Today we’d like to introduce you to Roger Anthony III.
Roger, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Well, I will try to make a really long story as brief as possible, lol. First, let me say that I wasn’t the “artsy” kid growing up. My focus was primarily on basketball, my first love, but I also did well in school. I’d always had an appreciation for tattoos and thought is was a cool skill, but I had no clue that I had any artistic ability, so I never even thought about it being something I would ever do myself. I started getting tattooed in high school and realized early on that my tattoos always seemed to be better than my friends’. Whether it was the overall idea or even just the placement, the tattoos I got just stood out. I was never interested in getting the typical “hood” tattoos. I wanted art, detail, and symbolism. Many of my friends would even ask me for suggestions and trusted my opinion even though I wasn’t an artist (so I thought), and that was always wild to me, but good practice for what was to come.
While attending Howard University and studying Civil Engineering, I continued to get tattooed by various artists, but as I got older, I started to want more elaborate pieces. I asked around campus to see if anybody with drawing skills could help me out with the designs, and I would go into random shops and pitch my tattoo ideas, hoping to get them sketched, but no one seemed to see what I saw in my head. After a while, I decided to try and draw the designs myself. It took me about a month to draw the two large designs I had in mind for my ribs, and while I was working on them, my housemates and friends would check them out, and everyone who saw was amazed. They had no idea I could draw and neither did I, lol. I still didn’t think much of it, though, because none of them were artists so I didn’t really think they knew what they were talking about, lol. But when I brought my drawings back home to Atlanta, “Gleek,” the artist I had been working with for a while, saw them and immediately said, “You should think about tattooing.”
Now at this time, I was in my 4th year of undergrad and was working as a civil engineering contractor for the Department of Defense, so to me, tattooing seemed like more of a fun hustle than a promising career. Especially for someone that didn’t have a lifelong background in art. I can’t lie though, having someone who was already in the industry tell me that they saw potential in me definitely made me curious. At this time in my life, “tattoo parties” were a regular occurrence, so I invited Gleek up to DC to be the artist while I hosted the parties. I wanted to watch him work and learn more about the craft. I didn’t even ask him for a cut of what he made because I felt like the knowledge was worth more. Eventually, I started drawing the ideas people had as they came in and he’d tattoo them, and as I walked around campus, folks would stop me and ask if I was the one who was tattooing. I’d explain that I wasn’t, but that I was thinking about starting.
After a few trips, Gleek made a deal with me. If I could put together a tattoo machine and it ran properly, he would let me keep it, but in return, I’d have to do my first tattoo with it. On myself! I took the bet, and he sat a bag of random tattoo parts on the table in front of me. It took a while, but I put the machine together. It worked, and that same night I did my first tattoo. On myself. Afterwards, he said “Bruh, I really ain’t think you was gonna do that lol, but you are fearless… That’s what it’s gonna take for you to be a good tattoo artist.” It was at this point that I felt my curiosity turning into my new passion, and the only thing that ever came close to my love for basketball.
From then until I graduated that following spring 2010, I did over 400 tattoos. I would spend almost all my free time either tattooing or drawing, but I still maintained my 9 to 5 with DoD. My desire to become a better artist led me on a search for an apprenticeship, and I found my first shop family at Pinz N Needlez Tattoo in NW DC. The shop owner and my mentor, Chris Mensah, showed me that I had to unlearn a lot of the bad habits I had acquired being on my own, and seeing what he was able to accomplish inspired me to want my own shop one day. He taught me how to properly tattoo and emphasized clean lines and smooth shading, which are the things that people compliment my work on the most now. He also required me to take art classes since I had no formal art training, which greatly improved my tattoo design ability and led to me doing solo art shows around DC.
It was also at Pinz that I met Miya Bailey and Tuki Carter, two artists who I had admired from afar, but unbeknownst to me, were also part of the small network of Black tattoo artists who pioneered Black tattooing in America that Chris also belonged to. These three men were, and still are, so inspirational to me and essential to my growth as an artist and businessman. As my confidence grew and my family of artists continued to expand, I decided to leave the corporate world altogether and went into art and tattooing full-time. When I moved back home to Atlanta in 2019, I began working at City of Ink Tattoo and Art Gallery, where Miya and Tuki are the owners. COI is where I really learned how to combine my artistic ability with my work ethic and business mind. They taught me how to create and sustain multiple streams of income for myself using my artistic skills and how to utilize a creative space for more than just tattoos. My plan was to be there for 2-3 years, soak up all the knowledge I could, build up my Atlanta clientele, and eventually open my own shop. However, after being there for a little over a year, in the height of the COVID pandemic, I was able to step out on faith and use what I had learned to open Studio After 5: I wanted to open a private, one-on-one tattoo studio where I could create a calm, relaxing environment and an experience that would be catered to each of my clients’ individual needs.
