Personal Info:
Date of Birth: May 30, 1973
Marital Status: Happily married 14 years!!
Children: 2 beautiful daughters
Pets: 1 dog, 1 cat, 2 fish
Favorite Movie(s): A Knight's Tale, Hitch, Stargate, The 5th Element
Favorite Band(s)/Singer(s): I like a LOT of music, so it's very difficult to narrow it down. Anything from Lynard Skynard to NIN.
Favorite Book(s)/Authors(s): I am a HUGE Harry Potter nut and fan of J.K. Rowling, plus I read a lot of Star Trek series books
If I Had One Wish, What Would it Be: A cure for Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes!
When/How I Became a Guide to This Site:
I signed on as the guide to this website in August of 1999. I was already writing about the things I was learning through my tattoo apprenticeship on a free webpage I had created for fun, and I was recruited by About.com to share my knowledge about body art here. Since then, I have created over 6000 pages of content on this site!
Am I a Tattoo Artist/Where is My Shop:
No, I am not a tattoo artist - but that is by choice. I served an apprenticeship and I did do a few tattoos, but then I started writing about it and got my position here at About.com. It was then that I realized that writing about body art - not performing it - was my true calling. But the things I learned throughout my apprenticeship is what drove me to begin writing and realize why I was placed on this earth. There are hundreds of excellent tattoo artists out there, but only a handful of safety and acceptance advocates.
My Personal Body Art Collection:
Yes, I do have several tattoos and piercings myself. I have had to remove a few of my piercings over the years due to migration/rejection, but I have loved every one of them and would feel very plain without my body art! You can see my tattoos here.
Future Plans for More Tattoos and Piercings:
I just recently started adding to my fairy on my left arm and I have plans for a couple of micro-dermal anchors and an inverted labret. I also have more ideas for future ink projects - if only money grew on trees. :)
Tattoo Artists Whom I Admire Most:
There are so many fantastic artists out there, but my personal favorites have to include Megan Hoogland, Brandon Bond, Henning Jorgenson, James Kern, Pat Fish, Deano Cook, Nikko and Kat Von D, to mention only a few. I also have a few favorites that aren't famous like my own artist, Kym Tongate. An artist doesn't have to be famous or have a TV show to be good!
Contemporary Artists Whom I Admire Most:
I'm a big fan of Luis Royo - his fantasy art is just stunning. I also love David Bollt, Amy Brown and I've just recently discovered the fantasy art of Myka Jelina.
Other Interests/Hobbies:
Too many to count! I love riding my motorcycle, cooking/baking, entertaining, scrap-booking, singing/karaoke, making jewelry, gardening and lots more - never enough time for it all! I also love to travel and have many destinations I hope to visit some day including Scotland, Ireland and Australia.
Ways to Contact Me:
Email: tattoo.guide@about.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/klayzee
Personal Thoughts:
I have just as much enthusiasm about being the guide to this site as the day I signed on over 8 years ago. This is not just a job for me - it's a passion. I saw a need back then, to educate people about body art safety and the difference between bad and good artwork - and I feel that need still exists today. The more people I reach and the more people learn and come to expect nothing but the best, the more we all contribute to a positive evolution of this art form and the industry that supports it.
