Sometimes, life strands people in the middle of an ocean with nothing to hold onto. People lose loved ones, experience addiction, become homeless and more. At some point people need a buoy to keep them above water or else they will drown.
The word craft also means skill. This skill could be anything from writing, welding or even tattooing. For people like Sushil Patel, this anchor took shape in the form of tattooing. Patel is from Born Again Tattoo in Five Points and has tattooed for over twenty years. He believes tattooing as a craft saved him.
Patel's tattooing journey started at 23 years old. In 2005, he started learning the fundamentals of tattooing. The styles featured at Patel's shop are Bold Americana, Japanese Traditional, fine line tattoos and custom work. To become the tattoo artist he is today—and to survive the tribulations life put him through—he first learned these fundamental tattoo types.
"It's like the basic fundamentals which are the steps most important to follow in tattooing," Patel said. "It's on that which every other style stands, pretty much."
Patel did not wish to discuss his struggles in-depth but mentioned how tattooing helped him get out of a low place in life. In his youth, he had a lot of early tragedies—like being a teen orphan—which led to him experiencing some trouble with the law until he was about 18 years old.
"It put my back against the wall a little bit in life," Patel said. "But, tattooing has been my life raft. It's the gift God gave me to save me and my family."
Patel was not trying to create anything innovative or groundbreaking to prove something to himself through his tattoos. He respected the tattoo artists before him and wanted to use tattooing as a way to support himself and his family. One older tattoo artist helped him understand that tattooing, as a craft, shouldn't be used to prove yourself.
"Tattooing is not an art, it's a craft," Patel shared. "People don't want art on them, they want a tattoo, and if they did want art on them, it wouldn't be your art."
Patel explained he does not have a favorite style anymore, as he no longer feels the need to prove himself.
Patel tattooed enough to get it out of his system. Tattooing was his livelihood, not his life. What made tattooing a craft was the lack of a need to prove himself and respect for the traditions of tattooists before him.
Patel's self-worth was not attributed to his tattoos. Instead, he found his worth in other parts of his life, such as through God and his family. Patel mentioned God as his credibility as a tattoo artist.
"My tattooing credibility is with God Almighty," Patel said. "He has blessed me with opportunities that I have taken and would not take back if I could. A God who knows everywhere I've been, every experience and every encounter I've had."
Tattoos also help customers get through rough patches in their lives with their self-worth. Patel spoke about how he enjoyed doing touch-ups for his customers when they have tattoos they feel don't reflect who they are as a person anymore.
"[Tattoos like that] can break someone's spirit a little bit because you see that in the mirror every day you get up," Patel said.
For others who are struggling in life and looking to find solace in tattooing, Patel advised them not to try and prove themselves through their tattoos. He believed one should start small, and the focus should be on the customer and their wishes when it comes to the art they want on their body.
Even if the tattoo artist isn't trying to prove themselves, Patel still believes it's good to start with the fundamentals before getting into styles. Technical skill is the most important aspect of tattooing to Patel.
Patel had one more comment regarding interacting with people who are different from yourself, heavily tatted or not.
"It's best for all of us just to work on our inside issues," he said. "Who we are as people, how we treat others, how we speak to others, how we view others, how we forgive ourselves and others, and how we love ourselves and others. Just not to stay stuck in a box about how people look and to broaden our horizons as a people and learn to love right again."
Tattooing as a craft saved Patel so he could value other aspects of his life more. This sentiment can apply to any other aspect of life. We must use what we create from ourselves to create a buoy of hope in the ocean of life. Life puts us through seemingly hopeless storms, but if we keep to our values and who we are, nothing can shake us from our craft of choice.
