The "T" word
There really is nothing as enchanting, and equally infamous as a tattoo. The tattoo has been a fascinating aspect of human life and culture, interesting societies for centuries.
According to an article published on Psychology Today, tattoos were described as:
- Courageous
- Adventurous
- Strong
- Trendy
- Creative
- Artistic
Yet the same article mentions how tattoos are perceived as:
- Satanic
- Reckless
- Unprofessional
- Criminal
- Anti-social
- A host of other unflattering descriptions
Despite conflicting opinions, tattoos have always played a part in shaping various roles of society. In fact, the history of tattoo's goes as far back as the first civilizations, revitalizing movements and moving forward in incredibly innovative fashions, evolving not only with time and societies, but with technology too.
The one consistency has persisted throughout time is the dual nature of the tattoo, being perceived as a mark of darkness to some communities, and a liberating beacon of strength to others.
"Over the years, tattoos are gaining more popularity," says Joey Gulla, previous Visual and Creative Arts student at Sheridan College. "Back in the day, if you were seen with some ink, people would associate you as a gang member or a thug. In today's world, however, tattoos are now seen as a way for people to express themselves.
Adorning criminal and king alike, the tattoo has travelled among numerous communities including:
- Ancient Egyptians
- The Roman Empire
- Britons
- The Japanese Edo Period
- Tahiti
- Borneo
- Several Indigenous communities that make up much of Canada (and North American's) history
- And more
Whatever your opinion is, the tattoo has been present throughout civilization.
Yet, why look to lands and time periods far away? Looking at the Great White North, there are plenty of tattoo parlours across the GTA, and also provinces across the country that are home to popular tattoo artists.
One such tattoo prodigy works right here in Oakville, the town mired with art, nature, and a diverse community.
Meet Cory Ferguson, father, proud business owner of Good Point Tattoos, and tattoo prodigy.
Good Point Tattoos - Working Within the Lines
Cory is a legacy tattoo artist, with a practice right on Trafalgar Road. Having worked in the industry for more than 30 years, Cory spoke about his journey from sitting down and learning the craft from his father, who was a prominent tattoo artist, and a pioneer of the practice in Winnipeg. Cory has a distinct style that has made him exceedingly popular to many people in Oakville, who seek him out specifically as they have fallen in love with his artwork.
Cory's inspirations include:
- M.C. Escher, late surrealist optical illusionist artist.
- Repetitive patterns, influenced from those similar to Islamic and Middle Eastern patterns, known for their heavy geometry.
- Kimono patterns.
- High contrast black and white imagery.
Cory is an artist who blends the elements of geometry, repetitive patterns, dot-work, Polynesian influenced travel to create picturesque visuals. "I'm not here to tug at your heart strings, I'm here to play with your eyes," is his powerful message in a feature video conducted by Create Media.
Hopping across several different locations, Cory has both extensive domestic and international experience, picking up a wide variety of adventures and stories that have only made him even more experienced then when he began in the industry. After travelling, impressing people from all walks of life, receiving several accolades, Corey now lives in Oakville, his home town. In fact, not only Cory, but even his father are Oakvillians. One day, as Cory was a part of Way Cool Tatoos, he was presented with an opportunity to return home and work out of the Oakville branch.
"I started working at a chain of tattoo shops in Toronto called Way Cool back in 1993. I was there until they opened the Oakville location, and I worked in Oakville, enjoying my home until it was time for me to move on and open my own practice. It opened up on Lakeshore and now I've shifted to Trafalgar Road, where I have been since."
Cory and his father have strong roots and ties to both Oakville and tattoo culture in Canada. "My father grew up in Oakville, and so did I. It was sort of a no brainer that when I had the opportunity to come out here, I would set up shop here. I've travelled all over and done many stints, competitions, and jobs."
"My father was a pioneer of tattooing in Winnipeg. Back in the 80s he used to do some work underground, and then he decided to go legal so he worked with the Health Board and opened up the the first legal practice of tattooing in Winnipeg. Tattooing was illegal there for many decades and my dad opened up the first legal shop there in 1986, working with the board to develop a curriculum and safe practices." One of Cory's biggest pieces of advice to anyone looking for a tattoo is to ensure that the parlour one goes to is sanitary.
Good Point Tattoos is also a local favourite amongst the Sheridan College - Trafalgar community. "They're super friendly and I just love their vibe," says Megan Helpard, previous photography student at Sheridan College.
Individual & Society
Broached upon how tattoo culture has changed over the past couple of years, Cory mentioned several ways, both minimal and significant that the image of tattoos has evolved.
"As far as the stigma of tattoos goes, it was already becoming mainstream back in the 80s. With doctors, lawyers, and other reputable professionals sporting tattoos, it wasn't much of a taboo as it used to be. One thing is for sure though, everyone thought it was just a fad that would eventually fade out, but it didn't. Tattoos have only become more and more popular. I guess one way that tattoos have become even more mainstream is that people are more comfortable with clearly visible tattoos now."
According to Amanda Nasciento, Humber College student who worked at a car dealership, and now works at front desk of a residence, there can be a stigma with tattoos, particularly in certain work environments. "I actually had to be super careful with my tattoos in my previous job. I used to cover my tattoo with my sleeves. In my current job, however, it is super casual but I definitely feel like some organizations are totally accepting of tattoos whereas for others, while it is not a deal breaker, it is still a matter of concern."
