My name is Dave Phelps, Owner/Operator of Blacklist Tattoo since January 2021 opening.

I spent my formative years drawing, firstly, I discovered it came naturally, and secondly as a way to create connection with people and to make friends.

Fast forward a lifetime, and experience has shown that both of those reasons have served me well, into today.

I worked "jobs" for many years in diverse fields, only finding my creative outlet in music, and the occasional sketch when it struck me. Then I came to a time in my life, where existence had become stagnant and at a dead end.

I took the leap to attend art school in a decisive fashion. I was required to put together a portfolio, to prove that I was indeed suited to attend that institution. My napkin sketches and occasional hand drawn meme (before those were a thing) would not cut it. I jumped in with both feet and took off running. Graphic design, it seems, did not suit my wandering passions.

At the time (2007), a friend started getting tattooed and eventually started tattooing himself. Through his apprenticeship a crazy idea came forth, “Maybe I could do this?!” My buddy Gene set the wheels in motion to get me running, and Ed, from Liquid Silver, gave me the opportunity to get into this crazy world.

Guy and Jaz pushed me even further (learned to put my foot in the door). Once I got into the thick of it, on a busy Vancouver street, in a busy Vancouver shop, I never looked back.

Working a lot of 10 am to 3 am shifts, gave me the education that serves me today. Fast forward yet again, after working in shops for another 10 years, l had hit another wall; creatively, personally and, I can only surmise, spiritually. It was time to make changes!

A best friend and client just blurted, “Open a shop, I’ll help.” … Off and running again into an entirely new adventure, finding a space, designing a welcoming interior, and actually constructing that vision into the parlour I have today.

The final touch has been adding great people, to build the team we have now.

You never get where you are without support from good people along the way; friends, family, and clients. The lows only push you to work for the highs. I am extremely grateful that Blacklist Tattoo has made so many new friends.

Dave Phelps