About
Hi
My name is Anthony Waters I grew up in North Queensland and I’ve always had a love for tattooing since I was a young, i swapped an old guy at the hospital a “live to ride” for a mars bar, flipping through the pages seeing people covered in tattoos I always thought that they were the coolest looking people and thought that’s what I wanna be like when I grow up.
From Timber to Tattoos
A Decade as a Carpenter Before Chasing the Ink
Growing up in a more country style family tattoos and tattooing were not something I was overly encouraged to pursue so I followed in my fathers footsteps and became a carpenter which I did for 10 years.
An Unexpected Turn
From Recovery to Rediscovering My Passion for Tattooing
I always had a love and respect for tattooing. An accident put me in a position that left me needed a career change, a good friend of mine Robbie Eyre was working along side Jack Peacock owner of Native ink soon to become Lake Eden Tattoo, I offered some unpaid help while they were moving studios and I was unable to work as a carpenter until I had surgery. I did all the opening and closing, cleaning and setting up and front counter work and got back into drawing in my down time which I hadn’t done since I was a kid. After some time I was approached and asked if this was a career that I would be interested in pursuing and I was blown away and happily accepted. I had drawing tasks to complete each week touching on multiple different style but was always drawn to Japanese and American Traditional styles.
A Life-Changing Trip to Japan
Tattooed by an Idol, Inspired for Life
As time continued in 2018 I impulsively purchased tickets to Japan where I went for 2 weeks I continued to walk visiting shrines and taking in all that Japan had to offer and fell deeper and deeper in love with the history, culture and the architecture and art that at every turn. I was lucky enough to get tattooed by one of my biggest idols in tattooing Hide Ichibay, afterwards I was invited back to his apartment where he told me all about how he entered into tattooing and about his life, he showed me his drawing process and the references, paints, brushes and papers that he uses etc. It was an incredible day I’ll never forget.
From Local Expo to Global Stage
Finding My Place in the Tattoo World
Working along side Migelly owner of sacred rose and being encouraged to try tattooing at a tattoo expo I tattooed at my first Australian Tattoo Expo with Robbie Eyre and Corum Bryant and felt right a home and made so many incredible friends continuing to tattoo at all the tattoo expos on the Australian calendar for a couple years I started to branch out to international conventions with my good friend Paul Tuyen Tran (DickFish Tattoo) attending expos in New Zealand and USA.
The Birth of Mushin Tattoo
A Studio Built on Stillness, Growth, and Gratitude
Upon returning from USA I was approached with the opportunity to take on a lease on a properly to open my own studio (something I had been working towards in the back ground) while I was working with the awesome crew at Oracle Tattoo in west end. And from that Mushin Tattoo was born. Mushin in Japanese meaning (NO MIND or EMPTY MIND) where the mind is allowed to flow free from distractions, doubts and other mental obstacles like fear, ego etc. I can not thank tattooing enough for all it has afforded me and the lessons it has taught me along the way and I will forever be a student of the craft of tattooing and every aspect of it. Being able to create art that people are able to wear proudly on their body for their life or paintings that people hang on their walls is a truely humbling thing and something I am extremely greatly and appreciative for.