Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Caram.
Hi Joseph, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started my apprenticeship with Jen McClellan at a street shop in Arcadia, CA, called Red Hot Tattoo. This apprenticeship started in 2002, and began my career in tattooing in 2003. I was very fortunate to have been mentored by a very skilled and experienced tattooer who had been working professionally since the ’80s. I learned so much from her. From making needles and coil machine tuning, maintenance, and repair to the proper application of a tattoo. She also instilled a deep respect appreciation for the history of tattooing and the importance of recognizing and honoring those who paved the way for us. I’m forever grateful to her for opening the door to this career path and giving me the tools to be a part of this art form that I love so much.
In 2014 I was offered the opportunity to work at one of the best and most respected shops in the country, Guru Tattoo here in pacific beach. It was a huge honor to be given the chance to work alongside such an incredible group of artists, so I packed up and moved to down to San Diego. The artists there were incredibly supportive and really played a huge role in my development as an artist and tattooer. Along the way, my brother Cris moved here from Italy and became a part of the team at Guru as well, working there as general manager for both locations for six years.
Finally, in January of 2023, my brother and I parted ways with Guru and opened our new shop; Emaki Tattoo in the Grantville/Mission Valley area!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, I can’t say it was entirely a smooth road. There is always going to be a ton of hard work and some struggle along the way. I arrived in San Diego a different tattooer than I am today. Coming from a street shop, you kind of have to be a Jack of all trades. You have to be reasonably proficient in all different styles of tattooing so that you can handle anything the client wants. That was more important than what style I might have preferred to be working in; you had to do it all. Sometimes you’d get lucky and be asked to tattoo something that fit your personal style, but you couldn’t rely on that enough to really develop your skill set in that particular area. But that was ultimately a great learning experience in and of itself. It keeps you on your toes and forces you to become more well-rounded, which is really valuable.
But when I joined Guru, I was exposed to a different clientele than I was used to. People coming in were more aware and educated on the specific style they were looking for, and they favored a specialist. This environment afforded me the luxury of focusing on and developing the style I truly wanted to work in; the Japanese style…
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve been focusing exclusively on the Japanese style of tattooing for many years now. It’s what originally made me fall in love with tattoos. As a teenager looking through tattoo magazines, I was immediately attracted to the bold, full-coverage bodysuits I saw. The level of commitment involved in such large-scale work. The way everything flowed through the anatomy and accentuated the shape of the body. The timeless beauty and rich culture of it all. This is what I wanted to make my mark in.
It’s definitely a journey. I started out very deeply rooted in the traditional aesthetics. Wanting to understand what makes the imagery so strong in my eyes. Learning the importance of flow and contrast, and balance. It’s a practice. Only in recent years do I feel that I’m finding my own voice within a subject matter that has existed for so many years and doing it respectfully. That’s what I’m most proud of, and I hope is also what sets me apart.
There’s an endless amount to learn about the culture and the imagery within it. It would take a lifetime of study to come to know and understand it all. But that’s what is so exciting about it. There’s so much to learn. It’s a path I’m happy to be on indefinitely.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
First and foremost, put in the work. Take the time to learn. Approach your work with sincerity and respect, and it will lead you where you want to be.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @jcaramtattoo @emakitattoo
Image Credits
Alex Eubank
