Doing these interviews over the last year or so has been a great thrill for me. Not only do I get to hang out with and pick the brains of the best guys this art form has to offer, I also have the pleasure of getting acquainted with some not-so-well-known guys who end up blowing me away with their artwork. Mike Dorsey is one of those guys. This is the first of my new series of interviews with guys who have not yet achieved any grand international prestige but who exhibit the talents and skills which should elevate them to that level very soon; in short, these are the guys to keep an eye out for, the next generation, the NEW BREED.

Hey Mike, you ready?

Yup... No, hold on a minute... OK, ready: I like long walks on the beach, macrame, camping, basket weaving....(laughter)

(laughing)... Watch it... I'm gonna put that in your interview... (laughter)

Don't!

HA!... OK, let's start with some basics here... how long have you been tackin'?

Uhhh, about 12 years now... 10 professionally.

How did you break into the field?

Regrettably, the wrong way... and I am a BIG advocate of apprenticeships. I did shit the hard way, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

How have you seen it change over the last 10 or 12 years?

The open exchange of knowledge is incredible right now. The information has never been available like this before. The newer guys are coming in with access to all this and putting their own twist on things... it's great.

Yeah, I wish I had had access to things like Seth's forum 10 years ago, y'know? Would have saved me years of trial and error...

Yup, and it's good that he's got passwords and shit on there now to keep people who shouldn't have access to this info from getting it, and still keeping it available for anyone in a shop to get at.

So, do you have any art school training?

Nope... I don't have any formal training, though I took every art class I could during high school. I never really got along with art teachers, though, it sems most art teachers want you to draw what they want, the way they want- or it's wrong. I don't really believe there is a "set" way to do art, it's as individual as the artist.

Well, I'm really shocked that you didn't go to art school, how did you compensate for that? You must have done it all on your own, given the degree of skill and ability evident in your work... and in your paintings.

I think you really learn better just gettin' in there and doing it, y'know... you learn technique better (even though it takes longer) just jumpin' in there and getting your hands dirty. And I read a lot of books. I like doing a lot of dead art styles... shit that's not really done anymore...

Wow, like what?

Like egg tempra, and different stuff like that. I go to a lot of art museums and hang out all day trying to figure out styles and techniques... how it was done... really work at it.

That's what I was going to say... that you have got to do your research. I see so many guys out there now that just don't do it. Y'know, they take from established tattoo artists, but they aren't pushing it anywhere...

Yeah, and I'm definitely influenced by other tattooers, but I try not to re-do what they're doing. There's a lot of guys out there who immitate other artist's work... and that's OK when you're learning somethin' new... but you should take it and expand on it and re-interpret it in your own style to make it your own. That's what I think a lot of people are having trouble doing...

You have to do that research!

Yeah, and I'm never really satisfied with my art, not 100%. I got a lot to learn, and I think that's what keeps me going... always working.

OK, so you opened your shop, Permanent Productions, in Cincinatti about 10 years ago...

Yeah,'92, and we just moved it out of the ghetto this year... it just got too dangerous this year with the riots and all that shit.

How many shops were around back then?

At the time there was only 4 shops in Cincinatti, as opposed to 30 now!

How much painting do you do?

Y'know, I go through cycles. Normally I try to do like one painting a day, unless it's a big body suit. Then I get burned out and break for a week or so.

Holy shit! You do a painting a day? You're my hero! What types of mediums do you work in?

Mostly just watercolor, and I like to oil paint a lot, but I really don't have much time for that lately.





You tattoo a lot of traditional Japanese stuff, is that what you prefer doing?

I definitely like doing other things, but that's what I seem to do the most of right now. I used to really hate it, but then I got into reading about it and learning what everything means. After I understood the symbolism is when I started to appreciate it.

What other influences helped with the Japanese stuff?

Lots of books - Kuniyoshi Yoshotoshi, Gyosai, and Kunisata.

What people have influenced your work? Who really helped you along artistically?

Man, so many people...I can't even list 'em cause I'll forget people...you know who you are! And we have some great artists coming through and guest spotting all the time; I learned a lot that way...but mostly going to conventions and just meeting people and asking questions; trading technical information.

How long have you been doing conventions?

Since about '96, I think.

How many do you do a year now?

Uhhh, about 10. And my son's at the age where he knows I'm gone now, so every year I say I'm going to cut some out, but it never seems to work that way. Somehow I always get an opportunity to do some new convention and I'll do it.

I haven't seen much of your work in the magazines. I've seen a few here and there, but never a great abundance of your work. Is that intentional?

Yeah, I've just never been all that concerned with it, and I never felt like I was ready yet. It's like, I always say "after this project is done I'll send it in", and I never do...(laughter). This is actually my first interview!

Won't be your last.

For those interested, Mike will be at the Richmond convention, Philly, Dallas, Detroit and guesting at 3rd Eye Tattoo just before the Atlanta Arts Festival, 2002.

Pay him a visit at:
Permanent Productions
129 Calhoun
Cincinatti, OH 45219
513-281-5800
email: permanentproductions@yahoo.com


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