He’s tattooed on 7 continents and has chosen freedom as the primary form of expression for his art. Beyond that, his vision of NeoTrad mixed with Graffiti and Japanese Art will leave you delighted.
Davee, I heard you’re one of only three people in the tattoo world to have tattooed on seven continents…
Yeah, I did tattoos on all seven continents in a very short time. I did a three-month trip where I tattooed in Tokyo, London, Cape Town, New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Antarctica, New Zealand, Sydney, and Singapore.
What was it like tattooing in Antarctica?
I traveled alone to the southernmost continent, and my equipment was just a small unopened 1oz Dynamic Black, two 5RL needles, and a bottle of Skinsept. I did a handpoke “7” to mark this achievement in the middle of my hand, sitting on the shore of Antarctica with curious penguins surrounding me. Truly a magical experience! Check my blog (www.daveeknows.com Ed) I wrote a full post about it recently.
Before I discuss your style, I’d like to talk about your technique, which has always been freehand. Have you ever felt the need for a stencil?
I always wanted to study the flow of the body. I drew for years on friends just to figure out muscle placement and natural curves. I think every artist should do freehand, as it’s the most natural and organic real art form.
I hate stencils because they make it feel like “work” instead of… Creation.
Your style can be defined as a sort of Neo-Traditional, combining your Graffiti experience with your studies of Japanese art. I think by blending elements like this, you’ve achieved a unique originality. What do you think?
Thanks for recognizing that! I’ve been an active Graffiti writer for over 28 years, so it’s hard not to have that influence in my tattooing! (laughs) I’ve been a fan of Japan since I was a little kid, and with the first money I ever made, I bought a one-way ticket to Japan at 21 just to study their art. I’ve been back over 50 times since then — always for inspiration.
Tell me about your panthers or other subjects that recur frequently in your work. This, too, is becoming a defining characteristic of yours, isn’t it?
Panthers are my babies. I love doing panthers and won’t ever stop. It’s the ultimate tattoo motif. I’ve been blessed by the great Don Ed Hardy in San Francisco years ago to continue what he started – traveling worldwide and doing panthers in different art forms: tattooing, painting, etc. I will never stop.
Why is traveling so meaningfully important to you? There are tattoo artists who dream of opening their own tattoo studio and settling in a certain geographic area. While for you, it’s essential to cover as many miles as possible to give meaning to your existence and your art…
I value freedom more than anything in life. Being free for me means location independence. If I feel like visiting Brazil next week, I can. That means more to me than being a business owner. I don’t do business –
I simply create art to make people happy.
You started this journey inside tattoo art 25 years ago. What do you like about the tattoo scene that wasn’t there back then? And what do you dislike about today’s tattoo scene compared to the good old days?
I loved it back then. It was more rebellious, more punk in its form. It wasn’t accepted by society. In the past you were an outcast for having your hands tattooed – I loved that! Today, it’s fashion, so it’s a bit “meh” for me… (laughs)
Tattooing large portions of body (think of your famous backpieces) is a way to better showcase your art, both in terms of impact and expressiveness. I don’t see you focusing on small tattoos… or am I wrong?
I live to create backpieces. Small forms are okay, but I truly believe that to showcase my skill and vision, I need that large-scale canvas. I’ve done over 100 backpieces so far, and it’s my all-time favorite canvas to work with.
Your next stops this year will include Hong Kong, Sydney, San Diego and Tokyo. Will you be visiting specific tattoo studios in these four cities?
2026 is quite slow – I’ll still be back on 6 continents though. I’ve been living nomadically for over 16 years now, returning to those places each year. ‘Three Tides’ (IG: @tokyothreetides) in Tokyo, ‘Big Trouble Tattoo’ (IG: @bigtroubletattoo) in San Diego, ‘Red Dragon’ (IG: @reddragonsydney) in Sydney, to name a few. I have tons of friends in all those cities and try to see all of them every time.
I know you love going to metal concerts, and I have no doubt about it, given the energy you convey through your work and words. Can you name the most important bands in your life?
Batushka/Patriarkh (IG: @batushkaband) – and a very different vibe: August Burns Red (IG: @augustburnsred).
If you had to summarize your life philosophy now, in a few words and definitively, what would you tell us?
Freedom is the ultimate flex – not one’s car, not one’s possessions. Being a minimalist nomad who creates art every day, I’ve understood that it serves me and my people. I truly love life, and I’m grateful every day to be able to make people feel better about themselves through my work.
