The world is made up of about seven billion petty tyrants and we all deal with our own and other’s hang ups in different ways. When we need to make confession or otherwise unburden ourselves, many of us seek the council of our priests or pastors. Others prefer a more secular / medical guidance found in therapy. But there is a huge segment of humanity that takes its council from more pedestrian sources. Bartenders are like this. How many works of literature, cinema and the like, contain characters like the bar keep who observes human nature up close, and when called upon to do so, dispenses wisdom to patrons?
Professions of this nature place the attentive practitioner in the unique position to connect to those with no other connection or to allow for a vulnerability that can only come from anonymity. One such profession is the tattoo artist.
I met Floyd Guinn, the owner and operator of “Redeeming Tattoos,” a few years back and was so intrigued by him and his business that I wrote an article for this directory. I found him intriguing because Floyd is a practicing Christian in a profession many Christians would shy away from… which is a big part of why he does it; aside from the fact he’s tremendously talented.
When we recently sat down to talk he told me of conversations he’d had with folks who’d never dreamed of darkening the doorway of a church. Often times he works with suffering customers who will sit through physical pain, often for hours at a stretch while the artist shares his faith with them. And then, they’ll come back for more. Floyd has given his honest opinion to those struggling with identity issues, prayed with atheists, and helped cancer patients recover something of what they’ve lost due to surgery. His profession has placed him in the unique position to encounter vulnerable humanity.
Of course not all Floyd’s customers are outside the main stream of society. They are often Christians seeking to quietly express their individuality and faith. And while Floyd and his artists will do generally any kind of work, tattoos with Christian and religious themes are the shops specialty. For what it’s worth, the owner told me candidly, that at times he has discouraged potential customers from getting tattooed and while it’s not the norm, it’s nice to see someone put the good of his customers above personal profit.
To read my original article entitled “Redeeming Tattoos, A Christian Tattoo Parlor in Tyler” click on the following link. http://www.tylertxdirectory.com/3144/tyler-texas-tattoos/ Also, for more information, look for Redeeming Tattoos on Facebook.