BROCKTON — Tattoo artists are creatives that don’t get enough respect in the fine arts category, Derek Jesus said.

Jesus and Andy Vicente, owners of Grand Flourish Tattoos, try to change that narrative one tattoo at a time. 

Now you must be thinking about the correlation between fine arts and tattooing? Where is the connection? 

Well, it is simple. Twenty-one years ago, in 2001, tattooing became legal in Massachusetts. If you wanted a tattoo in the '90s and early 2000s you had to go to New Hampshire or another state where it was legal.

“Tattoo artists do not get enough respect among the public. The average Joe has more respect for rappers, not artists who create a canvas on live human skin,” Jesus said.

When you think of tattooing, the average person is not thinking about the fine arts aspect at all, Jesus said. 

Tattooing on a live subject is different from any park mural or blank canvas on an easel.

“Everyone’s body is a museum. Tattooing is at its peak. It has never been this popular as it is now. Every local shop is booked out for a year and some change, including ours. Our next open booking is in September,” Jesus said.

Some ways the tattoo shop is planning to change the narrative behind tattooing is by introducing a one-of-a-kind art show where tattoo artists from all over will tattoo on an artificial human skin canvas and divide it into categories. 

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The tattoo shop specializes in several techniques, from black and gray realism and fine lines to floral and color realism. 

“Every artist here has their niche, and what sets our shop apart from others is us offering solutions to everyday tattoo problems. One of them being the healing process. We offer lidocaine. It numbs and lets clients sit longer and provides a better quality session,” said Kim Murat, business executive of Grand Flourish Tattoos. 

As a client walking into the Grand Flourish Tattoos at 826 Crescent St., Brockton, your problems may drift away for a few hours as the needle breaks skin and deposits ink.

“When clients come to the shop, it is a therapy session for some. We make sure they are comfortable, open up to the artist, and pour out their emotions. It is a beautiful thing to watch. We have clients who went through bad breakups and death, which allows them to talk about their hurt. Having a person who does not know either party is a therapy session with no judgment,” Murat said. 

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Jesus has been working in the industry for more than 15 years. He never had intentions of becoming a tattoo artist. Jesus and Vicente are lifelong friends who met as children and colored together in class. Their love for art grew right along with their friendship, which turned into a partnership.

Jesus is a self-taught tattoo artist who loved drawing pictures to keep himself entertained in school. For six years, the artist worked for Artist For Humanity, a non-profit in Boston, painting murals for major companies, including Bank of America and Reebok.

Additionally, Jesus and Selena Mcalarney painted the mural on Petronelli Way in Brockton. 

Painting murals was Jesus' niche for a while until his friend introduced him to tattooing, and his life changed forever. He found a new lane in art and worked every day to improve his skill.

“I do not believe people are born with talent. It is the repetition that makes people great. Doing the same thing repeatedly and keep practicing is what makes people great,” Jesus said.

Vicente and Jesus opened the shop on Jan. 4, 2022, to create a unique and welcoming culture. Inside the shop, you are greeted with a minimalistic décor, an open floor plan, and ceiling to floor windows that wrap around the shop.

“Bridging the community of fine art and tattooing is my goal, and after the passing of my mom, I took the risk by any means possible to open this shop. I can hear her in my head saying, 'Do not mess it up',” Jesus said. 

 Grand Flourish Tattoo, which is open Tuesday through Sunday, is looking for a receptionist. Send your resume to grandfloco@gmail.com.

Enterprise staff reporter Alisha Saint-Ciel can be reached by email at stciela@gannett.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @alishaspeakss and Instagram at Alishaatv. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.