Working on my Film...

I keep getting asked "Miya why are you still tattooing?" I'm still tattooing because it seems like the people are now starting to understand the art of tattooing more and the demand for my services is at an all time high...so I can stop now... With "scratchers" and more people trying to be tattooist, there is more bad low quality in urban America than good body art...plus tattooing is helping me pay for my DREAMS... I have been to the bank many times trying to get business loans... I even tried to get private investors to put money up for other businesses i will be starting... I tattoo to pay for my film project... I tattoo to pay for my private art studio so I can finish my book... I tattoo to feed my family... And I tattoo because I love & respect this art form...the other night we filmed another artist (in Atlanta this time) my homie, Ant formerly of City of ink...he specialize in photo realism...a form of tattooing that is very public these days....Ant shared his story how he went from tattooing at a flea market... To meeting celebrity tattoo artist, Tuki Carter... To getting hired at City of ink... To opening up his own tattoo shop in Riverdale GA...I hope when flea market tattoo artists see his story on this film it will inspire them to leave those types of surroundings and look for better shops to tattoo in or open their own shops that won't fit the stereotypes of "urban tattooing"

















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Goodnight...

My body is telling me I need to go to sleep.... But my mind isn't slowing down with ideas... Art since to flow easy with no ending in sight...the ideas are unlimited... Time to smoke one to slow the vision down....maybe sandman will knock me out soon.... See y'all in dreamland


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Drawing allnight....

I just got off work and everyone is sleep....after a long day of tattooing it sucks when your the only one up with no one to talk too.... I'm thankful I have my bulldog, Rabbit.... He's a lazy as dog but he's really good company on nights like these...I'm about to work on pages from my book
"Before I'm Gone".... My blunt is rolled up, Rabbit is being lazy, Rick Ross new album is playing, And I just put on my favorite shorts now it's time to get inspired and get to drawing again.. My first tattoo appointment is at 3pm so I have a few hours to work on this book, get some sleep and wake up and get ready for work again.... Life of an artist...when everyone is away & sleep "ART" will be your best friend... So let's get started










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$50 & Up Tattoos I did yesterday..

Yesterday I woke up with a random thought...."I'm going to help City of Ink do walk-ins today & even do them at the same price as my staff" Everyday City of Ink takes walk-ins from 1pm-9pm... Sophie, Melvin, and Chris do an amazing job everyday doing tattoos for $50 and up....my tattoos start at $500 because they take hours to do... So I wanted to do some 30-45 min tattoos like I use to do when I was a teenager....I'm always doing big pieces so doing small tattoos when I have free time is like going back in time to my youth again.... I still think I'm rusty doing small tattoos, it's not really my things and I hate time limits in art but I really did the best I could with the tattoos I did for only $50-$100... Here they go... And to my follow tattoo artists don't laugh at me.














I took my lunch/dinner break and ate some really good food from Smiling Budah.... Cracked open the cookie and I got the message "Your hard work is about to pay off." that put a smile on my face and I got back to work





I personally feel the younger artists at City of Ink do wayyyy better short session & small tattoos than I do... But i tried... I know my weakness is small tattoos.... So if you want to support me & the COI movement go to my team for the smaller, cheaper pieces... I like to stay in my own lane.... Until next time...for the record the time next walk-ins I do will be for my family & friends.... the last weekend of August



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Location:323 Walker Street ATL, GA 30313

Today ONLY $50 & Up!

Miya Bailey will be doing tattoos starting at only $50 TODAY 3pm-10pm no appointment needed.. One day ONLY $50 & up! Showing Atlanta Love today 323 Walker St. ATL GA 30313


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Location:323 Walker St. Atlanta, GA 30313

Butterfly Coverup...

As most of y'all know I really hate "butterfly tattoos" but hey you have to still please the clients who don't read my blogs too...as long as she was happy then I'm happy.. I just want to make sure ALL City of Ink clients are pleased and happy with their new body art... She asked for a butterfly, rose, and 3 stars for your 3 children...I couldn't make the rose "red" when doing the coverup so I made it purple... Using dark colors makes the coverup way more easy to do...thanks a lot and I hope you had a safe drive back SC.











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Location:City of Ink

Hand Tattoo..

I been working on this sleeve for about a year now...the next step was covering his hand


I pulled out the sharpie markers and got the design out my mind... He wanted a classic "Laugh Now Cry Later" theme


Once the marker design is laidout and approved by the client... I did the outline.. Making sure it's clean and solid


After the outline I did the shading.. Making sure my machine is running smoothly so it could have soft smooth shading








This piece hook me about 2 hours to do... I also have video of me doing the outline of this tattoo on YouTube.com/miyabailey


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Location:City of Ink

My Bahamas Cruise

I landed in Miami...it was really hot... That's one beautiful city and it's always good to be there but it was a short stay... Made a run to the bank to pick up some cash then went to the Port of Miami to board the ship...


