Teresa Johnson, BFA

Artist contact:
-- proprietor of Vancouver’s only female owned and operated tattoo shop

-- the only Emily Carr graduate to tattoo her way to a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

--self taught tattooist -- began in 1990/1991 --working privately in my home until opening a shop in vancouver’s gastown district in 1995, and relocating the shop in the fall of 1999 to its current location on commercial dr. in vancouver, bc.

--got my first tattoo in 1980 at “Turtle Tattoo” in Regina by a guy named Mark (?)

-- started getting tattooed by Paul Jeffries in 1985 (that’s when i got really hooked)

--some other tattooists i’ve had work done by include:

John Van t’Hullenar
Casey Davis
Eddie Deutsch
Bill Baker
Andrea Tucker
Oz
Pierre
Creeper
Sasha Koop
Trish Bevz
Hata

interesting tidbits:

--did my very first and second tattoos on Dan at Mom’s Tattoo in North Vancouver

--am a mom -- my son Zane was born in 1984 -- & has lots of tattoos by me now!!

--winner of NTA’s Best tattooed female Florida 1988 for half body suit tattoo by Paul Jeffries --this tattoo later appeared in Outlaw Biker Tattoo Revue #12 magazine 1991

-- legs appeared as centerfold for the premiere issue of The Tattooed Advocate -- published by Shotsie Gorman 1988

--photographed for exhibition of work by Jamie Griffiths 1995

--participant in the Pierced Hearts and True Love: A Century of Drawings for Tattoos - Art show Vancouver 1997

--tattooed Ed McCurdy for the Vancouver Breakfast show LIVE AT 5 AM!! 1997

--tattoo consultant and extra for the X-Files tattoo episode January 1997

--gave tattoo demonstration at the 4th International Visual Arts Conference - Ars Mundi -(Vancouver Roundhouse) Aug. 10, 1997

--appear in the film “My son the tattoo artist” by Laura Sky 1998 -- which is still showing!!

--shop mention in Canada’s Style Magazine March 1999 for “kicking back in Vangroover”

--shop review by Tess DeHoog for Terminal City Mar.5-11,1999 issue pg.08

-- appear in the film “ Marking the Mother” by local filmmaker Laura Swenson 2000

--Bif Naked appears on Medusa mag. winter 2000 -- also mentioned by her in The Province July 7, 1999 B3 -- & Jane magazine Jan/Feb 2003 pg 91

--shop mention on TV show “Healthy Home” for the window bars -- designed by me--and welded by Gordie Wise, and Leon from Art of Steel April 2002

--appear in The Tattoo Road Trip The Pacific Northwest --book by Bob Baxter 2002

--Skin and Ink cover tattoos on Fatima -- January 2002 -- Fatima also appears on the cover of the Nerve mag vol.5 No.6 June 2004 Issue #39

--Skin and Ink March 2002

-- Silver award Winner for Best Tattoo shop --7th annual WestEnder reader’s choice 2004(?)

-- commissioned to tattoo for Julianna Babarabas’ “Seamline” performance-- 2003-2004 -- see the Vancouver Sun Saturday July 26, 2003 F16

--am a “word” ( The ) in The Skin Project by Shelley Jackson 2004

-- at the core, i truly believe that tattoos (getting them, having them) are an expression of the right to choose; that no matter what other reasons a person might have for getting a tattoo, choice is a fundamental element.

Life is short -- don’t take it too seriously, have fun!

Convert the world to your methods -- (this is on a painting i own by Mia Hansen)

Buy art!!!

Aside from tattooing, running a business,maintaining a home, (and sometimes getting in a bit of art and yoga) I regularly volunteer at a thrift store whose proceeds go to The Battered Women’s Support Services in Vancouver.

Artist contact:

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