New Yorker of the Week: Simon Ban, From Pratt Dorm Stick and Pokes to Brooklyn’s Coolest Tattoo Shop
October 16, 2025 • 54 mins
This week’s New Yorker of the Week is Simon Ban (aka @squids_ink, tattoo artist, co-owner, and resident artist at Estuary Tattoo in Brooklyn.
You know that guy in Bushwick who “wants to be a tattoo artist” but can’t make it to his Blank Street Coffee shift before noon? Simon is what happens when that guy actually follows through and gets really good at it. He’s one of the most talented (and, let’s be honest, hottest) tattoo artists in NYC.
We talk about how Simon went from doing stick and pokes in his Pratt dorm room to co-owning one of the coolest studios in Brooklyn. If you’re in the market for new ink, check out Estuary Tattoo. Their resident and guest artists are unreal, and they’ll treat you with the love and professionalism that your flaky Bushwick date simply could not.
Love us? Hate us? Keep in touch!
Check us out (yes, literally!) on YouTube: Watch Now
Instagram: @newyorkeroftheweek
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And if you've fallen head over heels for us (and who could blame you?), show us some love on Instagram too:
Hanna Gerlander: @hanna_gerlander
Nora Fried: @norafriedcomedy
Sean Curley - Production Manager and Video Editor: @therealseancurley
Special Guest: Simon Ban @squids.ink, co-owner and resident artist at Estuary Tattoo
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:16):
Here we are. Here we are we.
Both just got our flu vaccine, yeah.
And and one of us, one of us got.
A hepatitis B vaccine. So guess who it was?
Comment below. Please, please, please, please
come. Below if you think one of us got
(00:37):
the hepatitis B shot. Think about the person who maybe
forgot that they had they didn'thave the hepatitis B shot.
Think about, think about, who would forgot?
These are like the crunchiest grapes you could be eating on
the mic. Listen this.
Oh, how craving those are some crunchy grapes.
(00:59):
Yeah, I know. I feel, I feel good.
We're both kind of like we're already like, I don't know, I
feel kind of weird, but it's oh,we just got a shot.
Like we got the shot like 5 seconds ago.
Yeah, it was pretty spontaneous,I'm just saying.
Like if you're with. A friend and you're kind of
like, what? What can we do for free in New
York right now? Yeah, it's gonna get vaccinated.
Like get the flu shot, get the COVID shot.
(01:22):
Get your hepatitis B shot. Call your pediatrician and ask
if you ever got Hep B and measles and boy oh boy do we
have the pharmacy for you. We have an amazing pharmacy.
So they were doing mine, they were doing my hepatitis B flu
shot combo and I was like, oh ow.
And the lady looks over and she's like, I haven't even
(01:44):
injected you yet. And I'm looking, I see that she
has and. Then she's like, ha ha ha, just
kidding. And it was like, And then she
like. Tapped your back.
She was like, this is so funny. It was funny.
I was like, yeah, people love being teased.
Are you awful at all? Little funny teasing.
Back, I guess it did kind of, you know, there was no time to
be nervous about the shot because like you're kind of like
paying attention to her jokes and then next thing you know
(02:07):
it's over. Like you got the shot.
My Band-Aid has fallen off already.
I'm feeling a little anxious about that but I I think I'm
being over. Driven.
Why would you what? What would the Band-Aid be
doing? I'm always afraid that it's like
a bigger hole than I'm thinking it is in my arm and that not,
not keeping the Band-Aid on infection will get in.
(02:28):
Like I'm going to lose my arm tonight.
That's crazy, right? That's really crazy.
OK, well, as long as it's crazy.It's just to, it's just to put,
well, the left headphone. It's the only.
This one's not working either. Really.
Yeah, it's kind of funky to talklike that.
It's a This isn't a good sign. You think it has to do with the
smoothie? Do you think maybe do I think do
(02:50):
a head maybe working is connected to the smoothie
explosion in the kitchen? Yeah.
Do you think, what do you think?I think there might be smoothie
like stuck in this or something.OK.
Like I don't think it's major. When you did that, it kind of
balanced out a little bit. Do you feel that?
Oh, so yeah, I think they're just there's like for some back
(03:10):
smoothie. Yeah, for some background.
I I put the I put all my smoothie ingredients in the
Nutribullet. I leave the room.
I just let it ride. Come back, Purple explosion.
Everywhere, really. I feel like I stand with my
Nutribullet the whole time with my hand on top of it.
(03:31):
Well, I mean, again, we go back to who do you think forgot the
hepatitis B shot? It was big me and.
For some reason. If I think both the headphones
are working now for me. Oh really?
Are they for you? I'll have to pay a little
attention. It's less wonky fish.
Less wonky. No, for some reason if I had a
classic old school blender, you know the pitcher with the top on
(03:53):
the on it, I would leave the room.
I would never leave the room forthat.
But the Nutribullet, I don't feel like should be left alone.
It makes me uneasy, really. I'm using it.
I don't know why. OK, no, it's here comes the
vaccine. I took three Advils, so I should
be good to none. So yeah, we're just kind of
(04:14):
riding this out. New York Moment of the week.
Let me think about that while I chew on this grape in the mic.
What's really intro OK, because last week we did it at the very.
End at the very end you found out who who this was the very
end. You might just always listening
(04:34):
and they're just like, I hope I learned, I hope I learned the
name of this podcast. Hey, if you're listening right
now, I'm going to take Oh no, that was your lead into that.
I'm going to just say one thing before we start, before we tell
you who we are, I want you to rate those podcasts.
That's it. Yeah.
You don't need. You don't get to know who we are
yet. Rate the podcast, share it with
a friend, follow or or hit subscribe, whatever the option
(04:58):
is that that makes it so that you guys are locked in because
we really work. You know, I think we're really
at the time where our true fans need to kind of step it up a
little. Yeah.
And it's like, you know, we. Appreciate how far everyone has
gotten us but we. Want to go further?
We would like to go further, if you can even believe it.
This is not end game for us, no.If you can believe.
(05:21):
OK, so what's your name? I'm Hannah Drillander and I'm
Nora Free. And you are listening to New
Yorker of the Week. New Yorker of the Week.
And if it's your first time here, this is a good one to tune
into. I guess they're all good ones,
So what do I know? It's like a no skips CD.
(05:41):
Yeah, there's literally no skips.
Like every, everyone's a banger.Speaking of CDs, Taylor Swift,
everyone's freaking out. In what capacity?
I don't know. Everyone's you saw she dissed
your girl. Charlie.
Absolutely not. I love Charlie, but I'm, I don't
know if I would call her my girl, but I do feel like she's
kind of your girl. She's.
My girl. I have been thinking that I
(06:04):
probably want a wet Oh. Is your headphones moving
around? Oh.
Yeah, I was getting a little new.
Sound is. On it's like a Nutribullet.
It is like really unpredictable.On a Nutribullet.
It's so funny that I can like see smoothie on your headphones.
I feel awful. I mean, I really wasn't
expecting it. No, it's just funny.
It's like my fault. I was thinking, I think I want
(06:28):
my wedding. I'm not engaged nor do I have
any money saved by the way, to be somewhere in between Charli
XCX's wedding and get ready the royal wedding, because I do, you
know, I still want very traditional, kind of regal, very
like beautiful traditional additional wedding.
But I after after that's over, like, let's go, you know, like
(06:52):
let's let's have a fucking party.
Are you going to get drunk on your wedding night?
Of course. Really.
Yeah, wow. Yeah, Because I'm.
That's going to be the safest I'll ever be.
Just surrounded by friends and family, a million people making
sure I get home. My husband's there.
So much food, so much food. But I've always said I'll also
have an IV drip planned for the morning after so I can just get
(07:15):
that over with. What if I was like, all right,
guys, I'm going to drink now because this is, I'm not missing
it. I'm not missing this anymore.
I mean, I don't know if like my plan will be like let's get
wasted, but if I do, I'm not like slow.
Where are you with the brunch after the next day?
No brunch or brunch. You guys can have brunch.
I'll be me and Wolf are going tobe some more.
Wow. OK, I'm thinking me and Wolf
(07:39):
sleep in IV drip, order food to the house.
The next day is not a day to leave for your honeymoon.
That's for you and your husband to lay on the couch, eat junk
food, looking at pictures of your wedding and talking about
the night. And that's how I feel.
Cuz a lot of people do that brunch the next day.
No, I want to free everyone fromthe wedding, OK?
(08:01):
I don't think I want my wedding to, of course, be just like, fun
and joyous and like everyone's just like, I love her.
I love it. I love this party.
Like, I'm having a great time. But I also know that weddings
are an ordeal and going to a wedding is never chill.
Like it's always like someone has to travel.
You got to buy a gift, you got to buy a dress, you got to get a
(08:22):
date. Like it's all this stuff.
Once you leave that night, you're free.
Yeah, you're free from the wedding.
OK, I won't bring it up again. I'll bring it up.
I'll be posting and stuff like that.
But. How many posts are you going to
do for your wedding? Oh God, got it.
Really. It's moving.
It's moving. Around the sound is on the move.
The sound's on the move in our in our headphones.
(08:42):
It kind of feels like when your ear is popping.
Yeah, and it's like pop, pop, pop, pop.
It's kind of like I'm if we pop it, we're about to get the sound
back. Yeah, this OK.
Seems like this time we might beso stuck in it.
It's OK, maybe I'll we'll see. We'll see what we can.
We can fix it in between. OK.
What was your question? How many posts are you gonna do
(09:02):
about your wedding? I don't see myself making any
tik toks. You know, people make the like
the go into the Chapel. Or.
I'm not ready. Yet I'm not ready yet.
Now I'm ready. And then it's her.
Like, I don't see myself ready. No one will be like, if you
personally want to make content on my wedding day, like anyone,
go for it. But like, I I will not be like,
(09:25):
we're getting this real today, everyone that won't be me.
Yeah, I'll probably do like one formal photo that are like my
favorite professional shots, like one of me and Wolf.
Me and you, no. Like even just like those
that'll be the photo dump is gonna be like what party photos
OK, but the regal photo shoot will be like.
(09:47):
Just me and you and me and you and Wolf.
Just me and Wolf. And me and you, just me, just
like. Me and Wolf and maybe me and
like our. Families.
And then one maybe with the bridal party.
Bridal. There we go.
We're in the real. Like you're going to be all over
the photo. Dumb.
Of course. What I'm picturing is like
(10:08):
disposable cameras everywhere. Everyone's taking photos for
each other and it's like we've got cigarettes and we've got
matchbooks and we've got. That's terribly.
They've got the drinks in the air and I'm in a short dress
now. I'm in my short dress, yeah, So.
Yeah, so. How many dresses are you gonna
have? 2 OK and I'm gonna wear this is
(10:32):
ridiculous. I'm like, I'm not engaged and I
have no and I have no money likethis would this would all be if
Wolf's mom approves, that's who's handling the budget.
So she's gonna love this. I would wear like my ball gown
for the ceremony and for my first dance and then I'm
changing it to my short dress for the party.
OK, cool. But I'm wearing the long dress
(10:52):
for my first dance. OK.
All right, OK, cool. I like this.
Thank you. Don't you feel like everyone got
married last weekend? Yeah, I literally have.
When Charlie XX got married, I was like, the world has been
married. Yeah, like, everyone got
married. And if you weren't invited to
the Charlie XXX's wedding and you were like any like even
ounce of famous, you should justgo kill yourself.
(11:14):
No, seriously, jump off a bridge.
Literally. Like, cuz like that was like,
that was the party to be at. And that's how you know you're
cool and you've made it. And you can be proud of who the
person you've become. Yeah.
