Meet Ben Merrell | tattooer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ben Merrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I spent the first 23 years of my tattoo career working at street shops. I love the vibe and dynamic that comes with working with others, but as years have passed and my tattooing and clients evolved, I started considering a change. I wanted to focus my efforts on creating a more personalized environment, for both me and my clients, giving them the best possible experience. Starting my own business gave me the opportunity to provide an environment that provides us both some luxuries that a larger scale shop can’t always provide – think decor, music choice, who is present, and even lighting, room temp and privacy. The custom tattoos that I create with my clients’ personal ideas, often on a large enough scale that they typically encompass multiple sessions to complete, evoke a whole different level of commitment, and I wanted to match their dedication. Within my studio, there are few distractions and the tattoo sessions become truly about the client and their experience in having my art become a permanent piece of their body, that’s a big deal whether it is their 1st or 50th tattoo! I love seeing the strength of people, and having my own studio gives me the opportunity to be very present in sharing the experience with them.

During covid, the idea to start my own studio became pretty appealing for obvious reasons, and I had my eye on various locations around Fort Collins, but only made mental notes of what I would want in an ideal studio. Again, I was very happy at my previous shop, and so, was in no hurry to make a move for anything less than perfect…it happened much sooner than I expected. When I realized that the opportunity that had been set before me really checked all my boxes, it felt like I couldn’t turn it down so I took the leap!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As I mentioned, tattooing is a journey that takes time and practice. Part of that journey is finding your artistic voice through drawing, tattooing and exploring what kind of ideas make you excited. My style has evolved over time and I continue to be inspired by my clients. Their asks often push me as an artist, incorporating their visions in my style to create a truly one-of-a-kind tattoo each and every time. Mandalas, Japanese, birds, flowers, animals, lady faces and skulls are some of my favorites, I love incorporating these images into tattoos.

As far as trial and error, and lessons leaned…I was asked recently how I went about building my portfolio, the pictures of tattoos I post out depicting my work. When I began tattooing in 2003, digital cameras were not readily available and photographing tattoos was a skill unto itself so the photos I took of tattoos were not always the greatest of quality (either because of my skill level as a tattooer or because of the photo quality). In the beginning, I put anything and everything into my portfolio, just so it looked like I was doing a lot. Over time, I learned posting everything is not the best way to advertise. The best way forward for me is to showcase tattoos that are the best technically executed, and those the with imagery I am excited about having created and of which I hope to do more.

In a time when tattooers all over the world are beginning to feel a downturn in work, I realize how lucky I was to start at the time I did, I got a taste of the raw and sometimes crazy part of the industry, but also was there for its explosion into current day. While things may be a bit quieter overall, I am still tattooing clients who I first tattooed 20+years ago. I don’t think I have ever taken the easy path on any tattoo, and no matter how simple or easy the design is, I always put everything I have into making each tattoo the very best I can make it, for me and my clients.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Fort Collins (and Colorado in general) is an amazing place to call home, especially if you like getting outside. Within 20 minutes we have access to hiking, biking, camping and fishing; some of my favorite ways to spend free time. I love to get up to the mountains and enjoy what Colorado really is about! When fiends come into town, our itinerary often includes day trips to Horsetooth Reservoir (for hiking), Red Feather (for fishing), and the Poudre Canyon (for tubing on or hanging out on the river). Evenings include good food and drinks whether at home on the deck sitting around the fire, or on a patio at one of the many great restaurants in Old Town.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It’s so true, I can’t talk about my journey without including all of the people (friends, family, co-workers and mentors) who have helped me get to where I am today. Especially as an artist, we are constantly inspired, encouraged, critiqued, and guided by others and I have been fortunate to have worked with some amazing people over the years! Gus Espinoza and Erick Erickson, two talented artists and friends, continue to be inspirations to me and in my first years of tattooing I was constantly trying to emulate them. After having worked with them for a couple years, we were all fortunate to work together at another shop, Tribal Rites Tattoo and Piercing in Fort Collins, CO. Tattoo Jon, Tribal’s owner, took on Gus and myself in 2007, and it was here I met another wildly talented artist and friend, Curtis Burgess. Tribal’s dynamic was all about sharing critiques and constructively helping each tattooer achieve their best while continuing to build on our own personal styles. This environment was inspiring and really changed things for me, I grew both artistically and personally. It is not always easy to be vulnerable and put your art out there for others to criticize, and it is not always painless, but when everyone’s heart is in the right place, it helps everybody grow. I am thankful for my time at Tribal and for the opportunity to work with Erick, Gus, Curtis and the entire shop. Tribal Rites has a become a much larger and busier place these days, a testament to the hard work of everyone, I would not be where I am without them, it is home to so many great people.

Tattooing takes time, the process isn’t as cut and dry as placing the design on a client and tracing it. Meeting with clients, conceptualizing their ideas, transferring those ideas to paper, and working to perfect that design takes time, (sometimes a lot of time!), and that all happens before the tattooing itself. There are long days, nights and weeks depending on the piece I am working on, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my loving and supportive family continuing to encourage me and be patient through my career!

Website: https://www.wildlandtattoo.com

Instagram: @benhakmeen @wildland_tattoo

Facebook: /benhakmeen