SKIN DEEP MAGAZINE • 89an offer, which I accepted. Now I could leave, and be the
educated guy, not the tattoo guy. I wanted to be recog-
nised for something other than just having a lot of tattoos.
About a month after I accepted the full ride to Kent State
University, my soon to be mentor and professor (Metin
Eren) called me and said, “Dusty, I want you to write your
master’s thesis on prehistoric stone tools and tattooing.”
I was speechless, I did not know how to respond, so I
simply replied, “Sure, sounds great.” Deep down inside,
I did not want to do it. I had such a chip on my shoulder
for tattooing and here a man that graduated with hon-
ours from Harvard, one of the most published people in
archaeology, wanted me to research tattoos for a master’s
degree. In order to be considered educated, I had to study
tattooing. It is funny how things work out. It wasn’t long
after this that I figured out so much in my life. The things
I was trying to blame, were not the things to blame. Tat-
tooing had never done me wrong – I had done it wrong.
We must come to terms who we are in this life. It is much
too short for inner battles.
“In the past year, I have started researching prehistoric
and historic tattooing as well as giving lectures to college
students about the subject. I never thought in my wildest
dreams, that it would be tattooing that helped me get into
graduate school. But tattooing is magical like that, and
it should never be forgotten. I am a scientist and believe
in science, not magic. However, I will always say tattoo-
ing is magic. I think anyone who ever picks up a machine
and experiences it knows. It doesn’t happen every time,
but those moments where you connect with a stranger
and something magical happens. All because of electric-
HOW DO YOU BECOME A PART OF
SOMETHING? WELL, BY FULLY SUBMERGING
ONESELF INTO ITity, coils, and human contact (i.e., being social). Over the
years I had let myself get in the way of the magic, of the
culture that I wanted to be a part. Now I know and will
never forget.
“Very often we are a part of something much bigger
than us. Tattooing, whether you preform the craft or just
collect them, is much bigger than any of us. Its roots run
deep within humanity. We have been modifying our bod-
ies for quite sometime time now. Tattooing was and still is
very much apart of our culture. However, its history is far