And the access you have. And if you are famous and you
are not there like Loser Loser, you miss the wedding of the
(11:37):
century and you're not coming tomine.
You're not even going to be in her photo.
Just celebrity you would never want at your wedding, huh?
You're going to say Taylor Swift?
Yeah, I guess Taylor Swift, I don't know, Bruno Mars I don't
really want to make annoying. You'd be like, I'll play a song.
(11:59):
For you, you're like, no, no, I don't Bruno, get Bruno off the
piano. I don't want Taylor there.
I don't want Bruno. I don't want like Kid Rock or I
want Usher there. If he's available.
I want to marry Usher. Let's call him.
Let's he's oh, Margo, just like sprinted.
Margo sprinted. She's like Usher.
Is this one out? Yeah, yeah.
(12:21):
Did I, like, destroy our equipment?
No, no, no. It seems like I did.
A little, yeah, But we can live like this.
Really. Yeah.
We can twist and turn. It's a little bad.
Sorry. Don't be.
Don't be. Was this smelly?
Good. I.
Mean there wasn't much left after everything.
After everything. So I've started putting creatine
in my smoothies though, just as a heads up.
(12:41):
What does that? Do so it's.
It really helps with brain function and memory and it's
like the most proven supplement on the market right now that
like actually has been proven tolike make people retain
information better and it's likeoverall brain health function
(13:02):
pro. OK, so should I get some?
Yeah. Is it expensive?
It it was expensive for the jar considering how much I pay for
protein, but it was not expensive in the grand scheme
because the jar comes with like 50 servings and you only need a
little scoop of it. It's the scoop is like this
small. And it's every day.
Every day you put it into your smoothie.
(13:23):
Are you feeling it working? I mean, I, I don't know, OK, OK,
not a review yet. I'm, I mean I'm everyday, I mean
I feel, I feel depressed today. So maybe maybe my brain is like
remembering some things. So maybe I need to remember.
So there's kind of like a downside to its work.
I love watching Margo drink fromher.
(13:44):
Fucking life. We need a second camera here.
We need a second camera. It's a phone.
I mean, look how a. Phone here.
Adorable. And then whenever we're talking
about it, this can be up on the screen.
Yeah. I mean, it's this really.
She's cute, she loves it. It's.
Because it's a beautiful little flower, she's wagged her tail a
little. Yeah, she loves it.
If you don't haven't already, you should really get your pet a
(14:07):
fountain because they really like them.
Just. Please get your pet a fountain.
Please. I'm officially watching that
dog. Oh, and Hannah's opening up a
dog clinic. Just I'm just accepting one
other dog. His name is not Goblin.
That is his nickname. His name is George.
See, that actually makes it worse.
Why does he have been nicknamed Goblin when he's being a goblin?
(14:29):
I don't know, she one time said.We call him Goblin.
When he's being bad, I don't know.
His name is George. I didn't.
His name is George. We know George.
Pretty formal name for a dog whose science gets called
Goblin. OK, we're almost at time for
because we had the interview waspretty long and we were we're at
(14:52):
15 minutes. Two grapes left.
And we have two grapes left. So maybe we just kind of do a
little a little praise for our our interviewee.
Oh yeah, real quick. This was a really sweet
interview, but I feel like maybeyou want to tee it up because
this is your guy. This is OK.
So when I was a a Yee young, canyou say Yee young?
(15:17):
Yeah, we, we, we little, we little.
She was a wee little girl when Iwas a wee little girl.
And I just moved here from western Massachusetts to New
York City. The big city, the.
Big city. A wee little girl in the big
city. Wee little girl in the big city
and I, I lived down the street from my best friend Charlie.
And he, he, his roommate was named Simon and they had lived
(15:41):
together, Clue, Clue and they had lived together at Pratt.
And I had partied with Simon a lot and hung out with him when
Charlie was in practice. I used to come visit all the
time from UMass and whatever. But then Charlie moved in with
Simon off obviously off campus after they graduated and Simon
decided to become a tattoo artist.
(16:03):
And so we he kind of like practiced on me in some ways.
And like, now he's a big deal. He's a big Nora deal.
He's literally wearing, walking around in his early days, his
art. It's like if you were to hang
out with Picasso as a child, just like it's just and you like
keep his paintings at your house.
And you're like, oh, this is some of his old work before and.
(16:25):
You're like Picasso, Picasso andlike, that's what's going.
On that really is what it feels like.
I mean, Simon is truly one of the most beautiful artists I've
ever. And he's really sweet.
He's so gentle and. Simon's so amazing.
Is he like, taken? Yeah.
He has a really great girlfriend.
That's so tracked. I know.
People like Simon, they don't just stay out there.
(16:46):
No, no, no, no, they don't just.Stay out in the market, Simon's
picked up, scooped out. I was a smart girl.
She's smart and she's also a tattoo artist.
That's really cool. I know they're.
It's Oh my God, at their wedding.
They should do some tattoos for people that's like 1000% their
names or initials or something cute.
Maybe on everyone. We have to get their initials.
(17:07):
No, like there's gonna be like aflash book, but like one of them
will be wait, I might do flash tattoos at my wedding.
Wow, that's a really good. Idea like some of them will just
be like rings or chapels or heart but like there will be
like 1. You should hire Simon to do
flash tattoos at your wedding. And his wife and his wife.
Simon can do all the boys and the wife can do all the girls.
Perfect. We do not want genders mixing at
my wedding. I don't want any gender mixing
(17:29):
it. Can be like an Orthodox Jewish
wedding where they put a a curtain in the middle and
Simon's with all the men. All the men and all the.
Women in their tattoos at my orthodox wedding.
Anyways, I I'm just spitting them out.
You want to. It's like creatine up in here.
So yeah. Anyways, just Google Simon or on
(17:51):
Instagram and. He says at the end how exact
hall how you can find. And this thing about Simon, he
keeps giving credit to everyone throughout the episode.
He does. And it's like such a credits
yours, Simon, Simon, you're a little you're the star.
You're the star, Simon. It's a really good interview.
It's really good. So enjoy and then maybe book an
appointment with him if you're looking for a big fat piece on
(18:15):
your like on your like stomach of like a a cool ass creature.
Big fat piece if you're looking for a.
Big ass piece. Well, you know what I mean.
I feel like, I feel like with Simon, you don't want to waste
it on a. Yeah, don't get a tiny tattoo.
You want to get something big and sexy?
Yeah, that seems to be his specialty.
He's big and sexy. What do you think your next
(18:35):
tattoo is gonna be? It's gonna be, you see, in my
living room. Do you see that little girl
sitting on the chair with her cat?
Yes. Yes, Yes.
I want to get that on my thigh. That's really nice.
Would that be cute? That's really cute.
Yeah. The problem is that I sent it to
so I've had that painting in my life forever.
It's my grandmother gave it to me and it obviously looks like
me and Margo and I sent it to myfriend Johanna in Germany and
(18:59):
she was like, oh, Nora, That's like a really like a really,
really sad, scary cartoon from this book that just German fairy
tale book. And I was like, why?
I need to like look into the origin of it.
Apparently it's like she like kills people or something but
still I'm going to get. It it's still really cute and a
(19:19):
cheetah. I don't give a fuck.
And you didn't know that. And if you needed to, I think
you would kill someone. The girls at Rikers, they were
making comments on my tattoo, mylittle cheetah Panther I got in
Nicaragua. I love it.
Someone was like, is that a rat?It's.
Really humbling. I was like, no, it's a, it's a
(19:40):
cheetah. And they were like not a giant
spotted rat. They were like, whoever gave
that to you looks like a rat. You're like, you know, it's
permanent, like my daddy's permanent.
They will really at Rikers when they whenever we I do for those
who don't know, I do the book club at Rikers whenever I go and
they will tell you exactly. It's like going into your Jewish
(20:01):
like grandmother's home. It's just like they'll be like,
no, he lost weight. There's no hiding there.
Your face, it got so much less chubby.
And it was like, heard God, it'slike I'm seeing this as a
compliment from you, but I'm only hearing the insults.
They also check in a lot like sonor do you have a man yet and
(20:21):
it's like no you guys. You guys let it go.
I'll tell you. Because one thing you know about
me is I'll tell you. It is a good monthly check in,
you know, Yeah, things like. I haven't been here in a month.
I. Haven't been here in a month and
I'm gonna get some feedback fromyou.
Because that is similar to, like, I mean, I don't have,
like, a Jewish family, but like,yeah, it's like when you go home
for the holidays and they have all the questions that, like,
(20:43):
you don't really deal with everyday.
Yeah. How's comedy going?
Now's not a good time for that. But it's really none of your
business. We should just do a show at
Rikers like they are literally, I have said multiple times, we
will take you and do it. You can do a show, OK, let's
just do it. And then that's like a sold out
event. Yeah, seriously, people would
kill for a crowd like that. I would.
(21:06):
I mean, they're amazing. Yeah, no, I have 1000%.
Anyways, the the left ear is popping right now.
My right ear is dead. This one is popping.
Really. This one is dead.
God. Damn.
It did I tell you my next tattoo?
What's Yeah, what's? Yes, you know, I want next.
Have I told you this yet? I think I want to get Princess
trans stamped. Yeah.
I just feel like there's no denying that like you're a
(21:29):
Princess. I'm AI want to be a Princess.
I am a Princess. I have sometimes Princess
behavior, but I'm not a Princess.
Like in a sparkly pink castle, you know, I'm a Princess who has
a trap. Stamp Should we schedule
tattoos? I, I mean, now that we've had
the one shot together, I'm so for some reason nervous about
being tired, like being up since5:15 and getting the shot and
(21:52):
like, for some reason I feel like it's going to Take Me Out
and I won't be able to get home.Is that true?
No, you know, like you know, when you're, you feel fine and
then you do just like the littlest thing and now your mind
is wasted the rest of the day. Are you, is there something
wrong? I mean, I'm really going to feel
I have the Hep B in me too. I.
Know and you said that one really hurt.
Yeah, well, you know what? We'll talk about this on.
(22:13):
Jay, what did you give that? If it hurts more, it means it's
bad. No, I'm thinking about how that
would have sucked to have like apainful shot.
Our nurse was afraid of shots. Is she a nurse?
OK. All right, you guys enjoy Simon.
Simon, we love you. Thank you for joining us.
And yeah, everyone enjoys Simon now.
Bye. OK.
(22:34):
We are joined by such a wonderful person.
He really is New Yorker of the week.
Like, he's such a gem of a human.
Like he's not just doesn't just do cool stuff.
He's actually like a cool persontoo, and very sweet and kind and
like shedding love and light in the world.
His name is Simon Bon and he's with us today.
And he is the owner of Estuary Tattoo and he's a tattoo artist
(22:59):
in Brooklyn who has pretty much gone like, I feel like you've
gone like global at this point, Like you, you're everywhere.
Welcome, Simon. Well.
Aspirational, but also at the same time I don't need.
That's very kind. I don't know.
We're so happy to have you. You really are like the true
essence of New York. I feel like you like did what
(23:20):
everyone, I think every man in New York is like, I'm going to
start tattooing and open up my own shop.
And it's like Simon's like I'm actually going to do it.
I'm actually going to do it, youknow?
Welcome. Great to be here.
Do you want me to talk about tattooing?
Yeah, we might want to talk about that.
(23:42):
So Simon, when? So first can you tell us a
little bit about like how, how did you even start tattooing?
Like what? What was that like?
So first started tattooing when I was at Pratt.
My first victim was our mutual French Harley.