One of my best friends from college, Stephon Gentry, came on as my business partner and has been an invaluable asset. His specialty is business development and management, financial literacy, and investments. Together, because of our strong desire for service, we’ve been able to create much more than a private tattoo studio and art gallery. In addition, Studio After 5: provides many other services for individuals and small businesses, including business setups, tax education and prep, investment classes, logo design, event space rentals, and networking opportunities. We also have a resident master barber, LaMont Russell, who has been able to utilize the space to create a VIP experience for his own clients as well. Our goal is to make Studio After 5: a small business incubator that not only helps businesses start but continues to be an asset that aids in their growth. The name “After 5:” pays homage to how I got started in tattooing. It comes from the idea that even if you work a 9-to-5, the work you put in after 5pm can help you find your passion and your purpose, which can change your life. For the first few years of my tattoo career, the only time I had to tattoo would be after I got off work, and I wanted anyone who had aspirations of self-employment to know that they could work their “After 5” until it became their 9-to-5. In time, as your confidence and business grows, you’ll take even more pride in what you’re doing because you’ll realize it’s much more than a side hustle. It’s your key to a new lifestyle. We all want to create generational wealth for our families and achieve financial freedom for ourselves, and business ownership is one of the key steps in doing that.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There are always minor bumps in the road when pursuing a dream, but my toughest obstacle was finding and managing a work-life balance. As an artist, most of your time is spent alone, which was not the type of life I was used to. I dove in headfirst into the tattooing and art world, and in turn neglected many of the most important relationships in my life. Although I was following my dream and enjoying the process, it was hard not seeing the people I loved because being around my family and friends has always been important to my happiness. I had to learn how to work more efficiently and find a pace that allowed me to continue to build my business while simultaneously rebuilding and maintaining the then strained personal relationships with the people that made me the man I had grown to be. And to be honest, it wasn’t until I realized how lonely life had become for me in the bubble I had created for myself that I started to make substantial changes.
Tunnel vision is great and necessary for a time, but you have to learn how to live life outside of that to achieve true happiness or you’ll disconnect yourself from the best parts of life. I’ve never been “just” anything. I’ve always seen myself as someone who could do anything, at any time, in my own way. I just had to figure it out. It took a long time, but I did it. Early in my tattooing career, as someone who has a degree in a field with many lucrative opportunities and upward mobility, I battled with doubt and frustration because I was no longer in a cushy position with benefits, a 401k retirement plan, and regular bi-weekly checks requiring minimal work. To some, it may look like a carefree lifestyle, but the life of an artist is hard work, long hours, and sometimes very stressful. Especially if you have a desire to be great.
Oftentimes, I would contemplate going back into engineering full-time simply because it was the easier, “safer” route, but I had to be honest with myself in knowing that I didn’t want to stay safely on the ground. I wanted to fly. And the only way to do that was to jump. I just had to trust God’s plan and have faith that it aligned with my own vision and that He’d provide me with what I needed to make it a reality. Lastly, as someone who wasn’t a lifelong practicing artist, I’d compare myself to other artists and feel inadequate. Fundamental things that they could do with ease, I struggled with. Fortunately, my competitive spirit kicked in and I attacked tattooing as I did basketball. Growing up, I was taught to “always work on your left” because I’m right-handed. The purpose behind that is to constantly work on your weakest skill until it becomes your best weapon. So that’s what I did. And slowly, I overcame my insecurities and began to earn the respect of artists who’d been in the game much loner than I had.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a visual artist. Tattooing is my main medium, but I also work with acrylic paint, oil pastels, charcoal, and markers. I create logo designs and design apparel and other merchandise for myself and others. As a tattooer, I love doing coverups, and I am best known for having clean lines and intricate designs. I created my own tattoo style that I named “Neo-Geo Tribal” by combining three of my favorite styles of tattooing into 1: “Neo-Traditional”, which utilizes multiple line weights to create contrast; “Geometric”, which focuses on angular shapes and patterns; and “Tribal”, which uses bold designs and negative space to create flow and accentuate the curves of the body.
Combining these three styles, along with incorporating traditional African elements like Adinkra symbols, allowed me to create a unique style that is bold and stands out from other artists. It is often requested and is also a way for me to pay homage to our ancestors. African tribes used skin markings for various purposes, so it is an honor to adorn my clients’ skin with my own style of tribal art. There’s nothing like the sense of pride I feel when I see my art on people, especially after years have passed. I am most proud, however, that I am a successful Black tattoo artist and business owner who has carved out his own lane in an industry historically dominated by white artists.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Well, I mean, Atlanta is home, so family is what I appreciate most about being back. I lived in DC for 15 years, and although I visited often, I deeply missed being here. I love Atlanta. I love the South. It’s an unmatched vibe and sense of kinship all around you that can’t really be described, only felt. Also, Fletcher’s wings. Hot with lemon pepper sprinkles. If you don’t already know, thank me later. As far as dislikes… I’d have to with the traffic, lol. Lots of new folks have moved down here. But you just have to know when to be on the road. If you can avoid the highways during rush hour, you’re good for the most part. I still remember how to get from one side to another using side streets, so I’m usually pretty straight. A lot has changed since I left, but the feeling of nostalgia I get when riding around is still one of the best feelings ever. Nothing like it.
Pricing:
- $300 Minimum for standard tattoo sessions (usually 2-3 hours)
- $1000 Minimum for a full-day session (8+ hours)
- $50 Friday special (once a month, tattoos range from $50-$300)
- $50 Consultations
- $50 Deposit for appointments
Contact Info:
- Email: Studioafter5atl@gmail.com
- Website: www.Rogeranthonyart.com www.shopafter5brand.com
- Instagram: @rogeranthonyart @studioafter5ive
- Facebook: Facebook.com/rogeranthonyart
- Twitter: @rogeranthonyart
Image Credits
Terico Harper – @8690productions (Photo inside the studio) Chris Goode – @chrisgoodeaction (Rooftop photo)
