Q) Why did you enter this piece into the convention?

A) Well my plan was to go to the convention and buy parts and also since there was a fee to get in, I decided why not enter one of my pieces in to the Asian Category.  I really didn’t expect to win anything because there were so many great artists in there and one of my favorite artist Mike Devries and I wanted to go meet him.  Also, my intention was to get recognition and since working for the shop, I was told that I had improved but I never noticed my improvement and I never thought my work was that great, it was a work in progress.

Q) What was the meaning behind the tattoo?

A) Well the client wanted a scenery in the background of where he grew up, a village in Vietnam.   He was born in the year of the tiger and he wanted that to be the center piece, he wanted a reflective piece of him climbing a mountain, a piece to remind him of his past and goals.

Q) What did you think of when they were announcing the pieces that placed?

A) First they announced third place and when they announced second place, it was a really famous artist Jess Yen another one of my favorite artist, so since last year, he took first and second, for sure I thought he was going to take the title this year too.   But, when they called my name I was shocked.  I didn’t think I could place my work in the same talent category as artists that I have looked up to and respected. But in my opinion I still believe that Jess should have taken first place. His work artwork is awesome. He is also a great tattoo artist that I will always admire and that I could never match in skills and talent.

Q) What does this win mean for  you and OC Tattoo?

A) It just means that my hard work and passion for tattooing is paying off.

Q) What did you feel about the decision?

A) I thought it was a dream, my intentions were just to enter for recognition not for the actually first place title.

Q) How much freedom did you have with the creative process in entering your piece?

A) There was a lot of freedom, the client gave met he idea and I had to put it on paper until we were both satisfied with the outcome.

Q) How long did the whole piece take?

A) It took 25 to 30 hours in 5 sessions.

Q) Do you feel more pressure in your future pieces now that you’ve won such high honors?

A) No, i feel that every tattoo that i do i give 100% to, I always try to do the best that i can.   with our without the tittle, I’d still be giving my all in every piece.

Q) Will your fans be seeing you in more conventions in the near future?

A) I have fans?  When I first came down here 3 years ago, I met a guy named Scorpion, he’s one of the best well known artists down here, and he has fans and I never imagined I would have fans.  But, I am working on a few more pieces to enter into more conventions and in different categories.