That was I, well actually I tattooed myself first with it.
(24:06):
You know, everybody in art school like does their their
required stick and poke on themselves or somebody else at
some point. I have someone's practiced stick
and poke. Really weird I.
Have a banana next to my boob that's a stick and poke.
It says it. That's amazing.
Wow. Yeah.
And I thought I was gonna, I waslike, this is gonna be like my
(24:28):
favorite tattoo. It's just not so.
It's like it's someone it's someone who now has a tattoo.
They literally practiced their first tattoo on me.
So you are correct about that. So I mean, you know, it's like,
I feel like so many people have those.
I think they're as long as the experience was fun, I think
they're great. And so I started off doing that
(24:51):
in college on a handful of friends.
In high school, though, I was already, I was into, I think
that's like when like my tattooing was like starting to
pick up on Instagram and I was seeing a lot of it online.
I didn't know anybody with tattoos growing up, but I was
seeing it online a lot. And I just thought that it was
so cool. And then I went to school, I was
(25:14):
at Pratt for Fine Arts for drawing, and I kind of like put
tattooing on the back burner. I was like, I can come back to
that later. But for now, I'm in school and
focusing on like a very different studio practice.
And after through four years of school, I, you know, whittled
(25:36):
away at what I wanted my art practice to look like, you know,
through a lot of questions of like, you know, why do I make
art? What's important about this?
Like I have to make stuff, but why, why do I want to make
things? What is, what is the real value
(25:56):
of making things for me? And at the end of the day, I
think I really realized that I wasn't, I didn't want to make
stuff that was I, I wanted to make stuff that meant something
to myself and somebody else. Because art has really impacted
me so much throughout my life. And I, I know those pieces that
(26:17):
impacted me and that really changed how I looked at the
world. And I thought I, how amazing
would that be to if I could helpme, if I could be part of that
for somebody else. And making work for a gallery
seemed like a funny roundabout way to do so.
(26:38):
And it didn't. I was like, I don't know if I
want to make bodies of work to like maybe be seen by 100 people
to maybe be purchased by one that would eventually go in
storage somewhere, Probably likeand like so much of you know,
it's like, and that's like no shit on anybody who's doing
that. It's like you make stuff because
(26:58):
you want to make stuff and how it where it ends up is that it
doesn't really matter. It's like the practice that
that's what matters. But through kind of like
thinking about all this, I tattooing made more and more
sense to me that this is a practice that is like truly
transformative. This is a way that I can work
(27:21):
with one person who is going to hopefully really, you know, be
like invested in what I'm makingin this process of how we make
this. And that was like my how I
started getting focusing back into tattooing.
I was like, this is just really makes sense to me how I want to
(27:42):
make work and I want to make work with people.
I think making work in a vacuum of like just myself is like you
can, you can do that. But I I found it as I started
tattooing more and more gratifying to be working with
people actually because they were bringing ideas to the table
(28:03):
that I wouldn't have thought of.Or even if you know it would
subject matter that like I am well versed in, people would
have a whole new perspective andwould open up my eyes to see
something in a way that I could approach it that I wouldn't have
prior. That was so beautiful, Simon.
And for contacts for people who don't know, how many of your
(28:26):
tattoos has Simon done like? Basically all of them, all the
good ones are. All the good ones are Simon.
The rest of are me having a mental breakdown all over the
world. Were any of them before the
shop? Oh yeah, we were like.
The studio. Oh my God, no, They were like in
your room. Simon, you did we.
(28:47):
I used to live down the corner from Simon when I first around
the corner. Sorry, I need more coffee from
Simon when I first moved to New York because he was living with
my best friend Charlie. And we I would like come over
and be like, want to tattoo thison me?
And one time I like brought overa bunch of scallions and I was
like, how about right here? And I just showed him my and he
(29:09):
was like, all right, let's do this.
And so, and they're great. They're so good.
They're like, so I wish everyonecould see, but they're all over
and I get compliments on them everywhere.
People are like, where'd you getyour tattoos?
And I was. Like he did the three, he did
the three. Your page you do like, you're
not doing like little tattoos, you're doing pretty massive.
Yeah, I got him when he was, when he was like when he did do
(29:33):
little tattoos now hopeless. Even the tree.
You can't book for years. Yeah, write a book Simon right
now. It's impossible.
Great press. No, I'm just saying he's so
popular. No, no, no.
Everyone can book Simon. I'm just saying like he's just
you can't. Show up with scallions.
Anymore you can't just walk around with the scallion these.
(29:54):
Days. I love a live reference,
honestly. I I had AI was tattooing this
guy recently in Oakland who's anichthyologist at the Scripps
Aquarium in California. And he wanted a a black bellied
dragonfish, which is a deep sea fish, which you see it like
(30:16):
often in like, I don't know, like photographs of deep sea
stuff or just like illustrations.
And I grew up with drawings of them in books.
And he shows up and he's a scientist and he shows up and
he's like, hey, I have a gift for you and unpacks his bag and
has in gauze sealed. He has three different deep sea
(30:39):
fish from like one of the dives.And then he's like, do you mind
if I like, do you have, do you have isopropyl alcohol?
And I'm like, yes, the shop is full of isopropyl alcohol.
And he pulls out a glass jar andhe like plot like take some
tweezers, plops these fish in there, pours alcohol at it.
And he's like, here's your deep sea, your lives like deep sea
(30:59):
fish specimen for you to reference off of for this piece.
And it was the actual specimen like or the actual species that
we were doing. And it was like the coolest.
I made him do like a demo and talk for the whole studio.
I was like, if you're, do you mind educating everybody what's
happening right now? Yeah, everybody take a pause
(31:21):
from their tattooing and come and do like a mini fish lecture.
Wow, that's crazy. That's so crazy.
We're gonna need a picture. Do you have pictures?
I have AI can send you a photo. Yeah, send us a photo of that.
That sounds amazing. OK, so you you started you're
you're a little boy and Pratt. You're you're thinking little
boy and Pratt. And then you're you're a wee boy
(31:43):
Pratt. And then you're living around
the corner from me. But anyways, you, you then you
start working at shops and then you're like, wait, I could open
up a shop. Is that tell us more?
Tell us more. Yeah, so the journey was, I mean
so as as you were kind of describing, I was predominantly
(32:06):
self-taught for like the first two years I was just, I was in
the industry. You would, what you would say,
scratching out of my apartment. And, you know, it's like most
tattoo artists and studios historically definitely look
down upon that. Don't do that.
And it's like, there's good reason for that.
(32:27):
It's like you without proper oversight, you know, there's a
lot of risk for just doing things wrong.
At the end of the day, when you talk to most tattoo artists,
half of them, even if regardlessof how they started in the
studio, were tattooing beforehand.
And so I taught myself for the first couple years through, you
(32:52):
know, talking to other tattoo artists, getting tattooed
regularly. I was always getting tattooed
and always grilling everybody about what they were doing.
Lots of, you know, whatever I could find on YouTube at the
time. And then from that I developed
enough to be able to do some basic stuff.
(33:16):
You know, it's like nor it's like your tattoos like don't
have any like solid black feel because I didn't know how to do
it. The ones on.
What? I like them that way.
You know what? I they're originals.
They're original. It's like Picasso's, like
original, you know? That's what I have on my arms.
Line drawing I was. Thinking no, when I literally
when people ask me about my tattoos, I'm like, yeah, he's
he's booked now. It's, it's just, you know, it's
(33:38):
like he's famous. It's it's his early work
anyways. So, but from that, I learned how
to do some basic stuff and I gotinto a studio front with that.
And so the first two of you I worked at was called Izzocon
Tattoo, which is still open in Sunset Park, operated by Luis
(33:58):
Garcia, who was definitely like my first mentor.
And he was truly the best. He saw that I had like, you
know, some technical ability, very baseline, but that I was,
you know, I, I could draw and that I was really dedicated to
do pursuing this. And so he really taught me a
(34:20):
lot. He really made sure that I was
learning if I wasn't tattooing, that I was watching him tattoo.
And he would always talk to me through what he was doing.
And also it's a walk in shop. So it's like, ultimately, if I
knew how to do more, I could take more walk insurance because
I could do a wider range of things.
So I really owe, I owe a lot to him.
(34:42):
Louise shout out. You can find him on Instagram
through his studio, Itzukan Tattoo.
And I believe Louise Black work is one of his one of his
accounts. And then after that I moved to
Black Iris, which was a storefront, but private studio.
(35:03):
It was appointment only, but we were open to the public.
There was like a store upfront that sold like candles, incense,
the art from the studio, from the owners, Anca and John.
So yeah, Black Iris was in Greenpoint, so that was owned by
(35:24):
Uncle La Vrieve, who I think herInstagram is now.
It's Girl Snake on Instagram. She's out in Missoula, Mt now,
and John is on Instagram as JonoTattoo.
I think it's going to kill me. I don't remember.
(35:48):
It's OK, We can. We can capture that.
We'll find that. We'll find that.
He's out in Salem now. He has a studio called Hemlock
Tattoo, but they were the 2 owners of Black Iris and that's
where I met everybody who now isin Estuary.
(36:09):
And so I was there for maybe like a year and a half.
It was great. Learned a lot.
That was definitely like, you know, I really appreciate it
having a street shop experience because you learn how to do a
lot and you learn how to deal with a lot of different kinds of
people. It was like the craziest thing
that you had to tattoo for a walk in the.
(36:31):
Craziest thing I had to tattoo for a walk in.
Like did you, did someone walk in and they were like, I want
this And you were like, OK, right.
Like I feel like, do you have tolike?
Burn off your brain when like you, someone brings something in
that you just think is like I can't believe you're getting
this. I mean, if I really didn't agree
(36:53):
with something, I always would talk to them about it.
And how does that go? You're so calm and like it
sounds like I feel. Like, I've like watched people
get like really insane tattoos and the tattoo artists at like
these walk in places is always like, yeah, whatever, just happy
to do it for you. And I'm like, they must have so
many things that they come in and be like, this sucks.
(37:15):
Yeah, if you can approach it that way.
But into the into the like, I don't know, it's like for for
me, I was happy. I would take and like, you know,
I was hungry for work. I wanted to and like every walk
in tattoo, even if you don't agree with what they're getting,
(37:35):
you have an obligation. Like my obligations in my mind,
where even if I don't agree withwhat it is, I'm going to make it
the best for them that it could be in my the however I can think
to do so and I'm going to. It's ultimately practice for me
to do my best and I will better through this.
(37:56):
You're so nice. I feel like if I was a tattoo
artist and you were interviewingme right now, I would tell you
like every tattoo I've ever hated that I didn't like.
I feel like I would not be so nice and diplomatic about.
It so I was so diplomatic. So nice and.
Diplomatic. I've like during our tattoo
sessions sometimes, sometimes I can't, well, I always can't stop
talking. But like, I'll be like Sam, just
(38:17):
like you're my therapist, Like you're just, I mean, you, you
basically take on the role of therapists a lot, I feel like,
as a tattoo artist, or maybe that's just with me.
Oh, hi. You you're an.
Exception. What sells it all?
It's like. Just with you, we not take on
that role. Well, cuz.
Like I feel like that has to be the hardest part.
(38:38):
I mean, there's probably, there's a lot of parts that are
the hardest part, but it's like it has to be hard that like
you're working and you have yourown working style, but you're
also working on someone else whomight have their own needs.
Like I don't want someone to talk to me.
Like I want us to be quiet. Let's do it so I can leave.
But one time the guy who did though 2 on my legs, he really
(38:59):
wanted to, like, know the story of the tattoo.
