Mickey Drogsvold (a.k.a. “Suspek”) was born in Phoenix, AZ, and now lives in Colorado. Like other artists, he describes as being born “with pencil in hand.” His early art pursuits often got him into trouble, such as the time he created a bootleg comic book in school, as well as his involvements with graffiti, for example. In 2004, he started drawing tattoo flash with the hopes of landing an apprenticeship. He drew a design for a friend, and went with her to the shop where she was being tattooed (bringing his portfolio of art with him). This got him an apprenticeship in 2005 under Mike O’Neil and Rachael Bardach, Owners of Main Street Tattoo.

While his art helped get him in the door, he still spent a lot of time “hanging out in the shop until they gave me a job.” He loves working there now, and says he’s learned a lot from the rest of the gang. He was brought on as an artist with TattooFinder.com in 2006 which afforded his art worldwide exposure. He prefers to draw in black and gray, because he “sees life more in black and shades of gray.” His artistic influences are M.C. Escher, H.R. Giger, the folks at Main Street, and “every graffiti artist who has ever picked up a can.” His current goals are to develop his tattooing and flash skills, and to expand his talents to other mediums. He sees the passion the world has about tattoos as natural part of wanting to “fit into the tribe, same as back in the caveman days . . . just more individualized now.”