MEET DB
Inheriting my love for art from my father and grandfather, my peers noticed I was gifted at an early age. From participating in art contests at school to citywide art exhibits at the Brooks Museum and the former Mall of Memphis; art has always been my first love. I spent most of my free time in my room sketching portraits or trying to illustrate and create my own cartoon; which was my childhood dream.
I believe there is some form of art associated with any and everything in life. Initially, my medium was drawing, but I eventually ventured into other forms such as oil paint, watercolor paint, acrylic paint, charcoal, graphite, spray paint, colored pencil, chalk, pastels, calligraphy, etc. Therefore, the transition from Artist to Tattoo Artist was inevitable. Thus, where the name Artistically Gifted derived from.
In 2011, I decided to take the self-taught route and ordered a cheap beginner’s tattoo kit, versus paying for an apprenticeship. After studying hours of YouTube footage on tattooing for beginners; thinking, “I’m naturally an artist already so it shouldn’t be too difficult.” Although it was more difficult than I anticipated, I never gave up and continued to learn, which led to improvements and gave me the confidence to keep going. Due to trial and error and years of working from home, I learned you can’t skip the process.
I work with many different styles, from realism to black and grey as well as color pieces. With my precision and attention to detail, some would consider me a perfectionist when it comes to my artwork. I believe in putting forth the same amount of effort into the smallest piece as I would into the largest piece. Although I prayed for the days I could get paid for my passion, that’s never been the motive. Transforming a mental piece (idea) into a masterpiece is equivalent.
