Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Hammontree
Hi Justin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I always like to draw as a kid and just never stopped as I got older I explored other mediums like painting and graffiti. I got my first tattoo at 18 and started hanging out at tattoo shops around the time I was 20. I’ve always been interested in tattooing. I can remember the first time it peaked my interest was in elementary school.
I would hustle tattoos to kids in my class. Not real ones with needles, but like pretend ones with markers. I’d make flash sheets and keep them in my desk I’d be selling eagles for like 5 cents. I didn’t do real tattoos until I was 28. I don’t really recommend this but I started off tattooing at home however not for long because I found an apprenticeship a year later at Rebel Ink & Bail Bonds in Ogden. I knew it wasn’t the place for me and moved on pretty quickly. It wasn’t until after I’d worked in a few shops that I’d say I found my actual mentor Joe Byrne. After I met Joe that’s when things started to change for me and I started seeing myself improve quickly. From there I started just moving up the ranks in shops with each one getting better than the last. From quality of artists to quality of clientele. I left Ogden in 2021 to work with the legendary Oak Adams at Painted Temple in Salt Lake City. I’m currently working with the world famous Matt Morrison at his shop Black Crow.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was a struggle in the begging there wasn’t a real sense of community like there is now in the tattoo industry.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize and am most known for my color work. I do anything from realism to new school. I make lots of animals and wild life. I love doing pet portraits and pop culture themes like Star Wars, lord of the rings and different video games.
I’m most proud of that when I tattoo people I’m making a life long memory with my client. And my client picked me to give them a piece of art they can take to the grave with them. Like I remember moments and conversations with people that have tattooed me and I think it’s cool that people can have that same experience with me.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Life’s a risk bro you just gotta skate it. Life’s about finding those risks worth taking
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jhammstattoo?igsh=ZmUycTRvdjN0MWZt&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/justin.hammontree.10/
