Ben Shaw

Ben Shaw Ben Shaw is a licensed tattoo artist of over 25 years, business owner, industry advocate and educator

A mother’s impact reaches deeper than most words can explain. The way she speaks, encourages, protects, and loves leaves...
05/10/2026

A mother’s impact reaches deeper than most words can explain. The way she speaks, encourages, protects, and loves leaves marks on the heart that last a lifetime.

Thank you for nurturing us, nourishing us, caring for us, sacrificing for us, and showing us unconditional love through every season of life.

If there’s a mother or mother figure in your life who has impacted you, share this with them today and remind them how much they matter and how deeply they are loved.

Happy Mother’s Day. ❤️

05/06/2026

one of the biggest tattoo mistakes people make
is choosing a design off the internet
without thinking about how it fits the body

because a flat image
doesn’t always translate well
onto a 3D surface

our bodies bend
move
twist

and if the design doesn’t account for that
it gets distorted

a portrait on the wrong area can make the face look stretched
eyes can look warped
the whole tattoo can feel off

it may look great on paper
but not on skin

real tattooing isn’t just about the design

it’s about fit and flow

the artwork has shapes
and the body has shapes

when they work together
the tattoo feels natural
strong
timeless

but when the design fights the body
it won’t age well
and something always feels off

and honestly
life works the same way

a lot of people are chasing lives
that look good online
or worked for someone else

but they were never designed for you

so over time
everything feels forced
stretched
out of alignment

because God didn’t create you
to copy someone else’s blueprint

He made you with intention
purpose
structure

and when you align with that
things begin to flow

more clarity
more peace
less friction

so before your next tattoo
or your next major decision

don’t just ask
does this look good

ask
does this fit who God created me to be

because what truly fits you
will always outlast
what only looks good

05/02/2026

you learn a lot about people
after 26 years of tattooing

people sit in the chair for hours
and eventually the conversation goes deeper

truth
life
even God

and honestly
for most of my life
i didn’t believe the Bible was reliable

i thought it was just stories
mythology

but someone challenged me
to actually look into it

so i did

and what surprised me was this

historically speaking
it’s one of the most reliable documents
from the ancient world

but that was just head knowledge

the real shift came later

i had breakfast with a pastor
who had just lost his son

and even in his grief
there was peace in his eyes

real faith

and that’s when it hit me

finding God isn’t discovering something new

it’s realizing He’s been there
the whole time

through the highs
through the failures
through the pain

scripture says
God is light
and in Him there is no darkness at all

and sometimes
faith becomes real
when you see that light in someone else

that day i realized
God had been walking with me
the entire time

so let me ask you

have you ever had a moment
where you realized
God might be closer than you thought

04/14/2026

everyone wants to know
how to become a tattoo artist

but nobody talks about this part

it’s not just about drawing

it’s about discipline
consistency
showing up when you don’t feel like it

doing the reps
when nobody’s watching

learning how to serve people
not just impress them

because you’re not just creating art
you’re putting something permanent
on someone’s body

that takes responsibility
it takes character

and that’s where a lot of people fall off

they chase the title
but skip the formation

they want the machine
but don’t have the discipline behind it

here’s the truth

if you can’t lead yourself
you won’t last in this industry

your habits will build you
or break you

tattooing will expose what’s in you

your patience
your pride
your work ethic
your integrity

and if you don’t deal with it
the industry will

scripture says
whoever is faithful in little
will be faithful in much

how you show up now matters

before the clients
before the recognition
before the opportunities

so before you chase becoming a tattoo artist

become someone who can carry it

disciplined
trustworthy
someone who actually serves people well

that’s how you build a real career
and a real life

if you’re serious about tattooing
drop a comment

and share this with someone chasing it

because we don’t just need more artists

we need better ones

04/13/2026

people always ask
how much can a tattoo artist make

and the truth is
it depends

you can make a good living
some struggle

it comes down to what you put in

because this is a small business

nothing is guaranteed

i’ve been tattooing 26 years
and i’ve never had guaranteed income
past six months

you pay for everything
your supplies
your taxes
your insurance

it’s all on you

because tattooing will never give you
more than you’re willing to give

so the real question isn’t
how much can you make

it’s how much can you manage

your time
your energy
your discipline
your character

because money won’t fix what’s broken

it reveals it

if you’re chasing money
you’ll end up empty
burned out
still wanting more

income is not the same as purpose

Jesus said
what does it profit a man
to gain the whole world
but lose his soul

so yes
learn the craft
build your skill
charge what you’re worth

but don’t build your life on money

build it on something that lasts

build it on people
build it on Jesus

because when money slows down
and it will

He’s the only one who gives you peace
purpose
and something that doesn’t fade

so don’t just ask
how much can i make

ask
who am i becoming

drop a comment if this hit
and share it with someone chasing the wrong thing

04/10/2026

unconditional, preferential love chosen and acted out by the will.

