It is hard enough to get into the tattoo industry even at the best of times; there are many doors that get slammed in prospective apprentices’ faces and only those who show real guts and determination to succeed do so. But to get into an industry where your folks have been at the pinnacles of their career for years with many looking up to them and their work must be even harder. Regardless of your talents and individuality, and how far you distance yourself from your folks, some people will always compare their work to yours.
Initially, Jeremiah did what all kids did and went in the complete opposite direction to his parents and almost denied his tattooing heritage, trying to have nothing to do with it. But there must be a strong current of tattoo ink running through the Barba veins. Jeremiah will freely admit that it took him a few years to succumb to his inky calling but once back in the family fold, he saw the light and has been working his socks off ever since with some amazing results.
Now fully established at Outer Limits Studio, happily inking along side his mum, Kari, Jeremiah seems very much at home. He regularly travels to spread his stunning artwork with the rest of us mortals and I managed to catch up with this extremely laidback and affable guy at the lovely Mickey Hall’s Ki Ink and Steel Tattoo Studio in Dagenham, where Jeremiah regularly guests, for a ‘natter about his tattooing roots.
I take it you got into tattooing from your folks?
Yeah, totally. I used the hang out at my mum’s shop from the age of two in Minnesota. Then she moved to California and opened her new shop there. We sort of lived in the back of the shop for a while and I got to hang out there, watching the guys work and I was always around tattooists and their clients. Sometime mom would send her clients to come pick me up from school because she’d be busy.
Did you get to meet some interesting characters?
Yeah, during my school age years that was around the punk rock era. I was about eight when the British punk band Exploited came in and I was really like, tripping out on them with their huge Mohawk haircuts and everything. They gave me an album and signed it for me. That was pretty cool for a little guy!
I got to meet a lot of artists that were maybe not that well know then but are big now, like, Tin Tin, Paul Jeffries…many guys that came through the shop and are now ‘names’ in the industry.
So you must have a lot of ‘tattoo uncles’ then?
Yeah, I never thought of it like that! I have been really lucky to meet these guys over the years. For a long time I never really realised what I was involved in. It wasn’t until I started to tattoo myself that I really appreciated it.
I suppose as far as you were concerned hanging out with these guys was like, normal?
Yeah, the only time I know anything different was when my teachers said that they didn’t approve of it. So when I had my school pictures taken, my folks would put fake tattoos all over my arms and dress me in tattoo t-shirts. That really freaked them out!
It’s weird, being around all those tattooists, it kind of put me off tattooing for a bit. To start with, tattooing was the furthest thing from my mind! All through high school I wanted to do anything other than tattooing so I drifted through a series of really crappy jobs like working in Taco Bell, record stores, pet stores; I just didn’t want to do it. All the other artists in the shop were like ,“When are you going to start tattooing?” and I was like, “Nah, not for me buddy!”
It wasn’t until I had a bad split from my girlfriend and I needed a job and stuff that a guy who worked for my mom called Bill Carson, who had his own shop too in the mountains. He said, “Come on up to my shop and I’ll teach you to tattoo. Stop slingin’ burgers and start slingin’ ink!
I went up there and he started to apprentice me. I guess with my upbringing tattooing was always going to suck me back in at some point. I was always into art and drew constantly as a kid, all through school.
Did your mum help you out when she realised that you were serious about the art.
Yeah, she helped out lots after I started with Bill up at Big Bear Tattoos. Big Bear was a little out of the way and they only got a few customers a week and I was like, really in a hurry to learn!
I felt that I needed to tattoo to get some experience. I had watched tattoos being done for my whole life. So I ended up tattooing one of my friends, Bill found out and told my dad, who went mad and started yelling at me and stuff. So Bill told me get my stuff and leave.
I can down from the mountains and my dad had one of the shops as part of my folks’ divorce settlement, and he didn’t care too much about his shop and he needed a new artist, so I started messing people up in there.
Not long after, I quite after some words with my Dad and not long after my mom said I could go work with her and that was incredible. I soon noticed that my work was terrible compared to the other artists working there and so did they!
So I started my apprenticeship all over again, this time with my mum teaching me.
I very quickly realised that tattooing isn’t about money and more about the art and making people happy.
I guess I grew up then. The whole process of tattooing took me a few years to get into it. I was thinking I was doing good work but then I started travelling and got to notice guys like Paul Booth, Aaron Cain, Guy Aitchison and I was like, ‘Wow, you can do so much more,’ and this inspired me to perfect my art. You never stop learning!
