Peter "Tattoo" Poulos

I am going to write an article about a man whom I never got to meet, but who has influenced me in tattooing in one of the most spiritual ways that I know how to describe. 

It all starts in the beginning of my apprenticeship under an amazing woman named Keely Tackett.  She is to me, one of the most amazing artists in the US.  I met her when I walked into her shop one day after seeing her artwork in several magazines to ask for an apprenticeship.  I was extremely nervous and afraid of rejection of my proposal as I had never picked up a machine before in my life.  I have always been an artist since I can remember and tattooing was a way that I wanted to express it so I went for it.  She and I hit it off right away and she offered my apprenticeship for FREE.  Normally it is not free and will cost around $4-6,000 to learn in her shop and program (if accepted).  I was offered a place under her the very next day so I gleefully came in with bells on my toes eager to learn. 

The first day was the most impressionable as she showed me exactly what has to be done in order to prepare myself to be an artist.  I had to trace line drawings from "Flash" which are the framed designs on the walls that most people choose for their tattoos.  I had to trace the line drawings over a light box making sure it did not exceed the underlying lines which seemed stupid to me but it had it's purpose later.  Once I did this 6 or 7 hours a day until she was satisfied....I had to use those line drawings and then finally add life to them with prisma color pencils and shade them perfectly.  This was not like a coloring book at all.  They looked horrible when I first started!  I thought I was never going to understand what this was supposed to do for me.  She gave me subtle hints here and there but never showed me quite how to do it and I was thinking to myself: "How do I learn if she doesn't show me?"  When she noticed my frustration, she finally confessed why she did this.  She simply stated that in order to be an artist....I had to create my own style and it would come to me one day like a feather landing in my lap. 

The time did come where I finally understood it and I was doing very well at it.  I began to create the most beautiful works of art blending and shading with simple colored pencils!  They looked so flawless without a spot of white in them anywhere!  They looked like a painting. 

Keely was so proud at what she'd seen that she began telling me stories of something very close to her heart.  She explained that when she apprenticed, she learned from a very passionate, yet strict man named Peter Poulos.  He taught her everything she knew but it wasn't easy at all.  He made her apprenticeship the hardest one she'd ever know so she'd make it through if she could really handle it and prove to have a passion in her soul for it.  Those who didn't have it didn't make it.  He was first and foremost, very stern about dress codes in order to create in his mind what was commitment.  All of the women had to wear dresses and look as sharp as possible to portray the most professional manner.  To some this would seem very unfair, but he had reasons behind it all in the end.  He did these weird kind of things in order to make them do whatever it took to prove to him that they wanted to be there and learn how to be a phenominal artist.  When they did reach that point....he'd reward them with plaques and gifts to show his appreciation for their strong willed effort. 

When Keely finally graduated her apprenticeship with him in the early 70's, he then freed her of all of the hard tasks once asked to do in that prior year.  She began wearing her normal clothes again and a word was never spoken of her dress code again.  She had accomplished it all.  Peter had an odd way of teaching but his methods worked.  He taught her how to do the most beautiful styles of art imaginable and she took it on like second nature.  They became close friends  out of the respect for their shared passion together in the art of tattooing.  Peter was a very warm and intelligent man whom many people adored and unfortunately his life was cut short in the early 80's.  He is gone but his name lives on in a very popularized way in the tattoo industry till this day. 

Keely taught us all in the same manner as he did and she expressed herself in the same manner through her art.  Each and every one of us that apprenticed under her and made it through got rewarded with a big plaque and party in honor of our accomplishments.  The first time anyone tattooed...a bottle of wine was opened and a toast was made for good luck afterwards.  It was a big thing in the world of Peter Poulos to commend his students as well as it was Keely's.  Not one corner of our shop was without a photo of Peter anywhere!  He graced our shop to watch over us all as he was our Grandfather.  To some that Keely found especially attached to....she'd give away real pictures of him in small frames or gifts to show us her love and appreciation.  In my opinion.....there is probably not another shop out there with such an essence to it.  I give all of my thanks to this wonderful man who made it possible for me to learn through one of his most dedicated students.  I just wanted to share this story with everyone as a tribute to Peter "Tattoo"  Poulos.  May he rest in peace eternally.......

Please check out his page written by another one of his students......it is very touching.     Peter