An Interview with Megan Jean Morris

I am committed to sharing honestly with you guys in hopes that maybe it will be valuable for you. I am going to spend most of my time here talking about two things: 1. Being a woman in this industry and 2- my personal life and how it has shaped me. Toward the end, I’ll answer a few questions about my tattooing career and advice.

Photo by Steve Azzara

I’d like to preference my answer with the fact that Artists are a passionate group of people… and I am not interested in making this group of people behave in a way that is politically correct, mundane or sexless… tattooing is a world where we come to escape that. However, I do find it interesting and important for us to look at what it is like to be a woman trying to “make it” in an industry… I think some of you will probably be offended or irritated by what I have to say, and hopefully others of you will find it helpful.

For most of my career, I have blown this question off.  I would answer “it’s no different.”  But even my answer was formulated to tell men what they wanted to hear.  I wanted to be perceived as easy and agreeable instead of weak and annoying. The fact is, now that I don’t have to worry about ‘making it’ and I am less interested in pleasing people… I’ll tell you the truth:  Being a woman in the tattoo industry is so different from being a man, that I lied to myself and others about the very question because even asking it, is risky.  I was afraid that asking the question only added to differences I was trying to escape. So, I did my best to flatten the playing field and pretend artwork is all that matters. However, socializing is a huge part of the business and a natural part of life. Rubbing shoulders with male artists who I looked up to and wanted to learn from, or editors who I was hoping would notice my work or supply companies that I dreamed of getting sponsored by… was very different for me than it would be for a male artist. In the beginning, I was caught off guard. I was not ready for business. I did not know how to be a woman there and I made mistakes.

There were many missed opportunities because a man’s wife or girlfriend did not want another woman around. I almost did not get my apprenticeship because of this. It seemed ironic and unfair that another woman might be the very thing standing in my way.

Secondly, once I had made it to bigger parties, I did what any young artist does… I ogled over my idols, excited and in disbelief that they were actually talking to me. It is no one’s fault, but because I am a straight woman and most of these tattoo idols were straight men, therein lies a potential complication that two straight males simply don’t have to deal with. Here are some interactions I am sure my male counterparts never had to deal with:

STICKY SITUATIONS IN NETWORKING: Sometimes, denying a man intimacy created awkwardness or upset and meant no magazine exposure for me or no more casual chats about art over a drink at the bar.  But these chats weren’t casual to me.  I cherished them.  I was connecting with another artist while learning what machines I should try, or perspectives on composition I could take, or how to set my rates appropriately, or which shows I should attend.  I was jealous that male peers didn’t have to navigate the social waters so carefully.

Photo by Jenna Bailey

RUMOURS: I also had to accept that just chillin with a peer or mentor often created rumors that were infuriating.  And yes, sometimes I did actually hook up with someone in the industry.  But it never mattered whether it was real or just a rumor, the guys talked about it, and not in a nice way.  It is hard to walk into a room full of my peers knowing terms like “sloppy seconds” or “slut” could have been used towards me, or maybe some of them had laughed at me… but it’s a harsh reality. The guys don’t seem to get judged.  Women do.  It’s annoying and it’s an age-old situation and I am bummed that my own experiences reflect it.  It is not what I expected to feel when entering the industry. I was a tomboy when I was young and I love men and I felt tough… turns out I was naive.  My solution has been to be humble, keep my head up, learn from my mistakes and stay focused on what matters –my client’s artwork.  And also, spend more time with the men and women in the field who are awesome and who make me feel safe, comfortable, happy and respected!

BENEFITS: Lastly, let’s acknowledge some of the benefits.  In my experience, because there are fewer women, I stand out and I am easier to remember.  That’s good for networking and marketing.  And if I so choose, I can use my looks and sex to get in magazines or online exposure, which leads people to see more of my work.  Also, there were times when I was able to spend valuable time with male artists who I learned a great deal from.  And this is because we had charisma between us.  So, there are definitely ways in which being a woman can be helpful in this industry.  I just think the advantages come like a double-edged sword.   And while the advantages are kinda obvious, the disadvantages are not seen or acknowledged.

MY CHILDHOOD. My young childhood years were deep in the woods in a small town in Maine.   So small we had no stoplights and no post office.  My family did not have running water and we used kerosene lanterns.  Mom and Dad slept in the loft and Dad built me a platform in the kitchen for my bed. We left the oven cracked for heat. Dad used to carry out dishwater up from a nearby stream and mom would collect drinking water from a spring down the street and we bathed in a lake at the end of the road or at the community center. I had one toy chest with some wooden swords and my favorites, cowboy guns. I would often climb a ladder up a tree with my Raggedy Ann Doll and look out at the mountains.  I was scared and curious about what was out there.  Turns out I move toward things I am intimidated by or afraid of.  I have now lived in LA, Las Vegas, Hartford, and New York.  But the ‘small town’ girl has struggled in the city.  Small towns are like mom and pop small businesses.  Your reputation is everything.  You cannot get away with being an asshole to folks because you will run out of people.  I was not ready for the way ‘city kids’ will just filter through people.  It reminds me of dealing with a large corporate business where no one has to be responsible for their actions because there are always more people to move on to.