I work out of the Long Beach shop, which used to be the Pike, which was the oldest tattoo shop in California. I believe it is the oldest tattoo shop in America that is still open. It used to be Bert Grimm’s studio and it was due to be shut down by the city so my mum bought it to keep it open. That was four years ago and did it all up. It has been there since 1927! I’ve heard it’s the second oldest in the world that is still running!
My Mum works in the Long Beach shop too; she used to work in the Anaheim shop, which was the original Twilight Fantasy shop before it was Outer Limits. That’s been there for about twenty-five years now. There’s lots of history.
Do you feel that you are carrying on the ‘Barba’ flame, as it were?
Yeah, not that I am getting a little more proud of my work; it feels better. I didn’t feel good enough to be called Barba and to keep the tradition going but now I feel okay about it.
I presume that the Kari Barba reputation sort of precedes you in a way?
Definitely. I go to all these shows and work alongside such big names and think maybe I shouldn’t be here, they are so much better, maybe I should let them get on with it. People thought it was easy for me to say, hang onto my mom’s coattails and to have my foot in the door but I think it has been harder as I have so much to live up to. It was easier to meet the other artists as my mom already knew them and they would come to the house or shop and hang out with her, but I almost had to prove something to them, and that pushed me harder, you know? My mum did one of my sleeves.
Was that weird?
Yeah, yeah it was. I actually got tattooed when I was 14, by someone in her shop. His name was Dean. I wanted her to tattoo me originally, for my first one. But she didn’t want to do it because she thought I’d think she was hurting me, like on purpose. So it was weird for her, but I didn’t really care. So Dean did my tattoo. I waited ‘til I was 18, and I was like “I want you to do my whole arm.” So she said yes and started. It was weird, the first sitting…but then she’d always cancel appointments on me! (Laughs). My arm still ‘ain’t done and it’s been 12 years! It’s like, full, but it’s not fully finished. I’d have her appointment, and then I’d always get the call in the morning like “I’m not feeling good.” And it’s like, “Come on, that’s just ‘cause I’m not paying you! I’ll pay you!” (Laughs) So doing that was really cool, getting a sleeve by her. I ‘wanna get something else done too by her. I was trying to get her to do a self-portrait, but she didn’t ‘wanna do that either! So I had Bob Tyrrell do it. And he did an amazing job. I also have a portrait of my daughter and I from Bob too. I have a collaboration back piece by Philip Guy and Paul. I’ve had a few other people work on it too but they pretty much did most of it. Bob Tyrell did a little bit too. That was really cool, that’s one of my favourite pieces. I have a piece by Paul that I got when I was 19, that’s really cool. A piece by Robert Hernandez, Tin Tin... I’ve got a lot of names! It’s weird, sometimes I think about it and I’m like, “Wow, I’ve got tattooed by this person and this person…” It’s really cool. Probably if it wasn’t for my mum in that aspect I wouldn’t have got a lot of the appointments with those people. When I got tattooed by Paul (Booth), I wouldn’t have got tattooed by him if it wasn’t for her. So it’s kind of benefitted me in that way! (Laughs)
Have you seen anything of an influx of people coming into tattooing with a background in art?
I have noticed that in Europe there are many folk coming into tattooing from a fine art background. Europe has a huge history of painting and art and recently in the States I see lots of kids coming straight from college and into tattooing, and these kids are really shaking up the industry with their styles. Most of the time, some of them can’t transfer their art into tattooing but then there are guys like Nikko, who has only been tattooing for like, four years, and he is amazing!
Did you do any sort of formal training in art?
Nah, I made it to ninth grade and then it was sort of ‘party’ from then on!
We have seven artists working in the Long Beach shop. It’s about four thousand square feet so the place is pretty large. Between us we have very different styles and we all bounce off each other. I love working with my mum everyday. The history of the shop is great; guys like Ed Hardy, Lyle Tuttle all started out from there. It’s like a small museum!
How did you get the gig at Last Rites?
I was a friend of Paul’s for a long time before that. He tattooed me at my mom’s shop when I was nineteen, I then saw him at a lot of conventions, I did some guest spots at his studio from time to time and they were talking about expanding to a bigger place. I had just opened my own Epidemic Tattoo Studio at the time, and I had a silent partner and things were going bad, and Paul offered me a job at his place.
I then moved out to New York and started working at Last Rites. I did that for about a year but things changed and I headed back to California to be nearer my daughter. I go to conventions with Dan Marshall, Tim Kern, and Liorcifer from Tribulation Tattoo, NYC. I’m like the fifth Beatle of Tribulation Tattoo! I wish I was there but I’m not! (Laughs).
Do you get to work many shows abroad?
