Interview: Michele Myles of Daredevil Tattoo

Tattooing has always intimidated me. Having one’s body turned into a canvas, a needle with ink going into flesh, sounds completely nerve-racking. If you think about it, the vulnerability that goes with getting a tattoo isn’t just physical -- it’s also emotional and psychological. Getting a tattoo morphs and adds to your identity, it provides you with a new dimensionality. When you get a tattoo, you display yourself to the world in a new and revealing way. It’s life changing thing.

And yet tattooing is more popular than ever. It has moved from the fringes of American society well into the mainstream. People love their tattoos – and tattoo artists.

Being a tattoo artist requires a brave soul, a strong artistic sensibility – and steady hands. It requires confidence and skills most don’t possess. And few tattoo artists, either in NYC or elsewhere, are as experienced and acclaimed as Michele Myles. The founder and operator of Daredevil Tattoo on the Lower East Side, the demand for Michele’s work has remained high for decades. She has tattooed celebrities, given lectures in the art of tattooing, and also curates her own tattoo museum. As an artist, a teacher, and a historian of tattooing, Michele is a popular and absolute master. 

Michele was kind enough to take some time for Mr NYC to answer some questions about her profession, her store, and the possible future of tattooing in NYC during COVID-19.

What made you want to become a tattoo artist? What makes tattoos magical for you?

I got my first tattoo when I was still in high school. I loved that tattooing was a craft with a rich history. So many things are mass produced and disposable I love that tattooing in many ways has remained largely unchanged from what it was 100 years ago.

It seems like tattoos have gotten more popular in the last couple of decades? Why do you think that is?

Media coverage through all of the TV shows and celebrities with tattoos has made tattooing mainstream in ways I never would have imagined. Pop culture has embraced tattooing and made it acceptable to the masses.

How did you come to found your store Daredevil Tattoo? What is exciting about have your own store, and what are the challenges of being a tattoo artist in NYC?

We opened Daredevil in 1997 after tattooing was legalized in NYC after a 36 year ban. Running a business in NYC is challenging no matter what you’re selling and now with COVID it’s even more so. We’re fortunate that we are as established as we are its helping us get through these crazy times.

Do most of your customers want tattoos for aesthetic reasons or is there often a personal motivation, like remembering a loved one or a special event?

We tattoo all sorts of people at the shop. Some of our clients have large scale ongoing projects and we also get people coming in for their first tattoos. Some people get work for aesthetic reasons other have personal motivations.

What is the most common part of the body where people want their tattoos? What are the easiest and hardest parts of the body to work on?

Arms, shoulders, legs are common. Stomach and ribs are tricky spots to get tattooed.

You tattooed Whoopi Goldberg! Have you had any other famous clients that you can tell us about?

Probably the most famous people besides Whoopie are Joan Jett and Boy George, who were each a pleasure to meet and get to know.

I've never gotten a tattoo but I'm thinking about it. What is a good first tattoo for people to get?

Whatever pops into your head we can draw it up for you or if you have any pics you like you can bring them in to use as reference.

How many tattoos do you have, and what do they mean to you?

A bunch. I just pick stuff I like the look of.

What are some of your most interesting or bizarre tattoo requests?

My favorite is if someone throws out an idea and lets me do my thing. You started your business in 1997.

How has your business, and the culture of tattooing in NYC, changed in the last twenty-odd years?

Somehow both tattooing and the Lower East Side have achieved respectability in tandem almost over the last 20 years, something I never expected or foresaw.

How has COVID-19 affected your business? Where do you think tattooing in NYC goes from here?

Everything sucks. We’re hanging in there but I’m most concerned with impending shut downs and no aid this time around to help us get through it. I think the biggest changes coming out of Covid will be the effect on tattoo conventions. And I wonder what a future without tourism for the foreseeable future holds. I saw today that international flights into JFK are down 93% which insane. Hoping for the best for the city. This is a tough one to get through for everyone.

Any other thoughts you'd like to share? 

We have a tattoo museum as part of our shop. I do walking tours through Airbnb experiences usually on Thursdays which is the best way to visit the museum since we have reduced capacity right now. Here’s a link.

Thanks Michelle! Best of luck to you and your store during this time!

Please visit the Daredevil Tatoo website and museum link above and try to support Michelle and her colleagues if you can (I’m planning on getting my own first tattoo soon). Also, you can read more about Michelle career and the challenges her industry faces on NY1, CNN, and other major media.