"I Smell a Rat!" - 7 Lies Unethical Tattooers & Scratchers Will Tell

Way back in 1992, I officially started my career as a shop girl & body piercer in Reno, Nevada and Sacramento, California. This type of assistant position was a very new idea for the tattoo industry. Before this time, most shops were set up with the tattooers lumped together in a bull pen, behind a low partition - dealing with customers coming in while tattooing at the same time. Fast forward to the 1990's - tattooing becoming more popular. Biker Bob had to move over for the new breed of tattooer artist we have today.  

With the new generation of younger, more gifted artists - who set up nicer shops -came the need for help with their business. Rather than trying to do everything they hired "shop girls" / helpers to speak to customers, sterilize equipment and clean the space. The very first shop girls were usually the wives or girlfriends of the tattooers themselves. In my case I fell into the job for a different reason. I was already a good customer who knew her way around their shops, and I had learned how to pierce.

Fast forward to 2013. Throughout the decades I have worked with gifted artists and ass@#$%*. Men who I admired, with others who over estimated their talents & abilities. Some have lived exciting lives, telling others of their adventures and encounters.  Some just tell stories of their faked "greatness." My goal right now is to see through the tall tails of their so called white lies:

Tattooing is His Career, Fly Fishing His Mistress

"Adams Dry Fly" for fishing by Russell Fortier
Lucky 7 Tattoo Tahoe
Copyright 2013

"May Fly Dun" inked by Russell Fortier
@ Lucky 7 Tattoo Tahoe
Copyright 2013

Back when I married Russell in 2005 we had to live apart the first 5 months. Me in Nor Cal. Russell in the Inland Empire.
 I had a vague awareness that he enjoyed fishing. Once every few weeks hubby grabbed his pole, cooler, tackle box, Gatorade and salty snacks - heading out to some So Cal reservoir I had not heard of. Hours later a few snapshots of him holding a cute little fish would arrive to my pink Motorola Razor. Good for him getting some smoggy fresh air, enjoying himself!

"Truckee River Fly Fishing" Tattoo
INKED by Russell Fortier

Lucky 7 Tattoo Tahoe

"Dry Fly" by Russell Fortier
colored pencil on paper
Lucky 7 Tattoo Tahoe
Copyright 2013

Once Russell made his move to live with me his fishing style changed rapidly. First thing, the old gear started to be replaced by new fangled things. No longer were Levis and a white T shirt okay to wear. Oh no, he had to have a fancy vest that cost more than my monthly food budget. Next came fishing poles the length of a 1970's station wagon. Shortly after that his old tackle box was abandoned. Dozens of tiny beaded furry feathery thread like creatures with hooks clogged multiple foam lined clear boxes. Gone was the folding chair and salmon eggs. Power bait dried in its jars. That was then, fly fishing is now.

Next came giant waiters, two different pair!. Multiple pair of Sims boots. One pair has felt lined soles? (Still do not understand that.) He even bought a tiny garbage can to hang from the vest for his cigarette butts...WOW!

For the last 5 years, every possible day off - no matter what Mother Nature throws weather wise through these mountains and canyons - Russell is fly fishing. It is his Mistress.

"Paintbrush Fly" Stencil and Tattoo By Russell Fortier
Lucky 7 Tattoo Tahoe
Copyright 2013

7 years of marriage, 5 dogs, one furniture eating timber wolf, 1tattoo business and spending 24/7 together in                          life can cause a bit of feeling over exposed to one another.

Yet I am oh so grateful the only female my husband holds is a beautiful wild fish! XOXOXO Kathleen

Russell Fortier Tattoo Artist & Fly Fishing Guide
Copyright 2013
Lucky 7 Tattoo Tahoe

Black and Gray Wild Fish by Russell Fortier of Lucky 7 Tattoo Tahoe
Copyright 2013

Russell Fortier fishing the Truckee River
Skull Tattoo by Cory Norris @ Classic Tattoo/ Fish by Mother Nature
Copyright 2013  Lucky 7 Tattoo Tahoe

Guide Russell Fortier fly fishing the Truckee River
Owner / Tattoo Artist  @ Lucky 7 Tahoe
Copyright 2013  www.lucky7tattoos.com