Leptotila noted that all tattoos represent times of change or document a big occasion in life.
Leptotila’s first tattoo is a Dragon coming over the mountains surrounded by Celtic knots. Leptotila had just moved to North Carolina. Leptotila met James Vaugn working in Clayton, NC. James was driving front loader/back hoe, taking trash off of work sites. Leptotila liked what James was doing and had never seen good tattoo work. Likes to think their conversations helped to start James’s career in tattoos.
This tattoo is about heritage. Leptotila had wanted a dragon and thinks this is their worst tattoo. The ink has faded quite a bit over the years. It is a memory of James.
This is a tattoo of a fallen angel done by James Vaughn. The angel is above the next two tattoos.
This is a Hell scene. It is Paul Booth’s artwork. It is a picture of Skulls on strings.
Leptotila really liked Paul Booth’s artwork. Leptotila paid James for this tattoo with a pair of blue Doc Martins.
Tattoo of skull with tubes. It is connected to the Hell scene.
Leptotila took James down to Jacksonville, NC for his first tattoo job. Jacksonville was the place for tattoos at the time, in North Carolina. James got the job. Leptotila went there a week after he started. James had some free time and did the tattoo.
James moved to Greensboro, NC and opened a new tattoo shop called Emerald Dragon. Leptotila would head to the shop on weekends, and work in the shop. Helped James price tattoos, manage the clientele, and anything else. Leptotila assisted with repairing flooring, and making the place look nice.
A guy living down there was named Dave Kruseman. Dave had just moved there from California, and became James’s apprentice. James ran the Emerald Dragon for a couple of years.
This tattoo is a old 45 fire record insert done by Dave Kruseman. It’s a reminder of being a kid and listening to Disney records, or whatever music the family had. It’s an adapter for when the whole was to big for the record. Statement of music and youth.
Some people thought it was Neo Nazi symbol. It’s not.
Leptotila moved to Greensboro, NC, and lived with some buddies: Little Tommy and Brad. They were local legends, people who everyone knows, and likes.
Big Tommy lived behind them. There was lots of drugs and partying.
Dave and Big Tommy on Fridays nights would have thousands in their pockets. They all would go out to the strip clubs. Then they owned the strip clubs. All the girls knew Dave and Big Tommy had money. Leptotila was just along for the ride. Leptotila said, “It was a fun ride.”
This is a tattoo of a Sacred Heart with a Crown. Leptotila always liked the Catholic Jesus portrait of a sacred heart with a crown of thorns. Leptotila liked the imagery, but never liked religion. Wanted something on these lines. Big Tommy did the tattoo perfectly.
Big Tommy did this tattoo machine tattoo as well. It’s a reminder of friendship with Big Tommy.
Leptotila had always wanted Tommy to complete the whole chest by starting with big pieces and filling in background. Tommy died before chest could be finished.
Leptotila left there and moved to Chapel Hill, NC. Leptotila met Bruce White, Bruce’s boyfriend Leslie, and Jonas. Jonas ended up being Leptotila’s best friend. Jonas wanted to be a tattoo artist. He would draw pictures he saw in magazines. Jonas would make these pictures his own. Jonas became really good friend with Bruce. Bruce took Jonas under his wing and apprenticed him.
Bruce White did the cherry tattoo. There’s no deep story behind the cherries.
The One Life tattoo. Went hiking in the woods with girlfriend. She had an epileptic seizure while driving the car. She drove them off a mountain. When Leptotila got home he got this tattoo.
This was a fun time in life. This was supposed to be the “I” awakener. Leptotila had kind of slept through it. Stated “Didn’t listen, whatever is was all a party back then”.
The blue birds: During times of war, blue birds are tattooed for good luck. One to take them away, and one to bring them home safely. Leptotila did a lot of traveling back then.
Leptotila had wanted to do more tattoos with Bruce. Never had the time or money. Just talked a big game, could not come up with the cash flow to get started.
Skeleton Key Tattoo. Moved to Alabama for a year. Came back and had Jonas do this tattoo. It is the key to life/the key that unlocks all of the doors, and pathways.
Message in a Bottle/Whiskey Bottle tattoo. This was done by Daredevil tattoo in Asheville NC. This tattoo is also connected to the car wreck. During the car crash, a gin bottle came out of a backpack and hit girlfriend in the back of head.
The tattoo is connected to sailing through life. You have one life to live. You are searching for help. The message in a bottle is a cry for help.
Nautical wheel and North Star tattoo. This is connected to the two tattoos above. Its meaning is sailing through the seas of life.
Kraken sea monster tattoo. This monster has a third eye. It symbolizes obstacles in life.
Anima girl tattoo. Leptotila was really into anima. Met Dave Scearce at Asylum Charlotte, NC. Once it was done everyone said it looked like Leptotila’s girlfriend. Was not the intent when getting the tattoo. It does look like her, but it is not her.
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FTW (Fuck The World) Bomb tattoo. Leptotila was living in Apex\ Holly Springs. Hard chapter in life. Had gotten over a bunch of hurdles. Looking like was going to get head out of ass. Wanted to document this change in life. Wanted Jonas to do it. It was fun.
Don Hardy Green Dragon water spray tattoo. Did not got this tattoo finished. Needed to be somewhere, and it was taking longer then they thought. It needs to be cleaned up. Had wanted a traditional tattoo piece, a three color dragon. A traditional drawing from a legend in tattoos.
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