We had the distinct pleasure to sit down with Artist Jon McCann from Aces Tattoo a few weeks back.
At just 14 years old, Jon started tattooing and has never looked back.
Jon's first tattoo was one he gave himself on his leg - a script tattoo that says "Punks Forever"
We will leave it up to you to decide if he remained true to that tattoo, but as far as we are concerned, one thing is without a doubt quite evident. Jon confidently chose the right career path at the young age of 14. To know what you want and go out and get it like he did is pretty amazing and speaks greatly of his character.
When he turned 18, Jon knew it was his time to find his first apprenticeship.
In Salt Lake City, Utah, Jon apprenticed at a shop that was, at the time, a sister shop to Sting Ray.
Jon spent two years there before moving to San Diego where he worked at a shop on the beach.
"The history of tattooing in San Diego is thick! It's a sailor port town so the history there is big!"
While he learned a lot in San Diego, and loved the experience working in a city with such a rich tattoo history, it was challenging to stand out and Jon said he felt like a drop in a pond.
When Jon came back to his home town of Reno, Nevada at 24 years old, he had acquired some amazing skills in those other cities.
It's not surprising that he was able to come up fast on the tattoo scene here in Reno.
At the time when he came back to Reno, Aces Tattoo was the big shop in town.
"I originally had a job lined up there, but when I got here someone took that spot," Jon said, "But if not for that, I probably wouldn’t ever have opened my own shop."
Working one year at Pirate Tattoo when he first arrived, he then went on to open his own shop on Wells called Absolute Tattoo, which is still open to this day.
Jon owned Absolute for seven years and then realized that he just really wanted to tattoo. He didn't enjoy the business side, dealing with all the other stuff that a business owner has to deal with.
"Experiencing having owned my own business made me realize I don’t ever want to do this again.It makes it easier to accept the rules here, and be just one of the guys."
It was at that time he decided to sell the business and move to Aces.
Since working at Aces Tattoo, Jon's been featured in Magazines, won several awards for Best Sleeve, Best Cover Up, and has thoroughly been enjoying the world he has created.
"I don’t go to work, I go to my home away from home, and hang out with my buddies all day. I like doing tattoos, and I paint, but literally I feel like I’m in my place, doing what I know best!"
Outside of tattooing Jon likes to paint murals, canvases, and much like tattooing, he likes to do large paintings. He also like to ride his bike and travel.
His most recent trip took him to the Netherlands, to Prague and backpacking alone around Europe. He spent time seeing cool museums where historical artistic pieces that his heroes created were on display.
"I didn’t used to like Van Gogh and when I saw his work in person I felt like I was looking at them as a movie."
There are many things that we could say about artist Jon McCann, but what immediately comes to mind is he's fascinating, fun, and up for a challenge!
He has to be one of the most intriguing artists we have interviewed to date.
While he told us his tattoo stories, we couldn't help but be drawn in by his cavalier attitude and his long history with the art of tattooing.
At just 14 years old, Jon started tattooing and has never looked back.
Jon's first tattoo was one he gave himself on his leg - a script tattoo that says "Punks Forever"
We will leave it up to you to decide if he remained true to that tattoo, but as far as we are concerned, one thing is without a doubt quite evident. Jon confidently chose the right career path at the young age of 14. To know what you want and go out and get it like he did is pretty amazing and speaks greatly of his character.
When he turned 18, Jon knew it was his time to find his first apprenticeship.
In Salt Lake City, Utah, Jon apprenticed at a shop that was, at the time, a sister shop to Sting Ray.
Jon spent two years there before moving to San Diego where he worked at a shop on the beach.
"The history of tattooing in San Diego is thick! It's a sailor port town so the history there is big!"
While he learned a lot in San Diego, and loved the experience working in a city with such a rich tattoo history, it was challenging to stand out and Jon said he felt like a drop in a pond.
When Jon came back to his home town of Reno, Nevada at 24 years old, he had acquired some amazing skills in those other cities.
It's not surprising that he was able to come up fast on the tattoo scene here in Reno.
At the time when he came back to Reno, Aces Tattoo was the big shop in town.
"I originally had a job lined up there, but when I got here someone took that spot," Jon said, "But if not for that, I probably wouldn’t ever have opened my own shop."
Working one year at Pirate Tattoo when he first arrived, he then went on to open his own shop on Wells called Absolute Tattoo, which is still open to this day.
Jon owned Absolute for seven years and then realized that he just really wanted to tattoo. He didn't enjoy the business side, dealing with all the other stuff that a business owner has to deal with.
"Experiencing having owned my own business made me realize I don’t ever want to do this again.It makes it easier to accept the rules here, and be just one of the guys."
It was at that time he decided to sell the business and move to Aces.
Since working at Aces Tattoo, Jon's been featured in Magazines, won several awards for Best Sleeve, Best Cover Up, and has thoroughly been enjoying the world he has created.
"I don’t go to work, I go to my home away from home, and hang out with my buddies all day. I like doing tattoos, and I paint, but literally I feel like I’m in my place, doing what I know best!"
Outside of tattooing Jon likes to paint murals, canvases, and much like tattooing, he likes to do large paintings. He also like to ride his bike and travel.
His most recent trip took him to the Netherlands, to Prague and backpacking alone around Europe. He spent time seeing cool museums where historical artistic pieces that his heroes created were on display.
"I didn’t used to like Van Gogh and when I saw his work in person I felt like I was looking at them as a movie."
Jon enjoys doing pieces no one else will do and is continually challenging himself.
"I want people to come to me with ideas that are open ended and where there is room for creativity.
If everybody else says NO come to me before you give up."
Reno if you are looking for an artist that is up for the challenge of tattooing just about anything you throw his way, this is your fun and fascinating guy!
Jen and No:el
Jen and No:el
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