And I was like, this really doesn't work for me.
Yeah, But like, it's two people both going through something
together who like, don't know each other.
I'm like, I'm like, I have you seated.
I'm gonna tell you a tale. I'm gonna talk to.
You listen, I appreciate, I appreciate your sessions because
I was like, oh, I don't have to say anything and I just listen
to a story or 10. Has anyone ever fainted?
(39:26):
Sorry, That's really hard. Pivot.
Really. Yeah.
Wow. Fainting is like it's the first
time you experience it as a tattoo artist.
The first couple times it's definitely scary, but after that
you just learn that it is it. It just happens.
(39:47):
You know, it's a it's nobody's fault when it happens because it
can be from really such a range of different things why it's
happening or a combination of things.
But I, yeah, after the first couple times, I think, yeah, the
first after the first couple times, you just you'd start to
really quickly pick up these arethe signs that it's about to
(40:09):
happen and then you kind of knowhow to navigate that and.
Usually if you can catch it in time you can, it's all fine and
you can make sure that they're seated or laying down and it'll
it passes and then usually you're good to keep going in
like 1520 minutes. Wow, really chill.
Reaction. Yeah, well, that's it.
(40:31):
It takes some practice. Like the first time it happened,
I think it. Yeah, the first time it
happened, it was on a roommate of mine.
He was, this was an Adizo Khan. And he was a big guy.
He was like almost 6 feet tall. And we were doing this tattoo
and he was so excited for it. And he's sitting on a chair and
(40:53):
I am just like, all right, you're ready.
And he's like, yeah, I'm ready. And we're doing like this huge,
like a whole shoulder cap. And I think I he touched the
needle to his skin and all of A and he was just like just like
all the color drained from his face and he just starts like the
it's like they the color drains and they start sweating bullets.
(41:14):
If you like the expression makessense when you see somebody
about to pass out like it is beads of sweat appear at a
nowhere. Oh my God.
And he started like falling and I have like a tattoo machine in
my hand and I'm like, Oh my God,this guy's too big.
I can't really catch him. And I think I think like Louise,
(41:38):
Louise was amazing. He the couple times that it
happened at his studio with me, he just like appeared out of
nowhere. Wow.
Catch. Them like, I have no idea what
he, he could have been tattooing.
I don't know, like, but he always was just there.
He just 'cause I feel like, you know, you've been around long
enough and you just know you canstart picking up when
(41:58):
something's off in a studio. And I think his senses, Spidey
senses just went off and he he like grabbed him.
And. We sat him back in the chair and
like, you know, you kind of likenod off for a second and then
you come back and then you have some sugar and hydrate.
Wait 10 minutes and you're usually good to go again.
(42:20):
Did he get a tattoo? Yeah, and then we just, we did
all the out the tattoo. That's wow.
I'm always jealous of people whofaint.
I've never fainted before. And I always thought when I was
in, especially in elementary school, I was like, I really
want to faint in front of everyone.
Really. Yeah.
Awful. It seems really cool.
Twice in my life, Yeah. Both on the subway platform by
myself. It's.
(42:41):
That's not how I want mine. The feeling, the feeling I'm
about to faint is like the worstfeeling in the world.
Out of nowhere. You like you literally can't
stand, but you also like can't talk like it's, it's very scary.
I wouldn't wish it. I'd like pretended for it.
I've pretended to feign a coupletimes.
I won't tell anyone what times were pretend but I have OK but.
(43:06):
Well, I think I think if you faint for real, you'll be like
that was enough. 11 and done just one.
It'll happen in life. Yeah, I know what I.
Don't want it at like a concert or anything.
I just want it like I'm coming into school and I'm I guess this
is. Not are you going back to
school? I'm.
Not going back to school anyways.
So Simon, now you have an amazing tattoo shop.
(43:28):
You're you're you. It's so beautiful.
We'll share pictures on the pod.Everyone should should take a
look and you have your own specialty like your your your
genre of like what you tattoo. I feel like you do really big
beautiful pieces that are like kind of aquatic in some way.
(43:50):
Is that is that or, or or like, I don't know, you talk about it.
Yeah. I mean, I, I guess I do a lot of
sea life. Yeah, like the the the genres
that I stick in are animals, mythological creatures,
elemental things and plants. They're probably important.
(44:14):
And So what was the question? It was not.
I don't. Think there wasn't?
Really a question of describing your work.
I was just trying to describe like where you're at now.
Like now you're at Estuary Tattoo.
You have a beautiful space. Everyone should go to your page
and look at everyone should takea look like mesmerized.
And how would people go about like what if someone wants to
(44:37):
get a tattoo by you, which I waskidding before you.
Simon is very bookable and you can go on his page and and grab
well, OK, not too bookable. I'm trying to promote you, but
in a way. Like.
People get your touching them bySimon but make sure you do it in
advance like you have to book inadvance.
There, there is a, on my Instagram, there is a link to a
(45:05):
it is not a newsletter. It is an e-mail list which
people I feel like couldn't say you can sign up for my e-mail
list and that will let you know when my books open.
You'll know before I announce iton Instagram that my books are
open and you'll get a link to anapplication form.
You fill it out. And I read all of them when my
books are open. And unfortunately, you know,
(45:26):
it's like I choose a certain amount per booking cycle and
that's what I work through untilthat list is done, I'd open my
books again. But if yeah, just really briefly
want to backtrack that I, you know, Estuary is my studio, but
I also opened it with Lil and Karen, who I met at Black Iris.
(45:51):
And the reason that we started Estuary was because Black Iris
closed during October 2020. So wasn't like directly a
pandemic casualty, but the owners, the lease was coming to
an end on the space and the owners were, they were like,
well, we're we want to get out of the city.
So they were great. And they actually donate like
(46:12):
just donated us, gifted us a bunch of the stuff from the
studio to for Lillian and I to continue because we were decided
that we would just open up a small private space so that we
could work safely during the height of COVID so that we could
have more control over who was coming in and out.
And so it really started off as like a thing of necessity at the
(46:35):
time. And then Kat Lees came on
shortly afterwards, who also wasat Black Iris and then Pickett
who Christopher Pickett, who also was at Black Iris.
And so we essentially just slowly reassembled Black Iris
(46:55):
into what Estuary is now. And now we have a bunch of other
great artists, Lucy and Lucy andHilary Blair, Theo Walla.
Who else is there now? Maggie Cho, but she's leaving
shortly. And yeah, so go to the page.
You can check out on Estuary. You can see all of the tattoo
(47:19):
artists. Everybody's great.
A lot of people have a lot of regular availability and if you
wanna try, if you wanna book with me, yeah, go to sign up for
the e-mail list and you'll find you'll be told when my books are
opening, but it is not a. Newsletter.
OK, not a newsletter. Oh, Simon, you're set.
(47:40):
You're like, you're so inspirational.
You really are, like, you reallybuilt yourself up from the
ground. Yeah.
I mean, you really like you likeyou were saying, like in college
you were, like, focused on what you wanted to do, and now you're
doing it like, that's amazing. No one does that.
They don't. No one.
It's crazy. It, it's I, so this past year
(48:02):
was my, I realized was I think about my 10 years of tattooing
and it I had AI, there was some,there were some thoughts coming
up where I was thinking about exactly this, where all of a
sudden you, everything just happens, right?
It's like there's just the next thing to do.
Like if you're in something, anything that you love doing,
(48:25):
it's like, OK, well, now that I have like, I've got this done,
now it's on to this thing. And it just seems like there's
this natural order that you are this progression that you're
following. But at this some point earlier
this year, I did realize I was like, I, oh, I, I kind of, I've
hit, I remember a point when I had this was a goal.
(48:49):
Like. Getting to this point was like,
that's where I want to get to. And I had a point of reflection
where I was like, OK, I, I've checked off actually all the
boxes that I had at one point. But it's just funny 'cause it's
like it doesn't even, I'm like, but it doesn't really matter
(49:09):
almost 'cause there's just, it just keeps going.
There's no, you know, there isn't like a point to sit back
and be like, OK, I did it. Like, I don't know.
It's like, I guess you could. But ultimately at the end of the
day, it's like, no, there's still like I, I'm still, I
still, there's so many pieces I want to make.
It's like the studio is constantly evolving, how I live
(49:32):
is constantly evolving and like all those things and form like
the work that you make. And so I don't know, it was just
funny to think about like a goalhas been achieved.
But like, there, it was bittersweet, you know, because
it's like I did something that Iwould like to celebrate, but at
the same time, I don't really know what there is to celebrate
(49:55):
because it's just like, it's notover.
There's still so much more to that I can do.
The journey never ends. It never.
Ends. Literally never ends.
Like every time. You hit a goal, now you're aware
of more, so you're like, OK, well now that's the new goal.
Yeah, well, I, yeah, I don't know or I don't even know what
the goal is now. It's just kind of like moving.
(50:17):
I don't know. I'm in a phase where I, I'm
really excited about, I think figuring out what what if
there's another goal, you know what I would like there to be.
But I think, yeah, having this is a very recent, like point of
reflection. And so I'm still still trying to
figure out like what how I want to reshape my the future that I
(50:38):
have now that I've like made this foundation.
Yeah, wow. Well, people, well, my goal is
to get a giant tattoo by Simon soon.
Grateful. That's my goal.
Get on my get on the e-mail list.
I'm gonna get on the e-mail list.
I feel like I'm ready. I feel like I'm ready for a a
big one. I've been getting these little
ones and I'm ready to go. Go where?
(50:59):
Do you want it? On my leg OK yeah.
So we'll yeah, Simon, I gotta, I'll text you.
I Yeah. You have you have a Direct Line
and that's. Yeah, I have a direct.
E-mail. Or Simon, sometimes I'll like
send him pictures of things and be like, I need the, do you like
how many times I've like sent you random pictures of things?
Do you remember that? And you're, you're probably like
(51:20):
in the middle of your work. And I'd be like, I think I want
this as a tattoo someday. And he's like, awesome.
I'm in the middle of something. No, always very kind.
All right, where can everyone find you?
So you can either find me at, you know, here in Brooklyn, at
Estuary Tattoo in Bushwick, which actually I'd love to make
(51:42):
a shout out if that's OK about an event coming up.
Yeah. So October 18th and 19th we
Estuary is hosting the first Bushwick Tattoo Studio crawl
where we have teamed up with a bunch of other private studios
in our immediate vicinity in Bushwick, which is right off the
(52:03):
Morgan L stop. And they all these private
studios, which normally you needan appointment to go check out,
are going to open their doors for a 2 day, 2 days, October
18th and 19th. They'll be open from 12:00 to
6:00 and people will be doing tattoos, people will be selling
their art. You can just walk around, see
these spaces that you like and meet artists.
(52:25):
So you kind of only can see online usually and every studio
you hit is going to be a If you pick up a map at Lowlife Tattoo
Supply in Bushwick or any participating of studios, you'll
be able to walk around and get astamp from each studio which
goes towards raffle tickets for donated prizes from every
(52:46):
studio, which do include gift certificates for tattoos.
How I'm going to get my? Leg tattoos.
Let's go, let's go, let's go. So that's October 18th, the 19th
Bushwick Tattoo Studio Crawl is I it had such a.
Cool idea. I bet you all meet someone there
too. Like a hot guy.
Yeah. Yeah.
OK. OK.
(53:07):
Bushwick's. Where did you?
Oh, where did you guys meet Bushwick?
Tattoo studio crawl. That's so New York.
OK, Sorry. For next year and then you can
also find me half the year at Thorns Tattoo in Oakland, CA and
(53:28):
that is like Estuary's sister studio full of amazing artists.
