German Street Tattoo: Tattoo artist’s journey leads him to downtown Shepherdstown | News, Sports, Jobs

German Road Tattoo proprietor Josh Leigh reveals off his store’s emblem, which was created by artist Shane Harris. Courtesy picture

SHEPHERDSTOWN — “Present me a person with a tattoo and I’ll present you a person with an fascinating previous,” American writer Jack London as soon as stated. Native residents who wish to depict their very own experiences in tattoo artwork, want now not look additional than downtown Shepherdstown.

Final week, German Road Tattoo was opened at 133 West German Road Suite 100 by tattoo artist of 20 years Josh Leigh. Leigh’s tattooing profession started as an adolescent in Texas.

“I began an apprenticeship after I was in Texas, after I was 15 years previous,” Leigh stated. “I began going [to the tattoo shop where I wanted to apprentice] after I was 13, scrubbing bathrooms and doing little odd jobs right here and there and bugging them about it. By the point I used to be 17, I used to be tattooing full-time.”

Tattooing was the right match for Leigh’s inventive talents, which he inherited from his mom and grandmother. Conscious of points that may occur to younger individuals within the tattooing world, Leigh’s household inspired him to maintain targeted on creating his skilled talents.

“As a substitute of getting into a unsuitable course, my household inspired me to enter the skilled vein of it, to maintain me protected,” Leigh stated, mentioning his household was as soon as once more there for him when he determined to open his personal store this previous month. “All of it form of occurred inside a two-week span. I wasn’t planning on opening a store, after which rapidly I had an awesome feeling that I used to be going to open a store, and it was going to be quickly.

German Road Tattoo is at present arrange with social distancing options in place. Courtesy picture

“I’d like to present a shout-out for my mom, Elizabeth Norton, for serving to make German Road Tattoo look the way in which it does. She got here in and helped intestine the entire place, to make it look as stunning because it does,” Leigh stated, mentioning they renovated the house’s toilet and up to date its carpet and studio sink.

Alongside along with his mom’s assist, Leigh additionally acquired encouragement to open his personal enterprise from his mother-in-law, Jan Hafer, who co-owns Evolve at 106 West German Road, and his spouse, Annelise.

“Annelise is one of the best — she’s the brains. All the pieces anyone sees, that’s all from her!” Leigh stated, mentioning she is, amongst different issues, the store’s social media supervisor. “She is German Road Tattoo — I wouldn’t have been ready to do that with out her.”

Leigh stated he’ll proceed working at his former place of employment in Bethesda, Md., for a few days per week, as he has some consumer tattoos to complete there. Beforehand to the store in Maryland, he spent a variety of years tattooing in Hawaii and Alaska.

However despite his thrilling previous, Leigh stated he’s trying ahead to reaching the dream he has had, since transferring to Shepherdstown.

This pun-inspired “house bar” customized piece was accomplished by German Road Tattoo proprietor Josh Leigh. Courtesy picture

“I reside in Shepherdstown and I like the group. I wished to supply a protected, sensible approach shut by to the group of Shepherdstown, to supply my companies,” Leigh stated. “It was one thing that I believed I used to be all the time going to do. After which as time went on and all of those different tattoo retailers got here up, I thought of conserving it easy and dealing for another person as an alternative. I believed this was all the time going to be a dream!”

Leigh enjoys the inventive technique of creating distinctive tattoo designs for his purchasers. As a self-described perfectionist, Leigh will usually full tattoos in multiple session, to make sure the standard of his work.

Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, Leigh is providing digital tattoo consultations with potential purchasers. When purchasers enter his store for the tattooing to be achieved, they are going to be required to put on masks, fill out paperwork and get their temperature taken with a brow thermometer. To additional stop the unfold of the coronavirus, Leigh is cleansing the entire studio’s potentially-contaminated surfaces, and is utilizing single-use, disposable tubes.

“Some individuals reuse tubes and sterilize them in-between. I simply use disposable all the things– it’s simply cleaner and extra environment friendly,” Leigh stated. “Cleanliness is primary.”

To e-book a free session over Zoom, name 304-249-8332, electronic mail [email protected] or ship us a Fb or Instagram message to German Road Tattoo’s accounts.