FROM DAVID MEEK — OWNER, ART AND SOL TATTOO, TUCSON
Who Else Wants a Tattoo They’ll Still Be Proud of in 20 Years — Instead of One They Quietly Regret?
If you’ve ever walked past a tattoo shop, liked what you saw through the window, and then walked away because you weren’t sure you could trust the person holding the needle… this is for you.
Here’s an ugly truth nobody in this industry likes to say out loud:
Most bad tattoos aren’t bad because the client had bad taste. They’re bad because the client never had a real conversation with the artist before they sat in the chair.
They picked a shop because it was close. Or cheap. Or open on a Tuesday. They pointed at a design, someone said “sure, I can do that,” and twenty minutes later it was permanent.
You already know this. It’s why you’re reading a tattoo shop’s sales letter instead of just walking into the first place you find on Google. You’re not looking for a tattoo artist. You’re looking for the right one — someone who will actually listen to what you want, tell you the truth about what will and won’t work on your skin, and turn your idea into something you’ll still love decades from now.
That’s the whole reason Art and Sol Tattoo exists.
An Artist Who’s Been Doing This Since Before Instagram Existed
My name is David Meek. I’ve been tattooing professionally since 2007 — before “Instagram-famous” tattoo artists were even a thing, before Pinterest boards were how people planned their ink. I opened Art and Sol Tattoo in Tucson in 2019 because I was tired of watching good people get talked into bad tattoos by artists who were more interested in filling a chair than getting it right.
I specialize in realistic black & grey work — portraits, memorial pieces, family tattoos, the kind of tattoo that’s carrying real meaning on it, not just decoration. I’ve been nominated multiple times for Best Tattoo Artist in the Tucson Weekly’s “Best of Tucson” awards, voted on by the same community you live in. That’s not a paid ad. That’s neighbors saying “yeah, go see David.”
But this letter isn’t really about me. It’s about the studio I built, and the team I built it with.
This Isn’t a Street-Front Shop You Wandered Into. It’s a Shop You Choose.
Art and Sol Tattoo is a by-appointment, consultation-first shop located inside Moto Sonora Brewing Company here in Tucson — but we totally take walkins every single day depending on your idea… part tattoo studio, part neighborhood hangout. With events at the brewery and off-site every month. It doesn’t feel like a clinical shop with fluorescent lights and a stranger rushing you through. It feels like somewhere you’d actually want to spend an afternoon.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- 280+ Google reviews, every single one 5 stars. Not “mostly.” Not “4.8 average.” All of them.
- A team, not just one artist. David Meek (black & grey realism, portraits, family and memorial pieces), Justin Winkler (bold American Traditional, walk-in specialist), Brandon Hernandez (pop culture, horror, and color work — tattooing for a decade), and Julia Latimer (rising junior artist trained directly under me, taking walk-ins and medium custom pieces). Whatever your style, there’s someone here who speaks that language fluently.
- Open every day, 1–9pm. Walk-ins welcome for flash and smaller pieces. Custom work is by appointment, because a real custom tattoo deserves more than 20 rushed minutes.
- A genuinely inclusive space. We’ve been recognized locally as an LGBTQ ally shop — everyone gets treated like a person, not a walk-in number.
We Won’t Just Give You What You Ask For. We’ll Give You What Actually Works.
Here’s where we’re probably different from the last shop you talked to.
Great ideas don’t always make great tattoos. An idea can be meaningful to you and still be the wrong idea for your skin, your placement, or how it’ll look in fifteen years — and a shop that just nods and gives you exactly what you asked for isn’t doing you any favors. We’ll tell you the truth instead. We’d rather manage your expectations from day one than let you find out the hard way, after it’s permanent.
That means sometimes we push back. Sometimes we say “let’s rework this” or even “we don’t think this is the right call.” We would honestly rather you walk out upset with us for not tattooing you than upset with us for tattooing you — because one of those you get over, and the other one you wear forever.
We hold ourselves to a higher standard than “the customer is always right.” Our job is to walk you through the process and help you tell the right story for you — one you’ll wear proudly, not one you’ll explain away.