So definitely also check out Thorns Tattoo because all those
artists usually come over to Estuary at some point if you
want to get tattooed by any if you don't want to make the trip
out to California. Cool.
And then you personally, where can people find you?
(53:49):
Instagram On Instagram they can find me at Squids dot Inc.
Squids dot ink Awesome. Amazing.
Well, thank you so much for joining us, Simon.
So nice to meet you. Thank you so much for having me,
this was really fun. We love you.
OK, Thank you so much, everyone.Go check out Simon.
Go check out Estuary tattoo. Go get a tattoo.
(54:11):
Go we'll. See you at the crawl.
And yeah, we'll see you at the. Crawl.
Awesome.
Here we are. Here we are we.
Both just got our flu vaccine, yeah.
And and one of us, one of us got.
A hepatitis B vaccine. So guess who it was?
Comment below. Please, please, please, please
come. Below if you think one of us got
(00:37):
the hepatitis B shot. Think about the person who maybe
forgot that they had they didn'thave the hepatitis B shot.
Think about, think about, who would forgot?
These are like the crunchiest grapes you could be eating on
the mic. Listen this.
Oh, how craving those are some crunchy grapes.
(00:59):
Yeah, I know. I feel, I feel good.
We're both kind of like we're already like, I don't know, I
feel kind of weird, but it's oh,we just got a shot.
Like we got the shot like 5 seconds ago.
Yeah, it was pretty spontaneous,I'm just saying.
Like if you're with. A friend and you're kind of
like, what? What can we do for free in New
York right now? Yeah, it's gonna get vaccinated.
Like get the flu shot, get the COVID shot.
(01:22):
Get your hepatitis B shot. Call your pediatrician and ask
if you ever got Hep B and measles and boy oh boy do we
have the pharmacy for you. We have an amazing pharmacy.
So they were doing mine, they were doing my hepatitis B flu
shot combo and I was like, oh ow.
And the lady looks over and she's like, I haven't even
(01:44):
injected you yet. And I'm looking, I see that she
has and. Then she's like, ha ha ha, just
kidding. And it was like, And then she
like. Tapped your back.
She was like, this is so funny. It was funny.
I was like, yeah, people love being teased.
Are you awful at all? Little funny teasing.
Back, I guess it did kind of, you know, there was no time to
be nervous about the shot because like you're kind of like
paying attention to her jokes and then next thing you know
(02:07):
it's over. Like you got the shot.
My Band-Aid has fallen off already.
I'm feeling a little anxious about that but I I think I'm
being over. Driven.
Why would you what? What would the Band-Aid be
doing? I'm always afraid that it's like
a bigger hole than I'm thinking it is in my arm and that not,
not keeping the Band-Aid on infection will get in.
(02:28):
Like I'm going to lose my arm tonight.
That's crazy, right? That's really crazy.
OK, well, as long as it's crazy.It's just to, it's just to put,
well, the left headphone. It's the only.
This one's not working either. Really.
Yeah, it's kind of funky to talklike that.
It's a This isn't a good sign. You think it has to do with the
smoothie? Do you think maybe do I think do
(02:50):
a head maybe working is connected to the smoothie
explosion in the kitchen? Yeah.
Do you think, what do you think?I think there might be smoothie
like stuck in this or something.OK.
Like I don't think it's major. When you did that, it kind of
balanced out a little bit. Do you feel that?
Oh, so yeah, I think they're just there's like for some back
(03:10):
smoothie. Yeah, for some background.
I I put the I put all my smoothie ingredients in the
Nutribullet. I leave the room.
I just let it ride. Come back, Purple explosion.
Everywhere, really. I feel like I stand with my
Nutribullet the whole time with my hand on top of it.
(03:31):
Well, I mean, again, we go back to who do you think forgot the
hepatitis B shot? It was big me and.
For some reason. If I think both the headphones
are working now for me. Oh really?
Are they for you? I'll have to pay a little
attention. It's less wonky fish.
Less wonky. No, for some reason if I had a
classic old school blender, you know the pitcher with the top on
(03:53):
the on it, I would leave the room.
I would never leave the room forthat.
But the Nutribullet, I don't feel like should be left alone.
It makes me uneasy, really. I'm using it.
I don't know why. OK, no, it's here comes the
vaccine. I took three Advils, so I should
be good to none. So yeah, we're just kind of
(04:14):
riding this out. New York Moment of the week.
Let me think about that while I chew on this grape in the mic.
What's really intro OK, because last week we did it at the very.
End at the very end you found out who who this was the very
end. You might just always listening
(04:34):
and they're just like, I hope I learned, I hope I learned the
name of this podcast. Hey, if you're listening right
now, I'm going to take Oh no, that was your lead into that.
I'm going to just say one thing before we start, before we tell
you who we are, I want you to rate those podcasts.
That's it. Yeah.
You don't need. You don't get to know who we are
yet. Rate the podcast, share it with
a friend, follow or or hit subscribe, whatever the option
(04:58):
is that that makes it so that you guys are locked in because
we really work. You know, I think we're really
at the time where our true fans need to kind of step it up a
little. Yeah.
And it's like, you know, we. Appreciate how far everyone has
gotten us but we. Want to go further?
We would like to go further, if you can even believe it.
This is not end game for us, no.If you can believe.
(05:21):
OK, so what's your name? I'm Hannah Drillander and I'm
Nora Free. And you are listening to New
Yorker of the Week. New Yorker of the Week.
And if it's your first time here, this is a good one to tune
into. I guess they're all good ones,
So what do I know? It's like a no skips CD.
(05:41):
Yeah, there's literally no skips.
Like every, everyone's a banger.Speaking of CDs, Taylor Swift,
everyone's freaking out. In what capacity?
I don't know. Everyone's you saw she dissed
your girl. Charlie.
Absolutely not. I love Charlie, but I'm, I don't
know if I would call her my girl, but I do feel like she's
kind of your girl. She's.
My girl. I have been thinking that I
(06:04):
probably want a wet Oh. Is your headphones moving
around? Oh.
Yeah, I was getting a little new.
Sound is. On it's like a Nutribullet.
It is like really unpredictable.On a Nutribullet.
It's so funny that I can like see smoothie on your headphones.
I feel awful. I mean, I really wasn't
expecting it. No, it's just funny.
It's like my fault. I was thinking, I think I want
(06:28):
my wedding. I'm not engaged nor do I have
any money saved by the way, to be somewhere in between Charli
XCX's wedding and get ready the royal wedding, because I do, you
know, I still want very traditional, kind of regal, very
like beautiful traditional additional wedding.
But I after after that's over, like, let's go, you know, like
(06:52):
let's let's have a fucking party.
Are you going to get drunk on your wedding night?
Of course. Really.
Yeah, wow. Yeah, Because I'm.
That's going to be the safest I'll ever be.
Just surrounded by friends and family, a million people making
sure I get home. My husband's there.
So much food, so much food. But I've always said I'll also
have an IV drip planned for the morning after so I can just get
(07:15):
that over with. What if I was like, all right,
guys, I'm going to drink now because this is, I'm not missing
it. I'm not missing this anymore.
I mean, I don't know if like my plan will be like let's get
wasted, but if I do, I'm not like slow.
Where are you with the brunch after the next day?
No brunch or brunch. You guys can have brunch.
I'll be me and Wolf are going tobe some more.
Wow. OK, I'm thinking me and Wolf
(07:39):
sleep in IV drip, order food to the house.
The next day is not a day to leave for your honeymoon.
That's for you and your husband to lay on the couch, eat junk
food, looking at pictures of your wedding and talking about
the night. And that's how I feel.
Cuz a lot of people do that brunch the next day.
No, I want to free everyone fromthe wedding, OK?
(08:01):
I don't think I want my wedding to, of course, be just like, fun
and joyous and like everyone's just like, I love her.
I love it. I love this party.
Like, I'm having a great time. But I also know that weddings
are an ordeal and going to a wedding is never chill.
Like it's always like someone has to travel.
You got to buy a gift, you got to buy a dress, you got to get a
(08:22):
date. Like it's all this stuff.
Once you leave that night, you're free.
Yeah, you're free from the wedding.
OK, I won't bring it up again. I'll bring it up.
I'll be posting and stuff like that.
But. How many posts are you going to
do for your wedding? Oh God, got it.
Really. It's moving.
It's moving. Around the sound is on the move.
The sound's on the move in our in our headphones.
(08:42):
It kind of feels like when your ear is popping.
Yeah, and it's like pop, pop, pop, pop.
It's kind of like I'm if we pop it, we're about to get the sound
back. Yeah, this OK.
Seems like this time we might beso stuck in it.
It's OK, maybe I'll we'll see. We'll see what we can.
We can fix it in between. OK.
What was your question? How many posts are you gonna do
(09:02):
about your wedding? I don't see myself making any
tik toks. You know, people make the like
the go into the Chapel. Or.
I'm not ready. Yet I'm not ready yet.
Now I'm ready. And then it's her.
Like, I don't see myself ready. No one will be like, if you
personally want to make content on my wedding day, like anyone,
go for it. But like, I I will not be like,
(09:25):
we're getting this real today, everyone that won't be me.
Yeah, I'll probably do like one formal photo that are like my
favorite professional shots, like one of me and Wolf.
Me and you, no. Like even just like those
that'll be the photo dump is gonna be like what party photos
OK, but the regal photo shoot will be like.
(09:47):
Just me and you and me and you and Wolf.
Just me and Wolf. And me and you, just me, just
like. Me and Wolf and maybe me and
like our. Families.
And then one maybe with the bridal party.
Bridal. There we go.
We're in the real. Like you're going to be all over
the photo. Dumb.
Of course. What I'm picturing is like
(10:08):
disposable cameras everywhere. Everyone's taking photos for
each other and it's like we've got cigarettes and we've got
matchbooks and we've got. That's terribly.
They've got the drinks in the air and I'm in a short dress
now. I'm in my short dress, yeah, So.
Yeah, so. How many dresses are you gonna
have? 2 OK and I'm gonna wear this is
(10:32):
ridiculous. I'm like, I'm not engaged and I
have no and I have no money likethis would this would all be if
Wolf's mom approves, that's who's handling the budget.
So she's gonna love this. I would wear like my ball gown
for the ceremony and for my first dance and then I'm
changing it to my short dress for the party.
OK, cool. But I'm wearing the long dress
(10:52):
for my first dance. OK.
All right, OK, cool. I like this.
Thank you. Don't you feel like everyone got
married last weekend? Yeah, I literally have.
When Charlie XX got married, I was like, the world has been
married. Yeah, like, everyone got
married. And if you weren't invited to
the Charlie XXX's wedding and you were like any like even
ounce of famous, you should justgo kill yourself.
(11:14):
No, seriously, jump off a bridge.
Literally. Like, cuz like that was like,
that was the party to be at. And that's how you know you're
cool and you've made it. And you can be proud of who the
person you've become. Yeah.
And the access you have. And if you are famous and you
are not there like Loser Loser, you miss the wedding of the
(11:37):
century and you're not coming tomine.
You're not even going to be in her photo.
Just celebrity you would never want at your wedding, huh?
You're going to say Taylor Swift?
Yeah, I guess Taylor Swift, I don't know, Bruno Mars I don't
really want to make annoying. You'd be like, I'll play a song.
(11:59):
For you, you're like, no, no, I don't Bruno, get Bruno off the
piano. I don't want Taylor there.
I don't want Bruno. I don't want like Kid Rock or I
want Usher there. If he's available.
I want to marry Usher. Let's call him.
