunch of money and get it done right, so I had to fix a lot of things that were previously done to the car. Its got airbags, hooked-up lakes pipes with flame-throwers, it’s all shaved and de-chromed (for the most part), custom ‘50 Pontiac grille and custom-made, heart-shaped taillights. I wanted it to be obnoxious as fuck! But, I have always had a love for old ‘50’s customs. I think a lot of things were made so much better back then. Today, everything seems to be so disposable, y’know?
10. Elvis or The Beatles?
Eh, neither. I’m sure a lot of people will be bummed once I say what I’m about to say, but I don’t think Elvis should have been dubbed the “King of Rock-N-Roll” – Chuck Berry should have. And, as far as the Beatles go, I like Motley Crue’s version of “Helter Skelter,” But that’s about it. I’m all about the metal!
11. Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. All three of us – my older sis, younger brother andI – were born there and came to America sometime around ‘84 or so and pretty much been in southern California most of my life after.
12. Who’s the woman you look up to the most?
Dolly Parton is the perfect example of “not giving a fuck what people think.” She has great style and is an extremist, as far as her appearance goes: big hair, big boobs, big heels, tight clothes, lotsa makeup and I think that’s awesome! But, on top of that, everyone I talked to who has met her says she’s the most amazing, sweetest person on the planet. A friend of mine told me that they used to live next to her growing up and for Halloween, she passed out candy in a Hooters uniform! That’s what I call RAD!
13. A good cup of coffee at sunrise or an extra dry martini way too late at night?
No, no, no: a chilled shot of Patron, anytime.
14. What’s your favorite era of tattoo history?
The ‘70’s in Los Angeles: bikers and cholos. The ‘70’s must have been an amazing time for fine line black/grey. Artists like Jack Rudy setting the standards and reinventing tattooing. I think I might have been born in the wrong decade!
15. Do you see a difference in East Coast vs. West Coast tattoo art?
Of course! I think tattoo styles are pretty regional. I mean, I think there’s a difference between what influences East Coast versus West Coast: different culture, different style, different attitude. But the main thing for me, I think, with tattooing is that Los Angeles is home for the fine line black-and-grey. It’s where it came from and it’s a style you can’t find anywhere else, at least not the way artists like Jack Rudy does it!
16. Is there a fad right now in tattooing?
I don’t know – everything’s been done and redone a million times over, so I’m not exactly sure what’s really new. But I do wish unicorns would come back in style, already!
17. Who will you absolutely NOT tattoo?
Anyone who is an asshole or disrespectful I won’t tattoo. Other than that, it’s fair game.
18. Does music influence you and your work? If so, what genres?
I’m a big fan of Metal. Every kind. ‘80’s Glam. Power. Black. Speed. You name it. But, at the same time, I was brought up playing classical music since the age of 6, so I’d definitely say I have a slight obsession with Beethoven – But I believe that’s where metal came from, anyway. By the time I was a teen, I got into a lot of the Old-School punk rock…all the ‘70′ shit, but I think metal is where it’s at, for sure.
19. How has women’s role in tattooing changed over the years?
Well, I think tattooing is a male-dominated industry, much like the rest of the jobs out there, but even more so with tattooing. I think because of the popularity of the show, a lot of women feel compelled to start tattooing, and sometimes it bums me out. Like, when I get the hundreds of emails from 14 year-olds who heard my story and how I got into tattooing, telling me they wanna drop out of school and do it, too. I feel so bad – I never wanted to really share that with the world because of the chance of influencing others to do it. Dropping out of school and tattooing when I was a kid worked for me, but I honestly saw a lot of things kids shouldn’t see and I would never promote that. As much as I hated school and the waste of time it was for me, I believe 14 year-olds should go and give it a shot. Tattooing isn’t as glamorous as the show may portray, especially for women. But, in general, I think there a lot of great female tattooers out there who have struggled and made it and I think that’s awesome!
20. West Hollywood or Hollywood Beach?
Hollywood, Hollywood. There’s nothing like waking up to the Hollywood sign and then heading to Cahuenga Blvd. to party!
Kat Von D’s site here
High Voltage Tattoo here
Photography: Estevan Oriol
