For almost a year now, tattoo and fine artist Jason Tyler Grace has been on the road with the goal of tattooing on every continent and experiencing the freedom and adventure that go with selling off your possessions and winging it around the world. He began his journey last January in Costa Rica and has traveled to Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Bolivia. And he's got stories to tell. And they are good.

Jason is back in the States for a bit, and last night over Jameson and Guinness, he told me about crooked cops and cocaine tours; tripping through Macchu Picchu; working tiny conventions and doing guest spots at some great studios like Nazareno Tubaro's place and Well Done Tattoos in Argentina; and also getting tattooed himself. We talked till 2am and I still didn't hear half of his adventures, but thankfully he's been keeping a journal and has begun sharing his travel diary in Tattoo Artist Magazine. Read part of his first installment on the TAM blog.  Here's a taste:

The average traveler either meets other travelers along the way or spends a good amount of time on their own. Traveling as a tattooer, I am allowed behind the curtain, it provides an instant community instead of spending time with other travelers I get to spend time with local people that I have a connection with through the craft. They take me to the cool spots, they show me the crazy shit. As everyone in the industry knows, there is a lot of trouble to get into; I like trouble and trouble likes me. Working south of the equator is a whole other deal, a fancy North American, who is used to having access to whatever I want, a thermofax, reference books, a photocopier... it's just not available here. This shit has stretched me, took away my crutches and made me a better craftsman.

He also has a travel blog, which he updates on occasion. A seriously compelling read.

Jason is in Brooklyn now tattooing at Three Kings Tattoo, and then will be in San Francisco, back at his old haunt Idle Hand Tattoo January 3-15th. In February, you'll find him in Melbourne, Australia at Dynamic Tattoo; from there, he says he plans to go around South East Asia, and who knows what will be next. He'll be somewhere near you soon, so hit him up for top tattoo work and a good story.