Nobody needs a tattoo. But the moment you want one, what you actually need is a shop you can trust to tell you the truth before it’s permanent. That’s what a real consultation is for.
One client, describing their first session with our artist Justin, put it simply: he had them come back a few hours later so he could finish another client properly, brought their sketch to life over a three-hour sitting, and the whole shop felt clean, relaxed, and unhurried the entire time. That’s not an accident. That’s the standard we hold every appointment to.
Another client who’d done their homework on me beforehand said flat out it was one of the best tattoo experiences they’d ever had — professional, clean, and the linework spoke for itself.
We didn’t pay for those words. You can go read them yourself on Google.
Why a Consultation First? (And Why It’s the Smartest 20 Minutes You’ll Spend Before Getting Permanent Ink)
We don’t tattoo custom designs with zero conversation, and honestly, you shouldn’t want us to.
Before any custom piece, we sit down with you — in person — and talk through:
- What you actually want, including the reference photos, the half-formed idea, the “I don’t know exactly but I’ll know it when I see it”
- What will realistically age well on your specific skin, in your specific spot, at your specific size
- A clear timeframe and an honest, upfront budget — no surprises, no upsell games
- Whether we’re the right fit for each other, because a good tattoo is a collaboration, not a transaction
There are no dumb questions in that meeting. We check messages daily and we’ll get back to you the same day, because we’d rather over-communicate before the needle touches your skin than have you second-guessing it after.
That’s the whole philosophy: you should never feel like your design — or your money — is just a number to us.
Here’s Exactly What Happens When You Book
- You call, text, or book online — takes about 62 seconds.
- We schedule your in-person consultation at the studio inside Moto Sonora Brewing (grab a coffee or a craft beer while you’re at it — we’re literally inside the taproom).
- You sit down with your artist, bring your ideas, ask every question you’ve got, and we build a game plan together — timeline, budget, everything, spelled out plainly.
- You and your artist sign off on the design concept or we go back to the drawing board with another consultation or direction.
- When you’re ready — not before — we schedule the actual tattoo session and take a deposit.
No pressure to commit to ink on the spot. The consultation exists so you walk away confident, not talked into something.
Don’t Just Take Our Word For It
Search “Art and Sol Tattoo Tucson” right now. Read the reviews yourself. Look at the 290-plus five-star ratings. Notice that I’ve been a repeat nominee for Best Tattoo Artist in Tucson Weekly’s Best of Tucson — an award decided by the public, not bought with ad dollars.
Then ask yourself the only question that actually matters before you get something permanent put on your body:
“Do I trust the person holding the needle?”
If you can’t answer yes to that about your current plan, come talk to us. That’s what the consultation is for.
Your Next Step (It Costs You Nothing But 20 Minutes)
Whether you’ve got a fully-formed idea, a Pinterest board of chaos, or just a feeling you want turned into art — book your in-person consultation at Art and Sol Tattoo today.
📍 Art and Sol Tattoo — inside Moto Sonora Brewing Company, 1015 S Park Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719 📞 Call or text: (520) 314-7358 🕐 Open every day, 1pm–9pm — walk-ins welcome, custom consultations by appointment 🖱️ [Book Your Consultation Online →]
Traveling through Tucson? Stop in for a flash tattoo and a craft beer — we’re inside the brewery.
Nobody needs a tattoo. But when you want one, what you need is a shop you can trust. Let’s make sure yours isn’t one you regret.
— David Meek Owner, Art and Sol Tattoo Tattooing in Tucson since 2007
P.S. — The whole reason this letter exists is because too many people get talked into permanent decisions by someone who never really listened. We built our entire process backwards from that problem: real consultation first, honest pricing, no pressure, artists who’ve actually put in the years. If that’s the kind of shop you’d rather trust with something permanent, the first conversation is free. Call or text (520) 314-7358, or book online — we answer the same day.
P.P.S. — Custom appointment slots with Justin, Brandon, Julia and especially myself do fill up, especially around anniversary and holiday booking seasons. If you’ve been “meaning to get it done” for a while, the easiest way to stop putting it off is to just book the consultation — no commitment required until you’re ready.