With 39 years in tattooing, Jody is a true old-school local legend and a familiar name to generations of tattooed people around New Zealand. He has a long and colourful history in the local tattoo scene, and for serious tattoo collectors or locals who simply love tattooing, having a piece by Jody is almost a necessity.

Jody tattoos much the same way he always has. No pen machines, no ipad and, more often than not, no shoes. A firm believer in grounding and happiest near the beach, he’s an incredibly kind, easy-going bloke and always good for a yarn.

His love for the old-school extends well beyond tattooing. Jody has always been into bikes and hot rods, including his unmistakable T-Bucket bearing the old “Jody’s Tattoos” name and logo a car we’re fairly sure half of New Plymouth would recognise. He also brews his own kombucha and drinks an impressive amount of it.

Underneath all the stories and character is a genuine lifelong love for tattooing and a wealth of experience that simply can’t be taught. There aren’t many tattooists left who have experienced the trade quite the way Jody has.

A living piece of New Plymouth tattoo history, still here, still tattooing, and still doing it his way.