04/09/2026

most artists
don’t realize
they carry
more responsibility
than they think

it’s not just about
clean tattoos
or good art

we’re putting something permanent
into someone’s body

every line
every drop of ink
every decision

someone trusted you with that

so let me ask you

if you care that much
about what goes into their body

why don’t you care the same
about what’s shaping your heart

a lot of artists are dialed in technically
but disconnected spiritually

we know our machines
we know our craft

but we don’t slow down
we don’t get still
we don’t listen to God

and it shows

not always in the work
but in the weight

burnout
pressure
lack of peace

we weren’t meant to carry this alone

just like your clients trust you
you were designed to trust God

Jesus said come to me
all who are weary
and I will give you rest

so stop just grinding

get quiet
spend time with Him
let Him lead you

because when your heart is aligned

your work changes
your conversations change
your presence changes

you’re not just tattooing anymore
you’re impacting people

so yes
protect your clients
raise your standards

but don’t neglect your soul

because if God isn’t shaping you
something else is

so be honest

when’s the last time
you got quiet
and let God speak

drop it in the comments
it matters more than you think

04/07/2026

every good tattoo
starts with an outline

because without it
everything spreads
everything blurs
everything falls apart

it’s the outline that defines
where everything begins
and where it stops

the same is true in life

if you don’t have boundaries
you don’t have clarity

and if you don’t have clarity
you don’t have direction

and if you don’t have direction
you end up somewhere
you never meant to be

you start letting people overstep
letting culture define you
letting pressure pull you everywhere

and here’s the truth

boundaries don’t restrict you
they protect you

they protect your time
your energy
your calling

God is a God of order
not confusion

He gives structure
to protect what matters

because anything without boundaries
eventually breaks down

so if you feel scattered
inconsistent
or out of control

you might not have a motivation problem

you might have an outline problem

so pause

where has life erased your outline

where are you saying yes
when you should say no

where are you allowing things
that don’t align with who God called you to be

be honest

drop one word in the comments
the area that needs stronger boundaries

and share this with someone
who feels stretched thin

because a clear outline
doesn’t limit your life

it gives it structure to last

just like a solid tattoo

04/01/2026

i know
a lot of people
who are worried about
tattoos they already have

like somehow
they disqualify them from God

maybe it’s something you got
when you were younger
maybe it came from a dark season
maybe it represents a version of you
you don’t even recognize anymore

i’ve got some of that too

and you’re wondering
did i go too far

but let me ask you something

have you ever seen a cover up tattoo

you take something that didn’t age well
something that doesn’t fit anymore

and you don’t remove the skin

you transform it

you build over it
you bring new meaning into the same space

and when it heals
it tells a completely different story

that’s redemption

God doesn’t look at your past and say
start over from scratch

He steps into what’s already there
and makes it new

not by pretending it didn’t happen
but by transforming it

the question isn’t
what have you done

it’s what is God doing with it now

Jesus makes all things new

so if you’ve been carrying regret
shame
or you think you went too far

you didn’t

God is still working

and He’s really good at cover ups

so let me ask you

is there something in your life
you thought disqualified you
but now you’re starting to see differently

drop it in the comments
let’s talk

03/31/2026

it’s okay
to be tattooed
and follow jesus

and i know
that might hit different
depending on where you come from

i’ve had artists and clients ask me
is it even allowed

so let’s talk about it

there’s this tension

tattoo culture says
be whoever you want
express yourself

but some church spaces say
clean yourself up first

and people get stuck in the middle

i’ve seen tattooed people feel like
they don’t belong in church

and i’ve seen christians feel like
they don’t belong in tattooing

that shouldn’t be happening

your tattoos don’t disqualify you from God

God isn’t looking at your skin first
He’s looking at your heart

the real question isn’t
do you have tattoos

it’s who are you becoming

we put marks on skin every day
they tell stories

pain
growth
redemption

but the ink doesn’t define the person
it reveals something deeper

and here’s the truth

Jesus meets people where they are
not after they fix themselves

He says come to me

tattooing isn’t evil
but it isn’t holy either

it’s a craft

and it reflects the heart behind it

so if you’ve ever felt stuck between both worlds

you’re not alone

there’s space for you
and there’s more for you

i love you
and Jesus does too

so let me ask you

have you ever felt caught in between

drop it in the comments
let’s talk

Address

2019 Menaul Boulevard NE
Albuquerque, NM
87107

Opening Hours

Tuesday 12pm - 5pm
Wednesday 12pm - 5pm
Thursday 12pm - 5pm
Friday 12pm - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm

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