Let's he's oh, Margo, just like sprinted.
Margo sprinted. She's like Usher.
Is this one out? Yeah, yeah.
(12:21):
Did I, like, destroy our equipment?
No, no, no. It seems like I did.
A little, yeah, But we can live like this.
Really. Yeah.
We can twist and turn. It's a little bad.
Sorry. Don't be.
Don't be. Was this smelly?
Good. I.
Mean there wasn't much left after everything.
After everything. So I've started putting creatine
in my smoothies though, just as a heads up.
(12:41):
What does that? Do so it's.
It really helps with brain function and memory and it's
like the most proven supplement on the market right now that
like actually has been proven tolike make people retain
information better and it's likeoverall brain health function
(13:02):
pro. OK, so should I get some?
Yeah. Is it expensive?
It it was expensive for the jar considering how much I pay for
protein, but it was not expensive in the grand scheme
because the jar comes with like 50 servings and you only need a
little scoop of it. It's the scoop is like this
small. And it's every day.
Every day you put it into your smoothie.
(13:23):
Are you feeling it working? I mean, I, I don't know, OK, OK,
not a review yet. I'm, I mean I'm everyday, I mean
I feel, I feel depressed today. So maybe maybe my brain is like
remembering some things. So maybe I need to remember.
So there's kind of like a downside to its work.
I love watching Margo drink fromher.
(13:44):
Fucking life. We need a second camera here.
We need a second camera. It's a phone.
I mean, look how a. Phone here.
Adorable. And then whenever we're talking
about it, this can be up on the screen.
Yeah. I mean, it's this really.
She's cute, she loves it. It's.
Because it's a beautiful little flower, she's wagged her tail a
little. Yeah, she loves it.
If you don't haven't already, you should really get your pet a
(14:07):
fountain because they really like them.
Just. Please get your pet a fountain.
Please. I'm officially watching that
dog. Oh, and Hannah's opening up a
dog clinic. Just I'm just accepting one
other dog. His name is not Goblin.
That is his nickname. His name is George.
See, that actually makes it worse.
Why does he have been nicknamed Goblin when he's being a goblin?
(14:29):
I don't know, she one time said.We call him Goblin.
When he's being bad, I don't know.
His name is George. I didn't.
His name is George. We know George.
Pretty formal name for a dog whose science gets called
Goblin. OK, we're almost at time for
because we had the interview waspretty long and we were we're at
(14:52):
15 minutes. Two grapes left.
And we have two grapes left. So maybe we just kind of do a
little a little praise for our our interviewee.
Oh yeah, real quick. This was a really sweet
interview, but I feel like maybeyou want to tee it up because
this is your guy. This is OK.
So when I was a a Yee young, canyou say Yee young?
(15:17):
Yeah, we, we, we little, we little.
She was a wee little girl when Iwas a wee little girl.
And I just moved here from western Massachusetts to New
York City. The big city, the.
Big city. A wee little girl in the big
city. Wee little girl in the big city
and I, I lived down the street from my best friend Charlie.
And he, he, his roommate was named Simon and they had lived
(15:41):
together, Clue, Clue and they had lived together at Pratt.
And I had partied with Simon a lot and hung out with him when
Charlie was in practice. I used to come visit all the
time from UMass and whatever. But then Charlie moved in with
Simon off obviously off campus after they graduated and Simon
decided to become a tattoo artist.
(16:03):
And so we he kind of like practiced on me in some ways.
And like, now he's a big deal. He's a big Nora deal.
He's literally wearing, walking around in his early days, his
art. It's like if you were to hang
out with Picasso as a child, just like it's just and you like
keep his paintings at your house.
And you're like, oh, this is some of his old work before and.
(16:25):
You're like Picasso, Picasso andlike, that's what's going.
On that really is what it feels like.
I mean, Simon is truly one of the most beautiful artists I've
ever. And he's really sweet.
He's so gentle and. Simon's so amazing.
Is he like, taken? Yeah.
He has a really great girlfriend.
That's so tracked. I know.
People like Simon, they don't just stay out there.
(16:46):
No, no, no, no, they don't just.Stay out in the market, Simon's
picked up, scooped out. I was a smart girl.
She's smart and she's also a tattoo artist.
That's really cool. I know they're.
It's Oh my God, at their wedding.
They should do some tattoos for people that's like 1000% their
names or initials or something cute.
Maybe on everyone. We have to get their initials.
(17:07):
No, like there's gonna be like aflash book, but like one of them
will be wait, I might do flash tattoos at my wedding.
Wow, that's a really good. Idea like some of them will just
be like rings or chapels or heart but like there will be
like 1. You should hire Simon to do
flash tattoos at your wedding. And his wife and his wife.
Simon can do all the boys and the wife can do all the girls.
Perfect. We do not want genders mixing at
my wedding. I don't want any gender mixing
(17:29):
it. Can be like an Orthodox Jewish
wedding where they put a a curtain in the middle and
Simon's with all the men. All the men and all the.
Women in their tattoos at my orthodox wedding.
Anyways, I I'm just spitting them out.
You want to. It's like creatine up in here.
So yeah. Anyways, just Google Simon or on
(17:51):
Instagram and. He says at the end how exact
hall how you can find. And this thing about Simon, he
keeps giving credit to everyone throughout the episode.
He does. And it's like such a credits
yours, Simon, Simon, you're a little you're the star.
You're the star, Simon. It's a really good interview.
It's really good. So enjoy and then maybe book an
appointment with him if you're looking for a big fat piece on
(18:15):
your like on your like stomach of like a a cool ass creature.
Big fat piece if you're looking for a.
Big ass piece. Well, you know what I mean.
I feel like, I feel like with Simon, you don't want to waste
it on a. Yeah, don't get a tiny tattoo.
You want to get something big and sexy?
Yeah, that seems to be his specialty.
He's big and sexy. What do you think your next
(18:35):
tattoo is gonna be? It's gonna be, you see, in my
living room. Do you see that little girl
sitting on the chair with her cat?
Yes. Yes, Yes.
I want to get that on my thigh. That's really nice.
Would that be cute? That's really cute.
Yeah. The problem is that I sent it to
so I've had that painting in my life forever.
It's my grandmother gave it to me and it obviously looks like
me and Margo and I sent it to myfriend Johanna in Germany and
(18:59):
she was like, oh, Nora, That's like a really like a really,
really sad, scary cartoon from this book that just German fairy
tale book. And I was like, why?
I need to like look into the origin of it.
Apparently it's like she like kills people or something but
still I'm going to get. It it's still really cute and a
(19:19):
cheetah. I don't give a fuck.
And you didn't know that. And if you needed to, I think
you would kill someone. The girls at Rikers, they were
making comments on my tattoo, mylittle cheetah Panther I got in
Nicaragua. I love it.
Someone was like, is that a rat?It's.
Really humbling. I was like, no, it's a, it's a
(19:40):
cheetah. And they were like not a giant
spotted rat. They were like, whoever gave
that to you looks like a rat. You're like, you know, it's
permanent, like my daddy's permanent.
They will really at Rikers when they whenever we I do for those
who don't know, I do the book club at Rikers whenever I go and
they will tell you exactly. It's like going into your Jewish
(20:01):
like grandmother's home. It's just like they'll be like,
no, he lost weight. There's no hiding there.
Your face, it got so much less chubby.
And it was like, heard God, it'slike I'm seeing this as a
compliment from you, but I'm only hearing the insults.
They also check in a lot like sonor do you have a man yet and
(20:21):
it's like no you guys. You guys let it go.
I'll tell you. Because one thing you know about
me is I'll tell you. It is a good monthly check in,
you know, Yeah, things like. I haven't been here in a month.
I. Haven't been here in a month and
I'm gonna get some feedback fromyou.
Because that is similar to, like, I mean, I don't have,
like, a Jewish family, but like,yeah, it's like when you go home
for the holidays and they have all the questions that, like,
(20:43):
you don't really deal with everyday.
Yeah. How's comedy going?
Now's not a good time for that. But it's really none of your
business. We should just do a show at
Rikers like they are literally, I have said multiple times, we
will take you and do it. You can do a show, OK, let's
just do it. And then that's like a sold out
event. Yeah, seriously, people would
kill for a crowd like that. I would.
(21:06):
I mean, they're amazing. Yeah, no, I have 1000%.
Anyways, the the left ear is popping right now.
My right ear is dead. This one is popping.
Really. This one is dead.
God. Damn.
It did I tell you my next tattoo?
What's Yeah, what's? Yes, you know, I want next.
Have I told you this yet? I think I want to get Princess
trans stamped. Yeah.
I just feel like there's no denying that like you're a
(21:29):
Princess. I'm AI want to be a Princess.
I am a Princess. I have sometimes Princess
behavior, but I'm not a Princess.
Like in a sparkly pink castle, you know, I'm a Princess who has
a trap. Stamp Should we schedule
tattoos? I, I mean, now that we've had
the one shot together, I'm so for some reason nervous about
being tired, like being up since5:15 and getting the shot and
(21:52):
like, for some reason I feel like it's going to Take Me Out
and I won't be able to get home.Is that true?
No, you know, like you know, when you're, you feel fine and
then you do just like the littlest thing and now your mind
is wasted the rest of the day. Are you, is there something
wrong? I mean, I'm really going to feel
I have the Hep B in me too. I.
Know and you said that one really hurt.
Yeah, well, you know what? We'll talk about this on.
(22:13):
Jay, what did you give that? If it hurts more, it means it's
bad. No, I'm thinking about how that
would have sucked to have like apainful shot.
Our nurse was afraid of shots. Is she a nurse?
OK. All right, you guys enjoy Simon.
Simon, we love you. Thank you for joining us.
And yeah, everyone enjoys Simon now.
Bye. OK.
(22:34):
We are joined by such a wonderful person.
He really is New Yorker of the week.
Like, he's such a gem of a human.
Like he's not just doesn't just do cool stuff.
He's actually like a cool persontoo, and very sweet and kind and
like shedding love and light in the world.
His name is Simon Bon and he's with us today.
And he is the owner of Estuary Tattoo and he's a tattoo artist
(22:59):
in Brooklyn who has pretty much gone like, I feel like you've
gone like global at this point, Like you, you're everywhere.
Welcome, Simon. Well.
Aspirational, but also at the same time I don't need.
That's very kind. I don't know.
We're so happy to have you. You really are like the true
essence of New York. I feel like you like did what
(23:20):
everyone, I think every man in New York is like, I'm going to
start tattooing and open up my own shop.
And it's like Simon's like I'm actually going to do it.
I'm actually going to do it, youknow?
Welcome. Great to be here.
Do you want me to talk about tattooing?
Yeah, we might want to talk about that.
(23:42):
So Simon, when? So first can you tell us a
little bit about like how, how did you even start tattooing?
Like what? What was that like?
So first started tattooing when I was at Pratt.
My first victim was our mutual French Harley.
That was I, well actually I tattooed myself first with it.
(24:06):
You know, everybody in art school like does their their
required stick and poke on themselves or somebody else at
some point. I have someone's practiced stick
and poke. Really weird I.
Have a banana next to my boob that's a stick and poke.
It says it. That's amazing.
Wow. Yeah.
And I thought I was gonna, I waslike, this is gonna be like my
(24:28):
favorite tattoo. It's just not so.
It's like it's someone it's someone who now has a tattoo.
They literally practiced their first tattoo on me.
So you are correct about that. So I mean, you know, it's like,
I feel like so many people have those.
I think they're as long as the experience was fun, I think
they're great. And so I started off doing that
(24:51):
in college on a handful of friends.
