Kristin got me into yet again, another TV show that I find fascinating. It is called NY Ink. It is about this tatoo artist named Ami James who owns a tatoo shop in New York City called Wooster Street Social Club. In his shop there are several tatoo artists who are extremely talented, and there are artists who serve an apprenticeship in order to attain the skills of a true tatoo artist.
I did not realize how severely serious the art of tatooing really was. While I was watching it one night, Kristin made a comment, "It's like martial arts. You get passed down your skills from a master and then you hone those skills and continue to pass them down. It's a traiditon you don't want to break and it's about remianing loyal."
Well one girl who works at the shop, Jessica, wants to be a tatoo artist, but Ami will not take on any more apprentices. He asked on of his artists, Tommy, maybe he can but declines, stating he would not be able to make the full commitment. Jessica gets frustrated, saying how she needs to support her daughter, etc, and needs to make something happen. She goes and gets a tatoo license from the state after passing a test, which anyone can do. But as Ami says, "I took that test, and you know what? They don't teach you sh**." You need to learn it!" But Ami still cannot take on any more apprentices. Then Jessica began to tatoo out of her house.
From the reactions from the other artists in the shop, this was a BIG no no. They disagreed about her taking the test also, but when they heard she was "scratching" out of her home, they sternly responded. This is just something you do NOT do. Ami saw her work, and acknowledged she was talented. But she has to put the time in and pay her dues in order to recieve those rights like everyone else. You want to do it right. The tatoo etiquette is very strict and loyalty is above all things. By Jessica tatooing out of her home and getting the license behind Ami's back, this shows breach of not only trust, but loyalty which is held on a pedestal in the totoo world, very much like martial arts.
Ami had a "shop meeting" with the other artists to discuss "what to do" with Jessica. I thought, watching this, they maybe they'd collaboratively work together to apprentice her, and give her a chance. Ami really wanted the input of his artists and values their opinion. Very much like I do with my Black Belts. But when he had the meeting, I was not expecting the responses that came up.
One by one they said NO. In this tatooing industry, you have to go through the proper steps and pay your dues. If you want to be of high quality and a REAL tatoo artist, you have to be apprenticed. Put the time in and do what you have to do, show you're serious, and then opportunities will be presented for you. They all had issues with her getting the licensing behind Ami's back, and the tatooing out the her home was a liability. If she is not doing it right, or of great quality, and it she gets associated with Wooster Street Social Club, that can hurt the business's reputation. It's bad for Ami. All these former apprentices see this, but not Jessica, because she is blinded by need and want, and loyalty and rite of passage were not priority for her.
Like Kristin said, the martial arts is the same thing. When I was apprenticing under my old master, as badly as I needed money, I NEVER even thought of teaching at another school for the sole purpose of it would be a betrayal to my school and disloyal without my master's blessings. But I wouldn't have wanted to do that anyway, and God knows I was beyond qualified to teach anywhere and had great experience. One of my Black Belts, Frankie Peracchio, had to find a job recently and taught at my school for a year. Teaching at another martial arts school wasn't even an option in his mind, and if it was the only one, he wouldn't have taken it, because he values the loyalty he has to me and my school. None of my Black Belts would think of doing that, as I would never have done it to my master.
When you learn a trade or a skill from a master, and you put the time in and show you really want something, the benefits and rewards follow. When a student of mine comes to classes consistently and shows a great balance in their training and shows interest in wanting to teach, they will get that opportunity. If I get someone who only comes once or twice a week, then those opportunities aren't as open. But if a student were to go and teach someone else who has not been properly taught HOW to teach and does not put their training in, and where's MY name on the back on their shirt, that would be a total blow for me. SO I totally get where Ami and the other artists are coming from.
Jessica had also gone to a competitor who speaks badly of Ami's business for advice and tips. Ami didn't even have to say anything, the other tatoo artists expressed the disgust they had for such disloyalty. Anyone who cannot understand that does not value it nor make it a priority. If one of my students went to train somewhere with other students, thats different because we are sharing an experience of getting better. If another student went to go teach somewhere else the "Trento teachings" without my blessing, different story. There are no circumstances an adult cannot take to put their values first. It was a very interesting episode. I look forward to seeing where it will go.
Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO
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