I only really started working in Europe two years ago with the London show, I then did the Amsterdam one and then I have done London again and Barcelona and Milan. I love the different cultures and people so I try and get over whenever I can.
I love to sample the beer and food, and then I’m happy!
Guys over here have very different styles of work compared to back home; you guys have more of an art background. My style is black and grey but I also do like to do colour work too. Working at Last Rites has really given me a big influence with my black and grey work; I learnt so much from Dan and Lior and the guest artists like Bob Tyrrell. Bob is one of the coolest guys in the industry; just don’t go drinking with him! (Laughs).
Is there anything that you feel has change over the last few years that has benefited the industry?
I love the whole seminar thing. I took Bob (Tyrrell’s) seminar and learnt so much from it; also Guy Aitchison has done so much for tattooing by helping many a struggling artist learn new and different techniques.
When you start sharing those little things it helps all around you. You don’t want to see your friends doing bad tattoos either, so when you pass on this information, no matter how small, it is all for the good of tattooing. Sharing is great!
What is it about being as tattooist that you like the best?
I love to travel. And meet new people. I would not be able to do that without being able to work and tattooing is a very mobile occupation. There’s a lot of good about it; I love the community too. I like to hang out at different shops. My least favourite is how much of a sewing circle it is. There is so much gossip going on around the industry about so and so. We’re supposed to be the ones that shouldn’t be, you know?
There are a lot of rumours in the industry! I always get asked the same questions about why we left Last Rites but that’s between us. I learnt so much from that place about art, tattooing, business, about myself. I took so much away from that time in my life and I am truly grateful for that. I’m a much more happier person now. Last Rites made me feel a little like it was taking my mojo a little, you know? It wasn’t letting me be myself too much. It was a little too dark for me!
What would be the ultimate tattoo for you to put together?
Ah, I don’t know. I don’t know; I love doing back piece for sure. I just love the space involved. But as far as subject, I don’t know. It would probably be definitely something black and grey. One of the ones I had wanted to do really bad, I just did last night. I’ve wanted to do the character from Hellboy, the Angel of Death. I have been trying to find somebody to do it. It was funny, I really had wanted to do that tattoo since the movie came out, and I tattooed Kerry King from Slayer. Him and I are really good friends, and he was talking about “Yeah, I really wanna get the Angel of Death Hellboy character on me. I was thinking about having Bob do it.” And I was like “Ohhh! Man that’s what I wanna do so bad!” So he was like “That’s cool, do whatever you want.” But yeah, as far as subject matter, something like that. But definitely something darker and black and grey.
Do you watch a lot of films, that sort of thing?
Erm yeah, they do give me a lot of inspiration. Especially movies like Hellboy. Movies with a lot of cool things going on like special effects and creatures. The creatures in that movie were just amazing. There’s so many good movies out there with so many good special effects you can get some good ideas for tattoos. It’s really cool. And it seems like a lot of clients are kinda like “I want something like that guy in that movie”. It helps out with ideas.
What do you do away from tattooing? Do you have any hobbies?
Wow. I don’t think I do. (Laughs) I don’t really. Mainly watching movies! Travelling, visiting other places pretty much. I try to get out and see the cities as much as possible when I’m not working. It feels like a waste of a trip if I come all the way to somewhere like, say London, and I don’t see one thing. Like the first time, I did come out, I didn’t see anything. But the second time I got to see stuff like the Tower, just go and see all the stores, and all the history and stuff. But at home? I pretty much tattoo constantly and I paint once in a while. I’m usually so overdoing work that I when I get home, I just wanna relax! Sometimes I’m in a limbo trying to find a hobby!
Is there anyone else you still want work from?
I definitely want to get something else done by Robert (Hernandez), ‘cause I just got something kind of small done by him. I don’t know who else! There are so many great artists right now! I kind of go by who I get along with and who I’m really good friends with, and then when I have a bond with that person I’m like “Yeah, I really want you to tattoo me!” Actually I’ve been talking to Dan about doing something on me, because I’ve been really liking the work he’s been doing lately. Quite a few people, you know? It’s gotta be a friend! It makes the whole experience better. It’s kind of harder with it being a stranger. You don’t feel their vibe as much.
Do you do any sculpture or painting?
Yeah, pretty much just acrylic or oil painting. Sometimes some charcoal stuff. I used to mess around with that a lot with the guys from Tribulation. That’s pretty much the only medium. I’ve never really got into sculpture or anything, just a little bit at school. I wish I had a lot more time to paint. I wish I was half as busy so I could paint half more, because I’ve always been intrigued to painting and it’s something that I’d like to…not master, but you know, get good at least. I always tell myself when I retire I’ll just relax and paint…I don’t know, clouds every day! (Laughs)
Do you have any ambitions in the tattoo industry?