In high school, though, I was already, I was into, I think
that's like when like my tattooing was like starting to
pick up on Instagram and I was seeing a lot of it online.
I didn't know anybody with tattoos growing up, but I was
seeing it online a lot. And I just thought that it was
so cool. And then I went to school, I was
(25:14):
at Pratt for Fine Arts for drawing, and I kind of like put
tattooing on the back burner. I was like, I can come back to
that later. But for now, I'm in school and
focusing on like a very different studio practice.
And after through four years of school, I, you know, whittled
(25:36):
away at what I wanted my art practice to look like, you know,
through a lot of questions of like, you know, why do I make
art? What's important about this?
Like I have to make stuff, but why, why do I want to make
things? What is, what is the real value
(25:56):
of making things for me? And at the end of the day, I
think I really realized that I wasn't, I didn't want to make
stuff that was I, I wanted to make stuff that meant something
to myself and somebody else. Because art has really impacted
me so much throughout my life. And I, I know those pieces that
(26:17):
impacted me and that really changed how I looked at the
world. And I thought I, how amazing
would that be to if I could helpme, if I could be part of that
for somebody else. And making work for a gallery
seemed like a funny roundabout way to do so.
(26:38):
And it didn't. I was like, I don't know if I
want to make bodies of work to like maybe be seen by 100 people
to maybe be purchased by one that would eventually go in
storage somewhere, Probably likeand like so much of you know,
it's like, and that's like no shit on anybody who's doing
that. It's like you make stuff because
(26:58):
you want to make stuff and how it where it ends up is that it
doesn't really matter. It's like the practice that
that's what matters. But through kind of like
thinking about all this, I tattooing made more and more
sense to me that this is a practice that is like truly
transformative. This is a way that I can work
(27:21):
with one person who is going to hopefully really, you know, be
like invested in what I'm makingin this process of how we make
this. And that was like my how I
started getting focusing back into tattooing.
I was like, this is just really makes sense to me how I want to
(27:42):
make work and I want to make work with people.
I think making work in a vacuum of like just myself is like you
can, you can do that. But I I found it as I started
tattooing more and more gratifying to be working with
people actually because they were bringing ideas to the table
(28:03):
that I wouldn't have thought of.Or even if you know it would
subject matter that like I am well versed in, people would
have a whole new perspective andwould open up my eyes to see
something in a way that I could approach it that I wouldn't have
prior. That was so beautiful, Simon.
And for contacts for people who don't know, how many of your
(28:26):
tattoos has Simon done like? Basically all of them, all the
good ones are. All the good ones are Simon.
The rest of are me having a mental breakdown all over the
world. Were any of them before the
shop? Oh yeah, we were like.
The studio. Oh my God, no, They were like in
your room. Simon, you did we.
(28:47):
I used to live down the corner from Simon when I first around
the corner. Sorry, I need more coffee from
Simon when I first moved to New York because he was living with
my best friend Charlie. And we I would like come over
and be like, want to tattoo thison me?
And one time I like brought overa bunch of scallions and I was
like, how about right here? And I just showed him my and he
(29:09):
was like, all right, let's do this.
And so, and they're great. They're so good.
They're like, so I wish everyonecould see, but they're all over
and I get compliments on them everywhere.
People are like, where'd you getyour tattoos?
And I was. Like he did the three, he did
the three. Your page you do like, you're
not doing like little tattoos, you're doing pretty massive.
Yeah, I got him when he was, when he was like when he did do
(29:33):
little tattoos now hopeless. Even the tree.
You can't book for years. Yeah, write a book Simon right
now. It's impossible.
Great press. No, I'm just saying he's so
popular. No, no, no.
Everyone can book Simon. I'm just saying like he's just
you can't. Show up with scallions.
Anymore you can't just walk around with the scallion these.
(29:54):
Days. I love a live reference,
honestly. I I had AI was tattooing this
guy recently in Oakland who's anichthyologist at the Scripps
Aquarium in California. And he wanted a a black bellied
dragonfish, which is a deep sea fish, which you see it like
(30:16):
often in like, I don't know, like photographs of deep sea
stuff or just like illustrations.
And I grew up with drawings of them in books.
And he shows up and he's a scientist and he shows up and
he's like, hey, I have a gift for you and unpacks his bag and
has in gauze sealed. He has three different deep sea
(30:39):
fish from like one of the dives.And then he's like, do you mind
if I like, do you have, do you have isopropyl alcohol?
And I'm like, yes, the shop is full of isopropyl alcohol.
And he pulls out a glass jar andhe like plot like take some
tweezers, plops these fish in there, pours alcohol at it.
And he's like, here's your deep sea, your lives like deep sea
(30:59):
fish specimen for you to reference off of for this piece.
And it was the actual specimen like or the actual species that
we were doing. And it was like the coolest.
I made him do like a demo and talk for the whole studio.
I was like, if you're, do you mind educating everybody what's
happening right now? Yeah, everybody take a pause
(31:21):
from their tattooing and come and do like a mini fish lecture.
Wow, that's crazy. That's so crazy.
We're gonna need a picture. Do you have pictures?
I have AI can send you a photo. Yeah, send us a photo of that.
That sounds amazing. OK, so you you started you're
you're a little boy and Pratt. You're you're thinking little
boy and Pratt. And then you're you're a wee boy
(31:43):
Pratt. And then you're living around
the corner from me. But anyways, you, you then you
start working at shops and then you're like, wait, I could open
up a shop. Is that tell us more?
Tell us more. Yeah, so the journey was, I mean
so as as you were kind of describing, I was predominantly
(32:06):
self-taught for like the first two years I was just, I was in
the industry. You would, what you would say,
scratching out of my apartment. And, you know, it's like most
tattoo artists and studios historically definitely look
down upon that. Don't do that.
And it's like, there's good reason for that.
(32:27):
It's like you without proper oversight, you know, there's a
lot of risk for just doing things wrong.
At the end of the day, when you talk to most tattoo artists,
half of them, even if regardlessof how they started in the
studio, were tattooing beforehand.
And so I taught myself for the first couple years through, you
(32:52):
know, talking to other tattoo artists, getting tattooed
regularly. I was always getting tattooed
and always grilling everybody about what they were doing.
Lots of, you know, whatever I could find on YouTube at the
time. And then from that I developed
enough to be able to do some basic stuff.
(33:16):
You know, it's like nor it's like your tattoos like don't
have any like solid black feel because I didn't know how to do
it. The ones on.
What? I like them that way.
You know what? I they're originals.
They're original. It's like Picasso's, like
original, you know? That's what I have on my arms.
Line drawing I was. Thinking no, when I literally
when people ask me about my tattoos, I'm like, yeah, he's
he's booked now. It's, it's just, you know, it's
(33:38):
like he's famous. It's it's his early work
anyways. So, but from that, I learned how
to do some basic stuff and I gotinto a studio front with that.
And so the first two of you I worked at was called Izzocon
Tattoo, which is still open in Sunset Park, operated by Luis
(33:58):
Garcia, who was definitely like my first mentor.
And he was truly the best. He saw that I had like, you
know, some technical ability, very baseline, but that I was,
you know, I, I could draw and that I was really dedicated to
do pursuing this. And so he really taught me a
(34:20):
lot. He really made sure that I was
learning if I wasn't tattooing, that I was watching him tattoo.
And he would always talk to me through what he was doing.
And also it's a walk in shop. So it's like, ultimately, if I
knew how to do more, I could take more walk insurance because
I could do a wider range of things.
So I really owe, I owe a lot to him.
(34:42):
Louise shout out. You can find him on Instagram
through his studio, Itzukan Tattoo.
And I believe Louise Black work is one of his one of his
accounts. And then after that I moved to
Black Iris, which was a storefront, but private studio.
(35:03):
It was appointment only, but we were open to the public.
There was like a store upfront that sold like candles, incense,
the art from the studio, from the owners, Anca and John.
So yeah, Black Iris was in Greenpoint, so that was owned by
(35:24):
Uncle La Vrieve, who I think herInstagram is now.
It's Girl Snake on Instagram. She's out in Missoula, Mt now,
and John is on Instagram as JonoTattoo.
I think it's going to kill me. I don't remember.
(35:48):
It's OK, We can. We can capture that.
We'll find that. We'll find that.
He's out in Salem now. He has a studio called Hemlock
Tattoo, but they were the 2 owners of Black Iris and that's
where I met everybody who now isin Estuary.
(36:09):
And so I was there for maybe like a year and a half.
It was great. Learned a lot.
That was definitely like, you know, I really appreciate it
having a street shop experience because you learn how to do a
lot and you learn how to deal with a lot of different kinds of
people. It was like the craziest thing
that you had to tattoo for a walk in the.
(36:31):
Craziest thing I had to tattoo for a walk in.
Like did you, did someone walk in and they were like, I want
this And you were like, OK, right.
Like I feel like, do you have tolike?
Burn off your brain when like you, someone brings something in
that you just think is like I can't believe you're getting
this. I mean, if I really didn't agree
(36:53):
with something, I always would talk to them about it.
And how does that go? You're so calm and like it
sounds like I feel. Like, I've like watched people
get like really insane tattoos and the tattoo artists at like
these walk in places is always like, yeah, whatever, just happy
to do it for you. And I'm like, they must have so
many things that they come in and be like, this sucks.
(37:15):
Yeah, if you can approach it that way.
But into the into the like, I don't know, it's like for for
me, I was happy. I would take and like, you know,
I was hungry for work. I wanted to and like every walk
in tattoo, even if you don't agree with what they're getting,
(37:35):
you have an obligation. Like my obligations in my mind,
where even if I don't agree withwhat it is, I'm going to make it
the best for them that it could be in my the however I can think
to do so and I'm going to. It's ultimately practice for me
to do my best and I will better through this.
(37:56):
You're so nice. I feel like if I was a tattoo
artist and you were interviewingme right now, I would tell you
like every tattoo I've ever hated that I didn't like.
I feel like I would not be so nice and diplomatic about.
It so I was so diplomatic. So nice and.
Diplomatic. I've like during our tattoo
sessions sometimes, sometimes I can't, well, I always can't stop
talking. But like, I'll be like Sam, just
(38:17):
like you're my therapist, Like you're just, I mean, you, you
basically take on the role of therapists a lot, I feel like,
as a tattoo artist, or maybe that's just with me.
Oh, hi. You you're an.
Exception. What sells it all?
It's like. Just with you, we not take on
that role. Well, cuz.
Like I feel like that has to be the hardest part.
(38:38):
I mean, there's probably, there's a lot of parts that are
the hardest part, but it's like it has to be hard that like
you're working and you have yourown working style, but you're
also working on someone else whomight have their own needs.
Like I don't want someone to talk to me.
Like I want us to be quiet. Let's do it so I can leave.
But one time the guy who did though 2 on my legs, he really
(38:59):
wanted to, like, know the story of the tattoo.
And I was like, this really doesn't work for me.
Yeah, But like, it's two people both going through something
together who like, don't know each other.
I'm like, I'm like, I have you seated.
I'm gonna tell you a tale. I'm gonna talk to.
You listen, I appreciate, I appreciate your sessions because
I was like, oh, I don't have to say anything and I just listen
to a story or 10. Has anyone ever fainted?
(39:26):
Sorry, That's really hard. Pivot.
Really. Yeah.
Wow. Fainting is like it's the first
time you experience it as a tattoo artist.
The first couple times it's definitely scary, but after that
you just learn that it is it. It just happens.
(39:47):
You know, it's a it's nobody's fault when it happens because it
can be from really such a range of different things why it's
happening or a combination of things.