BOYFRIENDS… my relationships have definitely shaped me.  I have dated all over the board; caring loving men as well as controlling pathological narcissists.  My first husband died recently.  He was one of the loving caring men in my life.  He was my rock even when we were no longer married.  And his death has made it so clear to me that I need to protect my energy and respect myself.  In the past, I have thought I could handle being mistreated if it meant being with someone I love.  But now I see I can’t handle it, my confidence gets whittled away and I have less happiness and love.  I am very selective now about who I will allow to share my energy.  I am no longer willing to waste it.  There are too many things I want to achieve and too many people I care about who deserve my energy.  I have learned to walk away and it has been a hard lesson.  I guess in the same breath, I have learned to walk forward, towards people who make me feel good.  Seems like a simple obvious thing but many of us don’t do it.

MY MOM.  My Mom is an impressive woman who did it all.  She has accomplished a lot, she has also survived a lot.  My Mom is kind and a good listener.  She does not judge me but, instead, she asks to share her opinion when she would like to offer her perspective.  I have a small family but we are tight.  We have made it through so much with love.  All of us come together for holidays and at the center of all the unconditional love, we all know, it’s my Mom there.  She has set an example for me and I am proud to be her daughter.  She has always supported and believed in me.

MY DAD.  My dad is the kind of man who laughs and the whole house fills up with it.  He is full of spirit, believes in doing our work spiritually, and hates church. Lol.  He’s a carry-water-and-chop-wood kind of guy… probably why the word “Hustle”  has never sat well with me.  My dad did not teach me to “hustle”… he taught me to work hard and consistently while enjoying the view.

MY BROTHER.  Courage is the word that comes to mind.  My brother has always been able to be himself in any situation.  His values come first and he never bends or changes to fit in.  He also has learned how to live with the challenges of mental illness and he is studying psychology just so he can understand himself better and maybe help others.  He is my best friend.  We had a banana seat bike when I was little and I used to ride him around until he fell asleep on the back.  He has been a gift from God to me.

Very simple answer.  TV is about making TV.  It is not about making art.  So, it was cool and interesting and it is fun being recognized.  However, as an artist it is frustrating because you often feel like you are wasting your time since you are spending months not really focused on making artwork.  And fame makes you famous.  Not rich.  So, it can be a huge waste of time financially unless you want to focus on business avenues that open up because of fame.  But again, then you are focused on business instead of art.

Also, side note, People always wonder if reality tv stars will be the same in person as they are on the show.  And it seems to me that reality tv uses a formula where they simplify a person’s personality and then amplify it.  That way they have a consistent character based on who the person is in real life, although it is a dumbed down dramatic version of that person.  They have to simplify us for the masses to remember who’s who… so theres typically the slutty girl, bitchy girl, or over sensitive girl.  That’s about it for your choices for type-casting a female on reality tv.

Many artists are not business-minded.  But planning ahead is very important.  Our hands, arms, and backs don’t last forever.  It’s important to eat well and work out.  Time will not only fade our physical health, but it can also diminish our inspiration to come up with new ideas and the energy to travel and market our artwork.  For the very least business-minded artists, I’d say get yourself into a good shop where you can just pay booth rental.  For those organized or ambitious enough, open your own shop so that you can tattoo sometimes and still make some income when you are not tattooing.  For those like me, ambitious and interested in business, SAVE and find a way to invest your hard-earned savings for a long-term plan. Definitely, have a back-up plan forming as soon as you “make it” in tattooing. Nothing feels worse for an artist than “having to tattoo” just to pay bills.

Paul Booth.  If you look at his career, he has projects that take decades.  He plans way ahead, he works in all sorts of mediums, tattoos, paint, sculpture, film, business and music.  He gets it.  It’s all creation.  Plus, I think it’s so funny that his work is so dark and mine is often so light, especially these days. But we both do the same thing… we allow people to be with their feelings and express something and this allows for healing, development, and growth.

Other artists who have been my friends and mentors, supporting me throughout my career are Josh Duffy, Nikko Hurtado, Carlos Torres, Jose Perez Jr., Kelly Doty, Ryan Ashley Malarkey, Sara Fabel, and Teresa Sharp.  I also dated Carl Grace and Cleen Rock One for short periods of time but was fortunate to be influenced by their artistic perspectives and application techniques.  All in all, I have been very lucky to have made connections with artists that were like my childhood dreams come true!

Consistency and Exposure.  Your work ethic and quality of work will always speak for itself.  First and most importantly, to your clients.  Secondly and most importantly, to the other artists in the field. When your clients respect you, you will always have business.  When your peers respect you, you will always have exposure and opportunities.  The more exposure you have, the higher your work will be in demand and the more you can raise your rates.  That’s how you get to the top in any field.

Persistency and a highly developed sense of social interactions.  Be helpful, not annoying.  Good help and dependable people who want to work hard are rare.  Be one, and you will be wanted.  Do not expect anyone to give you something for free.  Try and think if you were the boss, what would make your arrival pleasant, something they look forward to?  Come with coffees, and awareness of their work, and ask to spend time at the shop cleaning and organizing and answering the phone for free.  After they get to know you a bit, then maybe it will be appropriate to talk about an apprenticeship.  I would not start out by asking right away if you can “have an apprenticeship”, it’s just too easy for them to say NO.  However, not so many people will say “no, please don’t clean my bathroom and bring me coffees in the morning once or twice a week for free”.  By spending time at the shop you will see and hear things that will teach you how to discuss tattoo ideas and rates with clients, or how to check inventory or notice other things the shop needs. Once you make yourself valuable, then you can talk about apprenticeship. Be smart and don’t waste your time with the wrong shop though. Make sure they have the capacity for an apprentice so that your efforts are not going to waste.