Under the Tattoo Gun

by | Oct 10, 2019 | Arts & Life, Uncategorized

By Morgan Noseworthy

Myke Peters

Growing up, Myke Peters didn’t have dreams of being a tattoo artist. He just wanted to be an artist–specifically a cartoonist. But as he grew up, he realized that with the advent of the internet and print media dying, that comic strips just weren’t going to be a viable option to make a living anymore. Aside from the aesthetic appeal of tattoos and tattoo art, he saw tattooing as a way to be able to create art for a living.

His brother owned Hightides Tattoo shop in St. John, New Brunswick, where the Peters grew up. The shop provided an easy and convenient opportunity for him to practice his passion. He began apprenticing under his brother, but before he could finish his apprenticeship, Alberta called to him and he moved to Edmonton in 2008. He took up his apprenticeship again at Ragnarök tattoo not long after moving. For the last five years, Peters has been working at Lucky Strike Tattoo here in Edmonton.

Peters emphasizes the importance of completing an apprenticeship for aspiring artists.

“Keep drawing. Improve your skills before picking up a tattoo gun. Don’t buy your own gear and try to learn on your own,” said Peters. “Get out there, talk to people. Get an apprenticeship at a shop and do it right.”
Aside from tattooing, Peters has done album art and merchandise for local Edmonton bands like The Real Sickies, Abuse of Substance, Devil’s Sons and Bad Action Hero.

He has also created art for some east coast bands like Leather Jackal, The Adhesives, Vaginal Discharge and Ataxia from Ottawa. His work has even branched out to the United States where he’s created artwork for the Nashville punk band Wrekt and Bad Engrish from Denver.

Peters didn’t originally set out to create album artwork.

“I just started doing art for my own bands and people liked it, so they started asking me if I could do their bands too,” he said.

Peters was recently comissioned to create the poster for DEDfest’s showing of Evil Dead at Metro Cinema on October 27. He recently entered a submission for inclusion in the annual flash book titled Tattoo Punks as well. He’s also working on new art for his own band’s album due for release in the new year, and a mascot, Mickey Weasel, for the CJSR radio show ‘This Is Pop’.

Find more of Peters’ artwork through Instagram @mykepeterstattoer and
@goonsquadart.

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