I had the pleasure of meeting Andy Deaton about five years ago in a bar in Kailua, Hawaii. He sat down next to me, ordered a beer and began to ask me about my tattoos. I?ve been tattooed since age nineteen and have my collection extended across my back, my left arm (almost fully sleeved), a set of old English bold lettering on my chest. After telling him about my tattoos, who, when, where and why, he let me know that, when I was ready, he would like to sleeve my right arm for me. We chatted about ideas and styles over a few beers and agreed that I should roll by the shop and check out his work, which I did. I was impressed with the quality and range of styles Andy was producing.
Unfortunately, money is always tight and timing not always right. I wound up waiting many moons. I finally decided that a cover up was in order, for the lettering on my chest. I gave Andy artistic freedom and wound up with an awesome oriental dragon that I am stoked with. I have continued to visit Andy (money permitting) and now have an almost finished right sleeve as well.
Andy works out of Gun Point Tattoo and produces killer ink. I was fortunate to sit with Andy and discuss his history and insights into his art:
Ozzy: How did you get started in tattooing?
Andy: My father, Don Deaton, is a tattoo artist and I hung around his shop as a child. Then at eighteen, I went to Oregon to visit my father, wound up tattooing one of my school mates and moved there permanently in 1981, to apprentice with my father, at the old Bert Grimm tattoo shop.
Ozzy: Is tattooing what you?ve always wanted to do?
Andy: No. Actually I wanted to be an architect, but I didn?t want to go to school.So, I wound up following my father?s ways, and what started as a fascination, turned into a great career.
Ozzy: What else have you done, other that tattooing, to pay the bills?
Andy: I built A-frames in California from about 15 until I was 18. And I worked in restaurants off and on.
Ozzy: Have you ever had your own shop?
Andy: Yeah, 1982 I opened Portland Tattoo. It was only open for about a year,when I got an offer to come to Hawaii in 1983.
Ozzy: Wow, 20 years in paradise?
Andy: Yeah, it?ll be 20 years in November.
Ozzy: Must have been a good offer to close your business after a year?
Andy: Well, the girls who owned Skin Deep came to Oregon in ?82 and bought a bunchof art work from me. A good friend of mine moved to Maui, got married, andI did a bunch of work on him, and they saw it and invited me over for a six monthguest spot in their shop. So I did, and never left.
Ozzy: Have you ever given any thought to moving anywhere else?
Andy: No, Oahu is home. It?s a great place to be, with a diverse clientele from all over the world.
Ozzy: What is your favorite style of tattoo?
Andy: I like art that flows, gothic or renaissance, real soft washes, lots of black and gray, and real fluid as opposed to the old school.
Ozzy: Is that your favorite style to tattoo?
Andy: Oh yeah, that and portraits.
Ozzy: Who do you look up to in this industry?
Andy: There?s a guy called the Dutchman out of Westminster in Canada, who I met about 20 years ago. He?s just a phenomenal artist, who never claimed any fame.He just worked hard and put down a lot of ink. He?s probably been my hero in the business for a long time. Horioshi III is another amazing artist whonever stops working. People like that don?t recognize themselves as othershonor them.
Ozzy: Tattooing has seen a boom in the last few years with everyone from athletes and skaters to professional people. Do you think it will last?
Andy: Yeah, I think that once you break the ice it?s hard to go back. You make your statement and then you follow through, and it becomes a story, andthe story never ends. I think people get more excited as they go along. 10 yearsago, half the art you see today, people said it couldn?t be done. Either they didn?twant to take the time to do it, or they didn?t have the skill or confidence. Nowadays, anything?s possible. There?s a lot more input and feedback from the internet, MTV, and probably 20 different magazines. That?s huge exposure, and the more people that are exposed to it the bigger it?s going to get.
Ozzy: Do you think that the general population is more tolerant of tattoos today?
Andy: Absolutely, 20 years ago people getting tattooed only included military, bikers, punksand skinheads. Today it?s scholars, musicians, and athletes. People that the generalpopulation look up to or admire. A larger percent of the mainstream for sure.
Ozzy: What do you like to do other than tattoo people?
Andy: I like to write. I like to draw. I like to build and sculpt, create basically.
Ozzy: Who do you think is really innovative in today?s tattoo world?
Andy: There?s so much talent out there right now. It?s hard to single out any one style. There are a lot of people who claim to be the best and a lot of silentparties out there who are doing the real work. It?s just fun to watch everybodygrow and learn from each other. People who inspire others to do well, and exceed expectations, are the ones to be commended. They are the force behind innovators.
Stop by to see Andy at:
Gun Point Tattoo
438A Uluniu St.
Kailua, Hawaii, 96734
Or call for an appointment at (808)263-8485
