Originally Posted on GarageBoyzMagazine.com Issue # 8
Over the last decade many things have changed. Tattoo shops have opened and closed, entire neighborhoods have been "revitalized", heck even Silver Spring has Silver Sprung. Well in all of this one thing has remained a constant, that is Mike Smith and his shop Ambrotos Tattoo on Bonifant St, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Ambrotos opened in 1999 and as the downtown Silver Spring area was torn down and built back up, Mike and his crew have stayed in the same location putting out good clean solid work. The clients that come through the shop are a wide range of folks, from people that are just getting their first tattoo, to long time tattoo collectors and everybody in between. This diversity of clients is one of the things that keep Ambrotos constantly growing as a shop.
Ambrotos is well known through out the area, and there has always been top quality work coming out of the shop, be it a tattoo or piercing. Despite being in busy downtown location , the shop has stayed true to Mike's vision. The shop is truly about making sure that every piece art of art or every piercing is done right and to the clients satisfaction. Ambrotos always features quality artists and the shop has launched many local tattoo artist's on to shops of their own or helped pushed their skill levels up, so they may continue to grow as tattooists.
The shop walls and front reception room feature thousands of pieces of flash to choose from, but don't be afraid to bring in your own ideas as custom work is no problem. Mike and the artists of Ambrotos thrive on new and diverse challenges and love the opportunity so dig deep into their creativity . Be sure to check them out on their website to see examples of some of the beautiful work that has been coming out of this well established shop for over a decade. And of course be sure to stop by the shop and check out the place, meet the artists and piercers and see for yourself why this as the region changes around it, Ambrotos just stays strong, thriving and will continue to serve its clients for years to come. Of course don't forget to mention that you saw them here in GarageBoyz Magazine's KultureBlog.com
Mike Smith, Owner & Founder Ambrotos Tattoo
I first met Mike back in the early 90's when he was an artist at Capitol Tattoo in Silver Spring. He was amongst the elite group of guys who went onto bright careers in the tattoo industry. I have been a fan of his work since his days at Capitol, and I can vividly recall a spider tattoo he had done on a client, that looked almost 3-D with the most perfect use of shadowing I had ever seen.
Mike's approach to the tattoo industry is deeply rooted in the old school tradition and he has strong beliefs of how the industry should be, and the direction it is taking. He is fanatical about cleanliness and safety and he strongly believes in professional tattooing standards.
He began tattooing in 1989 and apprenticed under Kurt Musgrave. In the 10 years between his start and the opening of Ambrotos in 1999, Mike continued to learn and sharpen his skills not only as a tattoo artist but as an artist in general, and he is just as comfortable working on laying down art on canvas as he is putting in on skin. Some of his artwork graces the walls of the shop. He is versatile in many styles but leans strongly toward art with a Japanese influence. One of his mottos as an artist is "never limit yourself" and he carries out this belief everyday but constantly painting or drawing or tattooing.
He spoke about the many tattoos he and the artists at his shop have had to fix because of a tattoo machine ending up in the wrong hands. The availability of equipment has provided a glut of "home tattoo parties" and Craigslist cheap tattoo work. Mike stated that when it comes to a lifetime decision of getting a tattoo, it's not the time to try and save a few dollars , a professional tattoo artist at a reputable shop will always be your best bet.
Mike not only speaks as a shop owner, but as a lover of great tattoo work. He has traveled the world to be tattooed by greats like Art Escobar, Tony Morrell, James Marlow, Mario Barth, Clay Decker, Hassan Essary, Mike Wilson, Brady Duncan, Hori Taku of Japan and may more. He is still waiting to add work by Fillip Lew in Switzerland and Mike Dorsey out of NY.
Mike's love of tattoos and the art of tattooing continues to evolve and one of his favorite aspects of it all is the diversity and versatility and getting to learn about the history and cultures of other people and art.
He has owned and operated shops in Florida, Delaware, California and of course here in Maryland. His work has been seen in major tattoo magazines such as Tattoo Review and others. He has set up a booth at a few major West Coast conventions and has traveled to Saipan twice.
Mike still believes that tattooing is a service business, and he is constantly working on making sure that Ambrotos continues to provide the perfect tattoo experience for everybody that walks through the front door. Whether is is from providing artist inspiration or hiring great artists and piercers .
VIOLET
GEORGE
BRENT
Artist & Piercers Not Shown
BILL DARYL CORINNE
FEATURED TATTOO STUDIOS page on KultureBlog.com
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