I just turned 18 and was going to get myself a tattoo. I heard of this man who did tattoos, so off I went to see if he would be able to give me one. I arrived at his front door and a frail little woman answered and asked if she could help me, I told her I heard that I could get a tattoo here and she told me her husband used to tattoo but,not any longer. I looked past her and I see this old fellow with a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face and he said come with me, and motioned for me to follow him.
At A Glance Author Sally Contact Sally@bme.anon When Ten years ago or more Artist Bert Grimm Studio At his home. Location Seaside, Oregon I don't think his wife was to happy because she just shook her head. I walked through the living room and he opened a door, he had pictures on every wall of so many tattoos. One tattoo caught my eye and I said oh I really like this one, but I only have $40.00 dollars and it was marked $75.00 so I moved on and asked him if he had one like that but maybe a little less he said why don't you sit down and he took out the transfer and said lets see what it looks like and he put it on me and of course I loved it and it just made me want it even more, so I told him I guess I would have to come back.
He said no its okay, I want you to have it. I was so excited and ready as I thought I could be then out came the gun and when I heard its buzzing sound and it was coming toward me I was very nervous and I asked him if it was going to hurt he told me that the outline would be the hardest part and after that it would be numb and he was right. It was tough and I sat there for 2 hours, maybe a little longer and in those 2 hours I heard stories of his life and of the people that he had tattooed .
He told me he tattooed Bonnie and Clyde he said you know they were famous bank robbers and he showed me pictures of them and many other people he had tattooed, he told me he was the only tattoo artist in the Hall of Fame.He asked me many times how are you doing and I said fine thank you and he smiled and kept on until I had a tattoo that I loved of 2 roses that inner twined on my right upper chest and breast. That day I sat and listened to this old fellows stories and knew I was so lucky that day to be tattooed by this man who is known and loved by many as Bert Grimm.
I am not done with my story, you see that tattoo he charged me $35.00 dollars and he had something else I was not prepared for, he asked if he could see my ankle and I said sure he wanted to put a tattoo on my ankle because I looked like I should have a Mexican rose. Of course I said yes and no transfer this time he did it free hand and put a little star below it because that was his mark.
I had my little boy with me that day he was 18 months old and Bert thought he was ready for his first tattoo also and he took out a toothpick and dipped it into the ink and then he drew a smiling face on his little hand and the whole time he just grinned from ear to ear. I told my son the story of his first tattoo many times through the years and when he turned eighteen he was ready for a permanent one. I knew of a place in Seaside Oregon a hour from our home and I had been there myself to have a sunflower band put on my ankle, the Place is called Lucky dog and the owners name is Tony, he is awesome and does great work. So my husband took our son and they had a father / son day of tattoos.
Now that's a whole other story. Anyway, I love my tattoos and feel like I am so lucky to have them.When people ask where I got my tattoos I am always ready to tell them how I was tattooed by Bert Grimm and how he Tattooed Bonnie and Clyde. I feel so blessed and to this day I wonder why he wanted me to have a mexican rose.
I have always wondered if there was a hidden meaning behind the rose, but I will never know.
Thanks for the awesome site, Sally