Oh man… not really! Just to keep travelling really, I really want to get my name out there. To be able to travel and be able to afford to come and see everybody. Just always trying to learn new stuff, just to get better at what I do. I know I’m never going to be perfect, but every day, I’m always questioning myself about my tattoos and my art. That’s my main ambition, pretty much to just succeed and be good at what I do. And to have to people acknowledge that would be great! (Laughs). You know, when you hear people that do, it’s really, really fulfilling, people that admire your work. I’m too critical on myself much of the time, which is kind of a downfall, I think. I think about it way too much! Sometimes I could lose sleep on some tiny little thing that someone else would never notice! I dwell on it you know, really too critical. Sometimes I have to stop myself. Sometimes I shade too much, it’s about a balance in my head. I kind of learn from my reactions, you know? When I first started out at conventions, I remember hanging out a few times, and Guy took me aside and was like “Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll go through your portfolio with you and sit with you.” And I was like, “Wow! Ok.” So I went and got it, and he sat with me in a room for an hour or two looking at it, picking apart every single tattoo, told me everything wrong with it, every one of them. And I went away from that learning so much. That was one of my biggest influences right there. Paul did that too for me, right before I started working for him. Some people just can’t be self-critical, and I think that’s a big tool. If you’re sitting there worrying about it then you’re going to want to learn and take advice. But if you’re not self-critical, then you’re going to be like, “Oh it’s fine.” That’s the whole thing about trying to get better; you’ve got to ask questions.
Is there anybody you’d like to thank?
Oh wow… everyone! It’s so hard to name everybody, but definitely my mom. And my daughter too, she’s a big influence in just settling down and just realising that there’s more to life than tattooing. That tattooing is a major factor in taking care of my life, and hers, but that there’s more things out there than just that. Because I find myself getting too consumed in it, you know? And it’s always about tattooing, but that there’s other things out there and you’ve got to step out, and go see things. Her name is Mia Kari Barba. She’s like a mini Kari Barba! She’s a great artist already and she’s only six. I’d like to see her do something else too, but she wants to be a veterinarian or a cook, who paints on the side. That’s great, anything like that you know. My fiancé Jaime, she really helps a lot too. She’s always telling me to stop being so self critical all the time, so I really thank her for grounding me a lot. I thank everybody dude! All the people I’ve worked with over the years. A lot of people at the shops over the years. A couple of people like Bob, and all the guys from Tribulation, just for taking me under their wing. They helped me along and I’m really grateful for all them sharing a booth with me at a convention, or maybe give me the opportunity to work at a convention that I couldn’t get into. And just by them sharing a booth with me, I’ve got my foot in the door and I can get a booth. It really is hard to get a booth at some of the conventions, at some of the bigger ones like London and Milan. But I get to work in both now, and I’m so grateful for it. I’m like “I can’t miss that! I’d give anything to work that!” And especially all the people that come and get tattooed by me! (Laughs). And some of those customers that do just let me do whatever. That’s what gets the ideas flowing in my head and it’s great because that’s what’s making me get better at what I do. I get to practice the things that I’m imagining. I love it, I love the industry!
Is there any other information you think people should know about yourself?
Erm, I don’t know! Nothing personal! (Laughs) I don’t know, I think we’ve covered pretty much everything! People shouldn’t be afraid to approach me and talk to me! I like people to be able to come up and just say hi! I feel grateful that people admire my work, so if they tell me about it, I feel privileged. I feel like I want to do more great work! It’s pretty cool, I love it. It’s a great family. Once you’ve even got a small tattoo, you’re part of the family. You’ve got a common bond with these people, even if there’s somebody with a full body suit, it doesn’t matter. And they can be from Japan, or Europe, or the States, and it doesn’t matter. There’s an instant bond that no matter what, you’ve got something to talk about. And it’s great! I see people on the streets with tattoos, and it’s a lot more now too, since the TV shows… it’s kind of like, when you see someone with a sleeve, if I saw you in a bar and I didn’t know you, I’d be like “Oh wow!” You know? And instantly I’m like “That guy is cool” (Laughs). You know, we’ve got the same thing going on. I enjoy that about tattooing. It’s like ‘the mark’. (Laughs). You’ve got ‘the mark’!
Jeremiah Barba
OUTER LIMITS TATTOO
22 S Chestnut Place
Long Beach
CA 90802, USA
Tel: 949-878-7665
