Jay Brown was born in Ojai, California, just outside of Ventura. He took a great interest in art at an early age, 5, under the tutelage of his Grandmother, who was an artist and recently passed away. After many years of dedication to art, he came across the medium of tattooing in 1984 when he started doing hand poked tattoos on his friends with ink from his Grandma's art supplies and a sewing needle from her sewing kit. In 1986 Jay stepped into the world of professional tattooing, first getting tattooed, two in the same day, and then started his apprenticeship a month later, when he found the art very appealing. He decided that tattooing was for him after trying his hand at commercial art, and feeling unsatisfied. He tattooed in the West Coast for the next few years out of a bus on the road with the Grateful Dead Tours, when not at home. In 1991 after he moved to the Midwest, where he met Mr. R.J. Rosini, who later became his mentor, good friend and father figure, trading designs and talking shop. In 1992 he started attending tattoo conventions and hoped some day he would work as an artist. His dream came true in 1993 when he was attending the Tattoo Tour Convention in Chicago, where he was asked to work by Mr. Rosini in his booth. From there it went wild, doing 12 or more shows a year with the world famous R.J. Rosini Gypsy Tattoo Tour, till the end of the 90’s when his attendance to conventions slowed down to 3-5 a year. Jay also got involved in tattooing at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, first on his own in '88, '89, '91, & '92, and then for Mr. Rosini at his world famous tattoo corner at 1000 Main St. from '93 till '02, and after Mr. Rosini's death with his partners Mike Powell, Cherokee Chuck and Chris Shaffer, in '03 and '04 carrying on the legacy. In 2005 their building was torn down, and replaced with a Hot Leathers, and they had to move four doors down to 1016 Main where they now have Gypsy Tour Tattooing every year during the rally for many years to come.
Jay has worked a plethora of conventions over the years and has received numerous awards for his skill in tattooing. The most honored was the first Rosini Award, an award given to a person or a group who has made a positive and substantial contribution to and for the tattoo community, awarded to such tattoo greats as Lyle Tuttle, Constance Eller, Bert Rodriguez, Philadelphia Eddie Funk, Henry Goldfield, Sailor Cam Cook, Mary Jane Haake, Felicia Connely, Vyvyn Lazonga, the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, the National Tattoo Association, and awarded to him in 2003 after Mr. Rosini's death. Jay is now in charge of deciding who is awarded this prestigious award each year, as well as presenting the award with founder Felicia Connelly of the Ink Travelers Conventions, in Vancouver Washington. He considers this a great honor.
In 2001 Jay was hit while riding his motorcycle by a negligent driver in a minivan, which cost him his right leg below the knee along with many other injuries. Unfortunately the driver of the van, Octavio Guzman, did not have sufficient insurance or assets and Jay was stuck with the costs. Nine days after he got out of the hospital he went back to work in his wheelchair and even worked the Inkslinger's Ball that year. Jay has since had several revision surgeries and has overcome suffering from chronic pain. He says that tattooing gave him the will to go on and push through the adversary. Jay has often been heard saying, "If it wasn't for tattooing I don't think I would've made it through." In 1999 while attending the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Festival, Jay entered his prosthetic leg, which was "tattooed" by many famous tattoo artists, in the "Best Overall Male" competition and won second place, showing his great sense of humor and ability to conquer adversity! He recently found out he has a Seizure Disorder, another obstacle to overcome. Jay continues to tattoo at several conventions each year, as well as Sturgis and Tattoos and Blues, build tattoo machines, and write and do photography.
Jay loves all aspects of tattooing and is a member of the National Tattoo Association, the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, for whom he taught their Preventing Disease Transmission in Tattooing course till his health made him resign. Jay is currently working towards teachin the P.D.T.T. again. Jay is a strong believer in the Old School, and the values that are taught by apprenticeship, as well as an advocate for safe tattooing. He has recently celebrated 25 years of tattooing, and hopes to continue tattooing for many more to come. Jay also recently took and passed the A.P.T.'s Certificate of Tattoo Mastery with a 90.
Jay is competent in all forms of tattooing, but enjoys Oriental, Traditional, Portrait, Pin-Up and Black and Gray the most. He loves designing custom pieces for his clients, and is always up for a challenge. He is willing to work with his clients, and likes to give them quality artwork as well as a great experience. Jay is also a Tattoo Machine builder and owns Tattoo Machines by "Peg Leg McGee", where he builds custom handmade steel and brass tattoo machine for Professional Tattooists all over the World. Jay is also one of the only tattooists in the area thae makes his own pigments, a lost art. Jay is also an experienced sign painter, and has been known to paint a sign or two still, although tattooing is his passion. Jay has written and done photography for Tattoo Guru has also writen for other tattoo magazines, and is a contributing writer for Tattoo Life. Jay recently opened another tattoo studio which just had it's anniversary, his first in 12 years beside Sturgis. Jay currently works at and owns A Fine Art Tattoo Studio, where he is joined by Cameron Price, a talented artist with a BFA from WSU who is currently been in tattooing for 3 years now. Other Famous Guest Artists to come, including an upcoming return of Bengt Cenatiempo, as well as a possible spot taken by his long time brother James Rosini in the fall of 2011. Jay also works at he and his partners shop in Sturgis every year during the motorcycle rally. Jay is available by appointment Wednesday thru Saturday from 2pm to 9pm. The Shop is Open 7 days a week 2pm-9pm. Give us a call and set up a time to have us do your next tattoo .208-596-4363
