What inspired you to become a tattoo artist?

To be honest, I never imagined myself tattooing when I was growing up. Tattooing wasn’t as popular as it is today-especially back in the 80s and 90s when you only saw a few Rockstars or professional athletes with one or two tattoos. 

I always say it was fate that I fell into tattooing. I was getting a tattoo and began talking to the owner of the shop who was interested in apprenticing another artist. When he found out I had a degree in art, he suggested I come hang out and see what being a tattoo artist was like. 

At the time, I was working at a non-creative job and I saw tattooing a possible artistic outlet. The more I researched the history of tattooing and the more I hung out at the shop, I realized I wanted to pursue this as a career.

Do you have style that you prefer and how has your style evolved since you started?

The shop where I trained was a small street corner shop, so we had a lot of walk-in customers. During my early years as a tattoo artist, I worked on all kinds of tattoos, including traditional, black and grey, and full-color pieces. This helped me improve my skills. As I progressed in my career, I found myself drawn to doing a lot of color tattoos. More and more Black people were coming into the shop wanting color tattoos, and many artists at that time didn’t know how to work with darker skin tones. My mentor, John Rainey, taught me a lot about different skin types, and my art degree helped me understand color theory. I enjoyed giving people what they were told they couldn’t have.

My style has evolved over the years. There were years when most of the tattoos I did were traditional tribal or Polynesian tribal. However, I’ve leaned more towards black and grey tattooing in the past several years. I love the long-lasting nature of these tattoos and how they rarely need to be retouched.

What is it like to own one of the first black owned tattoo studios in Charlotte?

When I started tattooing, I was the first Black person in Charlotte to complete an apprenticeship and obtain a license. This achievement filled me with pride, but it also exposed me to a great deal of hostility and racism. The tattooing industry has historically been dominated by white males, and even as recently as the late 90s, there were very few minorities in the industry. Because of this, I felt it was crucial to eventually own a black-owned tattoo shop.

Charlotte Tattoo Company has been open for 10 years and remains committed to being an inclusive establishment. While most tattoo shops in Charlotte are still owned by white males and predominantly employ white male artists, Charlotte Tattoo Company is dedicated to hiring artists of all backgrounds and creating a safe space for our clients.

How do you approach designing a custom tattoo for a client? What steps do you take to ensure their vision is realized while incorporating your artist expertise?

In the past, it used to be more challenging than it is now. Clients would often bring in pictures drawn by other people or images they found online from other artists. Many times, I would discuss with them subtle changes that I believed would make for a better tattoo or incorporate more of my style.

Over the years, as I’ve grown, most people now seek me out. They see the tattoos I create and the styles I post on social media and want something similar. When discussing their preferences, I always try to gather as much information as possible so I can design something that meets their needs. Working on custom designs is always enjoyable, and as an artist, I believe this is what we strive for.

Can you share a memorable tattooing experience that had a significant impact on you, either creatively or emotionally?

When clients get memorial tattoos, it’s always rewarding and emotional for me when they see their new tattoo for the first time. I have had several clients cry when I’ve tattooed their deceased parents’ signature on them. It’s always humbling, knowing that they trust me enough to do something so sentimental.

The most recent situation that has had an emotional and creative impact on me was when a breast cancer survivor came into the shop several years ago. She had gone through a double mastectomy and had breast augmentation, which left her without her areolas.

At the time, there wasn’t anyone in Charlotte doing this type of tattooing, and the look of disappointment on her face when I told her I had never done that type of tattooing before really touched me. I felt that if this woman was going through this experience, there must be other women who needed this service as well. Immediately following that discussion, I began researching medical tattooing. Unfortunately, it took years to find the right mentor, and it required time to learn this new type of art.

Although I was not able to help that woman who came to my shop, I have now helped countless women since my first request for medical tattooing, which has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.

What’s next for Billy Harris?

Last year, I started a medical tattoo clinic called The Hood Institute. We offer restorative and artistic solutions to clients who have undergone mastectomies due to breast cancer. It has been gratifying, and I am looking forward to growing the business and forming more connections with oncologists and plastic surgeons around Charlotte and the surrounding areas.

In addition, I plan to continue traditional tattooing at Charlotte Tattoo Company. I aim to find new artists to help the shop grow, while continuing to offer the Charlotte community a welcoming space for years to come.