As written in a Global News article in 2017, tattoos and piercings in workplaces are more widely accepted now, but there are still a ways to go.
Jessica Hawke, Illustration Student and Vice President of the Sheridan Student's Union also had some things to say about this phenomena.
"I do believe that there is a time and a place for showing off tattoos, and in most workplaces it is not yet accepted fully. As with everything in life, it is important to understand that the way you present yourself - grooming, clothing wise and attitude - will affect how people perceive you. And tattoos are a way people can make judgements on you. There are still huge cultural implications for tattoos and for many entire countries tattoos are are banned or considered a mark of violence and tied to illegal activity. In North America tattoos are less taboo, but with the rise in globalization it’s smart to understand that the people you may be working with may not come from the same background of acceptance as you.
"As an art degree student, I’m not super concerned about my workplace. But I would not travel to some countries and openly display my sleeve tattoo! It would really look bad on me. If it were a small thing I think it would be brush off as a “foreigner” thing, but I have my entire arm done. For this reason, all of my tattoos are designed that I can cover them with a long sleeve dress shirt if I have to."
In fact the Roman Empire used to look down on tattoos, considering them a blemish to the "perfection" of the human body. In fact, individuals brandishing tattoos were banished. After skirmishes with Britons, the Roman Empire discovered that the Britons would mark themselves with tattoos as a form of intimidation. Whatever process the stigma of tattoos took, Romans later celebrated people by marking them with tattoos.
According to Leah Paton-Janssen, Resident Assistant at Humber College, and Justice Studies student at Guelph- Humber who sports tattoos, "I have never faced discrimination myself. I’d say people do, especially in relation to how many they have or how big they are, that’s generally when I’ve seen people face it."
"I think a lot of the time no one ever gets to actually know someone and have a conversation with them before they make their own opinions. I’ve noticed that immediately most people start off with a bias based off of how someone looks or carries themselves. But I’ve found that even people you wouldn’t generally talk to in life, no matter what the reason. Often have at least one thing in common with you, so just breaking down that barrier I think would aid a lot with showing people facts and not just basing your experiences off of your stigmatized opinion."
And finally, let's not forget the significance that some societies hold for tattoos, using them as a significant vessel to tell stories. CBC Arts runs a series on Youtube featuring Indigenous tattoo artists across Canada who are reviving ancestral traditions, taken away during colonization.
Technology, Tattoos, and Trafalgar
The other thing that really stuck out to Cory as an important change in tattoo culture has been modernization. Tattoos have come a long way from being inked using crude utensils in the days of old.
The first form of tattoos were are still to be confirmed, but strong allusions and research points to the prehistoric era when charcoal was seen as leaving marks behind on the skin. As periods evolved, so too did instruments used to make tattoos. In the case of the Romans, doctors instruments to treat wounded soldiers doubled as tattoo utensils.
It wasn't until the 19th century, that the tattoo underwent an incredible innovation. For years, tattoos had been applied with hand tools, which would puncture the skin and inject coloured dyes in a process that would take days, weeks, or even months.
The machine age changed that with Samuel O' Reily who patented the first tattooing machine. Suddenly the tattoo was widely popular.
The tattoo gun has been the staple instrument of the tattoo artist for about a 100 years. And Cory has continued to innovate his tools by:
- Illustrating on digital mediums like ipads
- Using a "Tattoo Pen," a fully portable utensil to tattoo artwork onto Cory's customers.
- Developing a revolutionary app named Geometrica, designed to help tattooers draw tattoos.
The fact remains that while tattoos have been a mark of significance through times gone by, it is still being modernized today, and Cory is at the forefront of innovation although he would have you believe otherwise. "Graphic designers are probably chuckling at me. They've been using ipads and tablets to draw for years."
Lasting Thoughts
A last piece question I asked Cory was what folks should do if they either:
- Wanted to look into getting tattoos themselves.
- They wanted a tattoo but were afraid of the commitment.
Cory answered both questions with much understanding and fluid grace. "Make sure that your tattoo parlour is sanitary. With facebook, Instagram, and the internet, there's really a lot of resources at your fingertips. Definitely also make sure your tattoo artist is a person you vibe well with. The last thing you want to do is spend how ever many hours with an artist whose personality doesn't mix well with yours. You're going to have this tattoo of yours and you don't want to be haunted by the memory of the bad experience you had getting it."
"Second. there are many alternatives like Henna. In fact, in my experience, if you are unsure about getting a tattoo, then quite frankly, you're not ready for one. Tattoos shouldn't be scary things, they should be fun, empowering, and comfortable. There's many alternatives."
One of the most significant things that the modernization of machinery has done, is that it has made tattoos less permanent and made those who get tattoos less guilty of regretting their purchases. According to Madison Jones, Community Justice student at Humber College "A tattoo means a lot because of the stories it contains. I've heard of many tattoos people have gotten in their youth for the wrong reasons, and to be honest, it disturbs a part of me because I hear about folks getting tattoos for the wrong reasons all the time. As a person who has tattoos, I believe in self-expressionism but also responsibility. If your tattoo is offensive, insensitive to cultures, or is needlessly aggressive, it annoys me because it gives people the wrong idea about tattoos."
A legacy of much interest, adventure, and accomplishment, it remains to be seen what the future of Good Point Tattoos is, or where the future of tattoos will take society.
For more from Good Point Tattoos, check out their website or follow their Instagram page.
To see Cory's visual masterpieces, follow his personal Instagram Portfolio.