our history....
Ruth took her art 'O' & 'A' Level a year early at school in Croydon,Surrey, then she was accepted a year early at art college back in 1996/97 studying her Foundation Course in Art & Design. She then was accepted on a course to study Graphic Design but after finding lots of new friends in Bristol, she didn't fancy moving down to Bridgewater so took a year out to have lots of fun!
After deciding that it would be time to move back to Croydon, she luckily got a job being an apprentice at Patrick's Tattoo Studio in South Norwood, South London in early 1999. Her jobs were washing the floor,making tea,drawing designs,learning how to make needles and all the usual jobs, without getting paid! At this time Ruth met Lee from Worthing, Mark Lee & Gary Gordon/Winter who gave her a few bits of advice like Gary 'Whats stopping you being a tattoo artist, if you really want to do it then just do it!'
Ruth ended up working from her studio at home, f or the next 5 years, but also working from another private studo in Holland andmotorbike parties with the approval of the Netherlands Tattoo Association. She nearly moved there, even had lessons to try to learn the language! Ruth never advertised for work as word just spread about the quality of her work thru' friends, and also the same in Holland- she would be booked up for the times she would go to Holland.
After years of being offered a job at Barry Louvaine's in Garrett Lane, Earlsfield, London, Ruth accepted the job where she worked at for 2.5 years. This was completely different than working from home as customers would queue up and wait which would then put loads of pressure on, as everyone who waited wanted a tattoo! Some early starts and late finishes!
In early 1998, Ruth opened up Eternal Tattoos in Dorking, Surrey. There was no one else there tattooing, so she got down to a busy tattooing career. The studio started as mainly walk-in customers with Ruth being the only artist. Over the next 7.5 years, various people have helped out at the studio including artists and receptionists but this has proved to be a difficult job to find the most suitable! During this time, Ruth tattooed at Dunstable with Theresa Gordon & Chris Cougar in 1995, she tattooed at Poole, Isle of Mann 'TT' Races, Birmingham, Carlyon Bay, Belfast, Southern Ireland, and many many more tattoo conventions.
Ruth took the massive decision in March 2005 to relocate the studio which finally opened on 31st July 2005. Eternal Tattoos have since gone from strength to strength since then, appearing in Skin Deep magazine with a 7 page article, Dorking Ad, Surrey Ad, and lots of photos of tattoos in other publications. Also, Ruth & husband Robb have tattooed at the Hamburg 06, Calgary 06, Derby 06, Birminham 06, and visited Amsterdam 06 and London 06.
The crew at the studio at this time is Ruth, husband Robb, & Stevie (all tattoo artists) whilst looking out for possible guest artists for the summer of 2007.....