Once I got on the ship I didn't even unpack.. First thing I did was take off my clothes put on my swimming trucks and laid in the sun....


Once the ship took off and we were in the ocean... I looked for the view of the sun... When I feel the sun I know the Most High is touching me...God is real


I was trying to get a tan...beer belly out and the only thing I was missing was some weed...but I was so relaxed I didn't even need to smoke anything... I felt high with nothing at all


The ship was huge... The first few hours not that many people were out... I guess they were getting settled in and unpacking


The breeze felt amazing.. A perfect balance with the heat from the sun


All I could do is think about sharing this with my family and friends...I never felt so relaxed in my life.. I was at peace... No cellphone, no tv, no Internet


I had to dress up for dinner and get my Malcolm X on... I have more photos on my camera...I will post them later...once I got to the island I went straight to the "ghetto" the people treated me like one of their own... I'm not down with that tourist stuff... If I can't be around my own people then something is wrong... I will post more of the ghetto pics later once I get to City of Ink








More video and photos coming soon from the Bahamas

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We shared the same Dream once...

This pen & ink drawing was inspire by an old friend back in my hometown...he would tell me words that always inspired me to stop hanging out in the hood allday and to follow my dreams... I think of him often wishing he would have followed his dreams also...and how helpless I feel when I see him because he's in the same place we were as kids... This piece of art is for him, here is one of the pages of my book "Before I'm Gone"



We shared the same dream once... To leave the hood and make a better life for our families.. But you let the hood beat you.... Remember how we would lay on the project floor and we would tell me to be strong and never give up.... You gave me hope and strength with your words.... I wish I told you the samething in return...last time I went home you were in the same hood on that same floor telling me those same words....

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City of Ink: FILMS

We have been working on this film for a few months now...and it's coming along nicely...I'm a lover of films.... I even named the tattoo shop after my favorite movie "City of God" and it was also inspired by "City of Angels" 2 way different stories I can relate to in my soul. City of Ink Films will be a company that will focus on breaking all stereotypes....love, pain, struggle, dreams, passion, beauty, ugly, faith, and the arts. Not all so-called "Black" artists paint jazz scenes and naked Afro women...we aren't all in the beauty of black love or into religion... I want to show you the other side... The visuals are inspired by the film makers Larry Clark, Spike Lee and Oliver Stone... I just want to create my own lane in this field... So you can enter the works of City of Ink... Share lifestyles that are very different from the masses.. This is my vision..... I want to you enter my world.





The logo is finished.... It's now offical.... No turning back... All my dreams come true.... Just watch this.... Miya Bailey


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Lion Tattoo

This piece is a cover up... But I forgot to take the "before" picture...it was a 2 day session... I did the lion first... The next day I did the background & dove....his arm begin swelling so I didn't get a pic of the finished product...but he said he will send me a photo... Once I get it I will post it








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Location:City of Ink

Leaving....

Sitting on the plane... I had one of those moments...day dreaming of peace... Seeing my boys following their dreams...my kids doing their thang in school... My wife finding inner peace in her soul and be happy again with or without me in her life....my film project, my book... Which is almost finished.... My nephews and how I wish I could be closer to them to let them know their uncle is also working hard for them too... The direction my paintings are going in these days and when I will have another Miya Dreamland art show....in the air I think about all my people back in the projects I wish I could help... And my mother still having to work everyday when I feel she deserves to travel and see the world with me....the more success I reach the lonely my life seems....I suppose to be happy and I am happy but I still can feel
Saddness creeping up on me....the closer I get to my dreams... the farther I feel I grow from my love ones...no matter where I go, I still don't feel my family & friends understand my mission in life.... It's not about money and frame.. It's about creating jobs and helping people who deserve help....how can a mind grow if they never seen the world? How can you step out the box when your trapped and locked inside the box? I try to focus only on the positive but when you have to hear negative stuff everything and your the source of the positive energy most of the time it will get to you.... Looking out the window of the plane... I seen the sun... It felt like God was just telling me to "stay focused, they won't understand your every move but at the end of the day they will be thankful for the gift you will give them all in the future." I don't want to be a leader but it seems like I'm forced to be one... No one else is stepping up for the job... And why do I have these feelings to help my people when most of the time it don't even pay off? I guess it my nature to express, to teach other never to hold back... How not to focus on the flaws of others but to feed them with positive feedback to inspire them to move foward in their dreams...this isn't saddness but a God given instinct to do what i'm programmed to do... Open the doors for others... And spark something in their minds so they can see the world different... One person at a time if needed...





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Wicker Park

My last night in Chicago I hooked up with some friends and hit up Wicker Park for some underground hip-hop....from taggin' to b-boyin' hip-hop is alive in the chi...




















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Location:Chicago