๐ƒ๐จ๐ง’๐ญ ๐“๐ž๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐Œ๐ž ๐–๐ก๐จ ๐ญ๐จ ๐“๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ž๐ซ๐œ๐ž ๐ˆ ๐ƒ๐จ๐ง’๐ญ ๐Ž๐ฐ๐ž ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ ๐’๐ก๐ข๐ญ

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Let’s fucking talk about shop owners who think they can tell artists we’re not allowed to say no. Like, who the fuck do you think you are? You don’t own my hands, you don’t own my morals, and you damn sure don’t own my name. You’re just renting a roof, not running my soul.

If I say no, it’s because I have reasons. Maybe the design’s trash. Maybe it’s unsafe. Maybe it’s something I straight-up don’t believe in. Or maybe I just don’t feel like putting my name on your dumbass idea that’s gonna age like spoiled milk. Whatever the reason my no means no. Same way you teach clients to respect consent, you’d better learn to fucking respect it too.

But nah, these “bosses” and I use that word loosely they care more about chasing a quick buck than respecting their artists. “Just do it, we need the money.” “Don’t piss off the client.” Fuck that. I’m not bending over for your rent money. I’m not turning my craft into customer service. I’m not your dancing monkey with a needle.

Every time some owner forces an artist to do work they don’t want to, they’re basically saying, ‘Your integrity doesn’t matter as long as I get paid.’ And that’s exactly why so many shops are full of burnt-out, broken artists who don’t give a shit anymore. You kill the passion, you kill the respect, you kill the art.

You want to be a business owner? Cool. Then run the business. Handle your paperwork, fix your plumbing, and stay the fuck out of the chair area. Because the minute you start telling real artists what to say yes to, you’ve crossed the line. You’re not a leader, you’re a leech.

If I say no, it’s not negotiable. You can threaten me, guilt me, talk about “team spirit,” whatever I don’t care. I’d rather walk out the door with nothing than sit there and do a piece I hate, unsafe, or flat-out wrong. My hands aren’t for sale, and neither is my conscience.

Tattooing and piercing are built on trust, consent, and respect and if you don’t understand that, you’ve got no fucking place in this industry. You want obedient drones? Go open a fast-food franchise. Leave the art to the people who still give a damn.

Article credit to ©John Wayne Stevens at ©Hate City 616



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