Catching up with Scott Shannon

Scott Shannon is a tattooist based on Queensland’s picturesque Gold Coast, working out of Alfred Street Tattoo in Mermaid Beach.

Scott has a unique approach to traditional tattoos is bold and bright and proves that sometimes simplicity is best.

We recently caught up with Scott to see what he has been up to lately, check it out.

So, Scott, what have you been up to lately?

The past 2 months since we’ve been able to work again has been really busy so at the moment it’s been a lot of drawing and tattooing with a bit of surfing thrown in when I get a chance. 

COVID has rocked the tattoo industry just as much as the barbering one, how did you fair?

Well, the shop had to close for over 2 months which is the longest break I’ve ever taken from tattooing. It was certainly stressful at the start when we weren’t really sure just how long it would be before we could get back to work. 

Has it been busy since you've returned to work? 

Yes! I feel very lucky that when I was able to get back in the shop there was plenty of people keen to get tattooed and show their support. Very overwhelming and appreciated!

Where are you working at the moment? 

I work out of Alfred Street Tattoo in Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast. 

Like living on the Gold Coast?

The Gold Coast is a really cool place to live and work. It’s busy enough that we can make a living doing a creative job but it's relaxed enough that you can live life at a chilled pace. 

How did you get into tattooing?

I got into tattooing just by getting tattooed at a shop that I liked. I would hang out there whenever I had spare time. Eventually, they figured if I was going to be there all the time that I should probably be doing something useful so they took me on as their apprentice. 

How did you find your style?

I think traditional tattoos appealed to me the most so it was natural that that would be the style of work I wanted to do. The bold simplicity of the designs really grabbed my attention and I love that you can see a tattoo from a distance and still know exactly what it is. 

What do you think the next big Tattoo trend will be?

Tattooing has become so individual now that it’s really hard to say where it’s going. It’s really cool to see just how diverse it’s become and how far the boundaries have been pushed. 

What do you get up to in your spare time?

I love to surf as much as I can, play guitar, and spend time with my girlfriend. 

What's next for 2020?

It’s pretty hard to plan anything for 2020 as everything is still so unstable but just keeping busy at the shop and enjoying life on the coast sounds pretty good to me!