Artist Profile

My name is Michele Turco, I was born on the 24 ^th of April in Piacenza, way back in 1971…that’s right! Already forty…and if I look back I must admit that I’ve lived a life full of emotions, positive and negative ones, and it’s because of those that today I have so many goals, some of them I’ve alredy achieved and some to fulfill.  My career as a tattoo artist began with self-taught: Everything I’ve learned about this job is thanks to the experience I’ve achieved in all these years. Everything started twenty years ago when, at the age of 18, I opened a tanning salon. I called it “Colorado” and if  I think about it today it makes me smile: unaware of what my future was going to be I was already predisposed (even if, with different techniques) to colour people’s skin, so the name I gave to my salon already said a lot. I am very ambitious so to be able to expand my business I included in the staff a friend of mine that had just got the esthetician qualification; she also did semipermanent make-up, using a rotary machine. The first time a saw her working with it I was so impressed  I just HAD TO TRY!! My mind immediately started to wander so one day I brought a friend to my salon and I convinced him to let me tattoo his skin: I tattooed the libra sign on his shoulder. I was so exited, I was thrilled about what I was creating for the first time in my life. That was it. There was no way out, that was my track. And so “Tattoo Dreaming” was born, my first tattoo shop. This was just the beginning, I remember my past with pride, I must say I had to face many battles to achieve the results I have today. Now I have a famous tattoo shop and I’ve always remaind faithful to my Piacenza, that despite alle the initial difficulties, gave me so much. “Da cosa nasce cosa”, is my current shop. This name encloses the heart of my works: I try to catch the real meaning and the deepest emotions of those who entrust their skin to me. To be able to do this, it is important to study their personality, leading them to personal confidences that allow me to get in touch with their deepest side. This is always been my purpose and it’s very satisfying for me to be able to establish this kind of bond with my clients. However I’m convinced that we never stop learning and this is the impetus that characterizes my life style. So I realized that the realism technique was, for me, one of the better artistic expressions of tattoos, as well as a beautiful way to express my skills and qualities as a tattoo artist. Photography’s always been a big passion of mine, I’m always looking for those details that distinguish every immage, so that I am able to value all the single elements. I’m convinced that tattoos are also and mostly, intuition.  I believe that every single person is unique and special, so everyone has the right to have a personal and unrepeatable tattoo, studied just for himself , that’s why I don’t use catalogues for the immages research. Regarding this, I started a new project: Leaves.

They rappresent a vital cycle. We know that flowers and plants have their own language, every flower has its particular emotional meaning, for example the Camelia suggets constancy, ammiration and gratitude; or the yellow rose, jealousy, infedility and love refuse. Endless emotions that we can rapresent with mother nature’s gifts. I always try to get to know those who entrust their serlves to me for a tattoo, trying to represent that particular emotion they ask for, so everytime they’ll look at it, they’ll re-live that same emotion. Also, it would be a way to identify my art on people’s body, inserting a leaf  in a face, in a landscape, on background, watching it, they will think –Michele did that!- I chose leaves because they symbolize change. Birth, life, death and then again birth. They are born in Spring, young but already strong and proud, characterized by fresh and bright colours. Then comes the Summer, even if the wind blows, the leaves won’t fall, they’ll remain attached to the branch of their tree, holding on tight to the roots on the ground. And then in Autumn we have an explosion of coulours! And it’s right here that the leaf  reaches the top of its tones, warm and awesome colours, different, fascinanting shades that astonish all those who observe carefully! Finally Winter arrives, colours switch off, leaves fall to the ground, marking the end of their vital cycle. Just like the phoenix rises from its own ashes, leaves return to life every year, with their order and disorder, always on the same branch but never in the same spot. There aren’t two leaves that look the same, like there aren’t two identical persons. That’s why I chose Leaves!

Also cultural exchanges are essential to not remain stucked in our own believes and to improve artistic knowledge. This is why in these last years I took part to several tattoo conventions in: Italy, Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, U.S.A, and every convention has always given me very strong emotions, on both personal and artistic levels. It’s very gratifying to see how people appreciate my work. It’s important to understand that tattoos AREN’T JUST A JOB, THEY’RE A REAL LIFE STYLE.  Tattoos are passion, love and they commit big part of  our lives. This is why I can say my shop became like a second home to me. I believe that whoever comes into our shop feels this familiar atmosphere, that I try to give putting all my passion in this art. My wife and I tried to give the most welcoming atmosphere we could, to allow people to relax while we’re creating their tattoo. From an hygienic and sanitary point of view, I can guarantee you that in our shop we pay extreme attention to the hygiene. Alla the sanitary rules are meticolously respected.  Looking at my work today I realize how much I grew up in these years and how, as the days pass by, I feel always more self confident and sharpen. I love my work so much and I think….I’LL NEVER DO ANYTHING ELSE IN MY LIFE!

I work with my wife Chiara, the tattoo artist Massimiliano and our manager & piercer Michelle.