But I, yeah, after the first couple times, I think, yeah, the
first after the first couple times, you just you'd start to
really quickly pick up these arethe signs that it's about to
(40:09):
happen and then you kind of knowhow to navigate that and.
Usually if you can catch it in time you can, it's all fine and
you can make sure that they're seated or laying down and it'll
it passes and then usually you're good to keep going in
like 1520 minutes. Wow, really chill.
Reaction. Yeah, well, that's it.
(40:31):
It takes some practice. Like the first time it happened,
I think it. Yeah, the first time it
happened, it was on a roommate of mine.
He was, this was an Adizo Khan. And he was a big guy.
He was like almost 6 feet tall. And we were doing this tattoo
and he was so excited for it. And he's sitting on a chair and
(40:53):
I am just like, all right, you're ready.
And he's like, yeah, I'm ready. And we're doing like this huge,
like a whole shoulder cap. And I think I he touched the
needle to his skin and all of A and he was just like just like
all the color drained from his face and he just starts like the
it's like they the color drains and they start sweating bullets.
(41:14):
If you like the expression makessense when you see somebody
about to pass out like it is beads of sweat appear at a
nowhere. Oh my God.
And he started like falling and I have like a tattoo machine in
my hand and I'm like, Oh my God,this guy's too big.
I can't really catch him. And I think I think like Louise,
(41:38):
Louise was amazing. He the couple times that it
happened at his studio with me, he just like appeared out of
nowhere. Wow.
Catch. Them like, I have no idea what
he, he could have been tattooing.
I don't know, like, but he always was just there.
He just 'cause I feel like, you know, you've been around long
enough and you just know you canstart picking up when
(41:58):
something's off in a studio. And I think his senses, Spidey
senses just went off and he he like grabbed him.
And. We sat him back in the chair and
like, you know, you kind of likenod off for a second and then
you come back and then you have some sugar and hydrate.
Wait 10 minutes and you're usually good to go again.
(42:20):
Did he get a tattoo? Yeah, and then we just, we did
all the out the tattoo. That's wow.
I'm always jealous of people whofaint.
I've never fainted before. And I always thought when I was
in, especially in elementary school, I was like, I really
want to faint in front of everyone.
Really. Yeah.
Awful. It seems really cool.
Twice in my life, Yeah. Both on the subway platform by
myself. It's.
(42:41):
That's not how I want mine. The feeling, the feeling I'm
about to faint is like the worstfeeling in the world.
Out of nowhere. You like you literally can't
stand, but you also like can't talk like it's, it's very scary.
I wouldn't wish it. I'd like pretended for it.
I've pretended to feign a coupletimes.
I won't tell anyone what times were pretend but I have OK but.
(43:06):
Well, I think I think if you faint for real, you'll be like
that was enough. 11 and done just one.
It'll happen in life. Yeah, I know what I.
Don't want it at like a concert or anything.
I just want it like I'm coming into school and I'm I guess this
is. Not are you going back to
school? I'm.
Not going back to school anyways.
So Simon, now you have an amazing tattoo shop.
(43:28):
You're you're you. It's so beautiful.
We'll share pictures on the pod.Everyone should should take a
look and you have your own specialty like your your your
genre of like what you tattoo. I feel like you do really big
beautiful pieces that are like kind of aquatic in some way.
(43:50):
Is that is that or, or or like, I don't know, you talk about it.
Yeah. I mean, I, I guess I do a lot of
sea life. Yeah, like the the the genres
that I stick in are animals, mythological creatures,
elemental things and plants. They're probably important.
(44:14):
And So what was the question? It was not.
I don't. Think there wasn't?
Really a question of describing your work.
I was just trying to describe like where you're at now.
Like now you're at Estuary Tattoo.
You have a beautiful space. Everyone should go to your page
and look at everyone should takea look like mesmerized.
And how would people go about like what if someone wants to
(44:37):
get a tattoo by you, which I waskidding before you.
Simon is very bookable and you can go on his page and and grab
well, OK, not too bookable. I'm trying to promote you, but
in a way. Like.
People get your touching them bySimon but make sure you do it in
advance like you have to book inadvance.
There, there is a, on my Instagram, there is a link to a
(45:05):
it is not a newsletter. It is an e-mail list which
people I feel like couldn't say you can sign up for my e-mail
list and that will let you know when my books open.
You'll know before I announce iton Instagram that my books are
open and you'll get a link to anapplication form.
You fill it out. And I read all of them when my
books are open. And unfortunately, you know,
(45:26):
it's like I choose a certain amount per booking cycle and
that's what I work through untilthat list is done, I'd open my
books again. But if yeah, just really briefly
want to backtrack that I, you know, Estuary is my studio, but
I also opened it with Lil and Karen, who I met at Black Iris.
(45:51):
And the reason that we started Estuary was because Black Iris
closed during October 2020. So wasn't like directly a
pandemic casualty, but the owners, the lease was coming to
an end on the space and the owners were, they were like,
well, we're we want to get out of the city.
So they were great. And they actually donate like
(46:12):
just donated us, gifted us a bunch of the stuff from the
studio to for Lillian and I to continue because we were decided
that we would just open up a small private space so that we
could work safely during the height of COVID so that we could
have more control over who was coming in and out.
And so it really started off as like a thing of necessity at the
(46:35):
time. And then Kat Lees came on
shortly afterwards, who also wasat Black Iris and then Pickett
who Christopher Pickett, who also was at Black Iris.
And so we essentially just slowly reassembled Black Iris
(46:55):
into what Estuary is now. And now we have a bunch of other
great artists, Lucy and Lucy andHilary Blair, Theo Walla.
Who else is there now? Maggie Cho, but she's leaving
shortly. And yeah, so go to the page.
You can check out on Estuary. You can see all of the tattoo
(47:19):
artists. Everybody's great.
A lot of people have a lot of regular availability and if you
wanna try, if you wanna book with me, yeah, go to sign up for
the e-mail list and you'll find you'll be told when my books are
opening, but it is not a. Newsletter.
OK, not a newsletter. Oh, Simon, you're set.
(47:40):
You're like, you're so inspirational.
You really are, like, you reallybuilt yourself up from the
ground. Yeah.
I mean, you really like you likeyou were saying, like in college
you were, like, focused on what you wanted to do, and now you're
doing it like, that's amazing. No one does that.
They don't. No one.
It's crazy. It, it's I, so this past year
(48:02):
was my, I realized was I think about my 10 years of tattooing
and it I had AI, there was some,there were some thoughts coming
up where I was thinking about exactly this, where all of a
sudden you, everything just happens, right?
It's like there's just the next thing to do.
Like if you're in something, anything that you love doing,
(48:25):
it's like, OK, well, now that I have like, I've got this done,
now it's on to this thing. And it just seems like there's
this natural order that you are this progression that you're
following. But at this some point earlier
this year, I did realize I was like, I, oh, I, I kind of, I've
hit, I remember a point when I had this was a goal.
(48:49):
Like. Getting to this point was like,
that's where I want to get to. And I had a point of reflection
where I was like, OK, I, I've checked off actually all the
boxes that I had at one point. But it's just funny 'cause it's
like it doesn't even, I'm like, but it doesn't really matter
(49:09):
almost 'cause there's just, it just keeps going.
There's no, you know, there isn't like a point to sit back
and be like, OK, I did it. Like, I don't know.
It's like, I guess you could. But ultimately at the end of the
day, it's like, no, there's still like I, I'm still, I
still, there's so many pieces I want to make.
It's like the studio is constantly evolving, how I live
(49:32):
is constantly evolving and like all those things and form like
the work that you make. And so I don't know, it was just
funny to think about like a goalhas been achieved.
But like, there, it was bittersweet, you know, because
it's like I did something that Iwould like to celebrate, but at
the same time, I don't really know what there is to celebrate
(49:55):
because it's just like, it's notover.
There's still so much more to that I can do.
The journey never ends. It never.
Ends. Literally never ends.
Like every time. You hit a goal, now you're aware
of more, so you're like, OK, well now that's the new goal.
Yeah, well, I, yeah, I don't know or I don't even know what
the goal is now. It's just kind of like moving.
(50:17):
I don't know. I'm in a phase where I, I'm
really excited about, I think figuring out what what if
there's another goal, you know what I would like there to be.
But I think, yeah, having this is a very recent, like point of
reflection. And so I'm still still trying to
figure out like what how I want to reshape my the future that I
(50:38):
have now that I've like made this foundation.
Yeah, wow. Well, people, well, my goal is
to get a giant tattoo by Simon soon.
Grateful. That's my goal.
Get on my get on the e-mail list.
I'm gonna get on the e-mail list.
I feel like I'm ready. I feel like I'm ready for a a
big one. I've been getting these little
ones and I'm ready to go. Go where?
(50:59):
Do you want it? On my leg OK yeah.
So we'll yeah, Simon, I gotta, I'll text you.
I Yeah. You have you have a Direct Line
and that's. Yeah, I have a direct.
E-mail. Or Simon, sometimes I'll like
send him pictures of things and be like, I need the, do you like
how many times I've like sent you random pictures of things?
Do you remember that? And you're, you're probably like
(51:20):
in the middle of your work. And I'd be like, I think I want
this as a tattoo someday. And he's like, awesome.
I'm in the middle of something. No, always very kind.
All right, where can everyone find you?
So you can either find me at, you know, here in Brooklyn, at
Estuary Tattoo in Bushwick, which actually I'd love to make
(51:42):
a shout out if that's OK about an event coming up.
Yeah. So October 18th and 19th we
Estuary is hosting the first Bushwick Tattoo Studio crawl
where we have teamed up with a bunch of other private studios
in our immediate vicinity in Bushwick, which is right off the
(52:03):
Morgan L stop. And they all these private
studios, which normally you needan appointment to go check out,
are going to open their doors for a 2 day, 2 days, October
18th and 19th. They'll be open from 12:00 to
6:00 and people will be doing tattoos, people will be selling
their art. You can just walk around, see
these spaces that you like and meet artists.
(52:25):
So you kind of only can see online usually and every studio
you hit is going to be a If you pick up a map at Lowlife Tattoo
Supply in Bushwick or any participating of studios, you'll
be able to walk around and get astamp from each studio which
goes towards raffle tickets for donated prizes from every
(52:46):
studio, which do include gift certificates for tattoos.
How I'm going to get my? Leg tattoos.
Let's go, let's go, let's go. So that's October 18th, the 19th
Bushwick Tattoo Studio Crawl is I it had such a.
Cool idea. I bet you all meet someone there
too. Like a hot guy.
Yeah. Yeah.
OK. OK.
(53:07):
Bushwick's. Where did you?
Oh, where did you guys meet Bushwick?
Tattoo studio crawl. That's so New York.
OK, Sorry. For next year and then you can
also find me half the year at Thorns Tattoo in Oakland, CA and
(53:28):
that is like Estuary's sister studio full of amazing artists.
So definitely also check out Thorns Tattoo because all those
artists usually come over to Estuary at some point if you
want to get tattooed by any if you don't want to make the trip
out to California. Cool.
And then you personally, where can people find you?
(53:49):
Instagram On Instagram they can find me at Squids dot Inc.
Squids dot ink Awesome. Amazing.
Well, thank you so much for joining us, Simon.
So nice to meet you. Thank you so much for having me,
this was really fun. We love you.
OK, Thank you so much, everyone.Go check out Simon.
Go check out Estuary tattoo. Go get a tattoo.
(54:11):
Go we'll. See you at the crawl.
And yeah, we'll see you at the. Crawl.
Awesome.
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