“I wanted to get back in touch with my younger athletic self,” said Michael Hastings of his first tattoo, which he had affixed by James at Zebra in 1997. That tattoo is a unicorn, the mythic horse that symbolizes power in love and strength.

Michael and his family express symbolism through body art. His favorite tattoo is the African symbol Nyame Ye Ohene, meaning God is King and symbolizes the majesty and supremacy of God. Michael’s 19-year-old daughter Pilar has the Sankofa symbol from Ghana on her back which represents retrospection and the wisdom of learning from the past and building for the future. Michael’s wife Monica has a lady bug tattooed to her ankle, while his daughter Maya, 18, is “chomping at the bit” waiting for her first tattoo.

“A tattoo is a very personal statement,” Michael said. “My advice to people considering one is to think about it and think about it long. I thought about it for ten years before I got my first tattoo. We chose Zebra because Moe and Siobhan are nice people who understand customer service.”

James
Berkeley & Walnut Creek

James is obsessed with perfecting his art skills and improving his tattoo gear.

Learn more about James and his work!

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