Chris Garver

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chris Garver
Image:Chris Garver.jpg
Born	September 11, 1970 (1970-09-11) (age 37) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Residence	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Occupation	Tattoo artist Television personality

Chris Garver (born September 11, 1970) is a tattoo artist featured on the TLC reality television show Miami Ink.

Garver was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he attended The Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts^[1]. He is the youngest of three brothers. Garver's mother was an artist and encouraged his interest in painting and drawing. He first experimented with tattooing at age 17, after selling his bass guitar in order to purchase tattoo equipment. Garver took one year of art school and apprenticed for six months, repairing old tattoos that needed touch-ups, before he started tattooing clients on his own^[2]. In his early twenties, Garver moved to New York City where he became a full-time professional tattoo artist.

A world traveler, Garver has tattooed clients in Asia, both Americas, and throughout Europe. For a time he lived in Japan where he was tattooed by the famous Japanese Irezumi artists Horiyoshi III, Horitomo, and Horitoshi. He has also been tattooed by a Buddhist Monk in Thailand; the image is said to be a Buddhist scriptural passage that can only be read by monks, and that translates as "to protect."

Garver is widely considered to be among the best tattoo artists in the world, with a celebrity-studded list of private clients. He is also an artist, working in several styles, including an enhanced form of tattoo flash, or depiction of a tattoo on a flat surface, for the selection of customers.

In addition his art interests, Garver plays bass guitar, travels the world, and enjoys listening to live bands. He is also said to be building tattoo machines.