46 and 2 Tattoo

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46 and 2 Tattoo

308 University Dr NE
Fargo, ND 58102-4338

To the tattooed and soon-to-be tattooed:

My name is Paul and I grew up here in Fargo. From the time I was a young boy watching my mother paint, I've immersed myself in all forms of the arts and very early found my niche in drawing. Everything I did was in blacks and greys and steeped in realism. I guess that’s why I love tattooing in black and grey so much today.

Everyone asks what I specialize in. The answer is "everything." I love working in black and grey, but a good color tattoo can render you speechless. I also do a lot of freehand work. Seeing a tattoo that came straight out of your head and onto skin is an amazing feeling -- especially when the client takes that first look in the mirror and a big smile spreads across their face, knowing the tattoo is a one-of-a-kind creation, designed for them.

I got my start in the body modification industry in 2000 as a piercer at Atomic Needles in Forrest Lake, MN. While attending my first tattoo convention, I met Matt Lampi, a tattoo artist who had his own shop, Get to the Point Tattoos, in White Bear Lake, MN. He was looking for an apprentice and I wanted to start tattooing. We talked for a while and I was so impressed with his enthusiasm for the craft and the art that I decided Matt was the one to teach me. His excitement for tattooing is infectious. Matt was a major influence and valuable mentor who taught me to study everything I could get my hands on, and to appreciate tattooing as a form of art and expression.

While working as an apprentice with Matt, I went to a tattoo convention in Detroit, MI to study artists such as Guy Atchison and Paul Booth. I had the pleasure of meeting amazing artists like Jay Wheeler, Jack Rudy and Bob Tyrrell. After spending most of a year with Matt, I came back to Fargo and began tattooing for Discontent Body Shop. I spent several years tattooing there, building my experience in both tattooing and piercing.

In May of 2004, I opened my own shop -- 46 and 2 Tattoo. I wanted to create a tattoo shop that was a true reflection of my vision: I tattoo and that’s it. No flash art; no piercing; no jewelry; no frills -- just the art of tattooing in its purest form. I wanted something better than the typical shop covered in skulls and demons. That’s just not who I am. I wanted something tasteful and relaxing. Warm and welcoming. Stylishly comfortable... 46 and 2 Tattoo was born.

My tattooing influences include Guy Atchison, Tom Renshaw, Deano Cook, Mike Parsons, Bugs, Anil Gupta, Tim and James Kern, Filip Leu and many others in the tattooing world. Other artists who inspire me include Alex Grey, H.R. Giger, Salvador Dali, Olivia Debardinis, Gil Evgren and many others. It’s so hard to stop finding artists and art to admire and learn from. There is always room for more.

"Hey Paul, what does '46 and 2' MEAN??" I'm glad you asked. I got the idea for the name from a song by the band Tool. "46 and 2" is described as a theory that the human body will, in the next evolutionary step, go from 46 chromosomes to 48 chromosomes and move us more in tune with nature and one step closer to God.

If you have any questions, or would like to chat about anything, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to drop me an e-mail at paul@46and2tattoo.com or stop by the shop if you'd like to talk about the next step in the evolution of you.

The Chair is calling...

-- Paul Johnson