This Black History Month, Blavity is looking at community institutions that are Buying Back the Block.
Markos Johnson’s tattoo shop is more than just a place to get your latest ink; it’s rooted in his love for his community.
Johnson’s love for art started at an early age, and now it’s landed the Dinwiddie County, Virginia, native in the position of owner of WildHearts, a tattoo shop located in Virginia’s capital of Richmond.
“My desire for creating my own space came purely out of necessity,” Johnson told Blavity. “In my area, there weren’t any safe places for artists and creatives like myself, particularly those who look like me, to have somewhere to go, grow, learn, collaborate or, at the bare minimum, work. In creating that space, it was important that I maintained the high standards of other top-notch shops that I had experienced.”
Education remains at the forefront of everything he does
Johnson, who comes from a family of educators and also worked as a teacher himself, keeps learning at the helm of his work as a tattoo artist and business owner.
“Being a natural educator, I was always interested in our space being one where younger artists could come and learn because, for me, it was extremely difficult for me to find a safe space for me to learn while on my own tattoo journey,” he explained.
“In my education journey, I was hyper-focused on young Blacks and doing whatever I could to help them be successful in a world that automatically put them in second place at best. So, in my own business, I was just never afraid to go the extra mile for my employees or the younger artists around me. A lot of times, Black youth in education struggle because there is a lack of available resources and at-home support, never due to lack of ability. Being an effective educator to Black youth often meant stepping up to do the work a parent or other family member should be doing at home, even though it wasn’t in your job description.”
WildHearts is a place for growth and community
Although Johnson has an affinity for teaching, having helped several rounds of tattoo artists graduate from apprenticeships to be ready to accept clients, it’s also about being a safe space for others to come vibe out, get new ink and indulge their curiosity about tattooing.
Whether it’s throwing events on the first Friday of the month or simply servicing families who want their tattoo experience to be a bonding experience, it’s the little things that have the greatest impact, according to Johnson.
“In my shop, I’m always willing to go the extra mile, be the big brother, and offer and encourage those different types of support that aren’t necessarily in my job description as a shop owner,” he concluded. “It could be as simple as lending a ride, or buying someone lunch for the day — little things, such as letting someone know it’s OK to ask questions here and encouraging them to do so, can really go far to a group of people who are used to the world giving them the bare minimum. In the old school shops, there was a lot of negative competition among artists. But in my shop, the overall goal is growth as a whole, and I think that attitude is apparent when you walk through those doors.”