“I think the vet one was pretty short lived once I was told that I had to do science and biology,” he chuckles. “Those subjects did not appeal to me at all. The photography thing I back-handedly ended up doing anyway. I now know as many photographers as I do tattooists and I work pretty closely with some of them, so I get to fulfill that component.
“The third thing – being a truck driver, you know what, I still might end up doing that. Not in the big 18 wheeler trucks I dreamt of as a kid, but I had a job for one summer where I was driving a two tonne truck around and delivering Christmas hams to Coles and Safeways – so I’ve checked that box as well.”
That may be the case, but even as a kid Moody’s mates got him to draw tats for them and he knew preferred to work with a design brief. “I know when I’m given an open brief from any client, it’s not enjoyable for me,” he admits. “I prefer to be given at least a few snippets to help me. When I was a kid my friends would say, ‘Draw me a tattoo’ and I’d say, ‘What d’ya want?’ and they’d say, “I dunno, just draw me something cool,’ and I’d go, ‘Well, I feel like drawing a train or a truck’ and they’d go, ‘Oh don’t draw that’ and I’d go ‘Well what d’ya want then’.”
It’s less frustrating these days: folks go specifically to Moody for his grey-wash and black and white work and he works out of his own private tattoo parlour (partly to weed out the tyre-kickers). “A lot of people say, ‘I just don’t know what I’ll get – I couldn’t make a decision’ or ‘I don’t know where I’d put it’,” he reflects. “My first thought is, ‘You can decide to get a mortgage for $400,000 or have sex without a condom, but you can’t make a decision about getting a butterfly on your bum?’ It’s not that hard.”
Not content resting on his laurels, Moody and his cohorts Chris and Megan from Dangerfork Print Co. and Ben Blanche from LAWWD, have run Ink Dots Black Spots for the last three years, which is an annual fundraiser for a different worthy cause (Cancer Council in the first year, RSPCA last year and Skateistan this time around). Skateistan’s an awesome not-for-profit that uses skateboarding as a tool for empowerment – for instance, in Afghanistan, where Skateistan’s set up skate schools and skate parks, girls can’t ride bikes but they’re allowed to skateboard.
The premise for IDBS is that, by invitation, a celebrated list of local and international tattooists each produce an A3 sized work, set to a theme and they’re all sold for $30. The rationale for setting the parameters so tightly is that it evens the playing field.
The philanthropic bent’s important for Moody. “It’s a perfect opportunity for everyone collectively to give something back. We’re all very blessed – we use our hands, get to be creative and get paid quite well. It’s not like we need to be taxed and hand that money back out, but it’s a good turn to give a bit of what we create and move it on to a charity. We’ve all been given opportunities – given a chance in tattooing and if we can give something back to a charity and it creates an opportunity for another person, that’s great. Money’s made round for going around, not flat for stacking.” Too right mate.
This year, even though he’s well chuffed with past success, Moody says that this Ink Dots Black Spots is “bigger, better and shinier”. The lineup of tattooists is spectacular for a start, including legend Mark Giant from San Fran and Emily Soichet from France. There’s also a silent auction of six Levi denim jackets that have been suitably adorned by various tattooists. “You might get one for $50 or pay twice as much as it’s actually worth,” Moody chortles.
In the meantime, he’s flat out getting his ducks in a row and having something akin to his own Bridezilla moment. “By the time the show comes around, I’m so busy running around making sure that everyone’s having a good time. I haven’t been married, but I imagine it’s like being at your own wedding.”
BY MEG CRAWFORD
