Meet Mitch

Kicking off our Meet the Team segment with nonother than the creator himself, Mitch Teckman!

After Graduating from Full Sail, an Audio Engineering School, Mitch realized that becoming a sound engineer was not for him. He enjoyed creating music and art, more than recording other people’s art. He was working a labor-intensive Job as a Home Theatre/ Audio Technician, while pursuing a local band and decided that tattooing could give him the flexibility and freedom to work by day and play music by night. For Mitch, it was all about freedom to work and create vs. working for the man.

Mitch started tattooing 20 years ago at Tat2 You in Palm Harbor, where he began the journey of a Tattoo Artist. Mitch would go on to start Legendary Tattoos in the summer of July 2009. The name was inspired by the Legend of Zelda and the mediaeval style logo of the sword and Shield.

Mitch loves Japanese inspired tattoo art, as well as nautical illustrative style. “You have to be versatile to stay busy, but I prefer doing large scale pieces that lead to full sleeves, or back/chest pieces.” - Mitch.

When Mitch isn’t busy at the Tattoo Shop, he enjoys working on his side project, Legendary Ltd, our Tattoo Inspired Clothing brand. “We are incorporating many different tattoo themes and collections into the brand, and I am having a blast creating new artwork for apparel.” – Mitch.

Outside of work, Mitch loves spending quality time with his wife and daughter, playing and learning songs on the guitar, golfing with family and friends, and studying books on entrepreneurship and small business. On the weekends (or weekday, depending how the day goes ;-) you can catch Mitch enjoying a chilled Anejo Tequila during the warmer months, and a good Scotch during the colder months.

Fun Fact - With his newfound love for anything spicy, Mitch is looking into creating a Legendary Hot Sauce to add to our line of goods. “Ever since I got covid 2 years ago, my tastebuds changed, and I love the Hottest sauces imaginable. I can withstand peppers, wasabi, and horse radish more than ever.” – Mitch.

 

Meet Bob 

Bob grew up in Palm Harbor, Fl. 

His tattoo artwork deals in very bold and bright colors as well as smooth black and gray realistic Tattoo art. The styles he studies range from realism tattoos, Japanese tattoos, floral tattoos to New School Tattooing. 

Bob’s artistic influences were sparked in high school by being involved in custom pinstriping and airbrushing. He pursued his love of the Hotrod tattoo culture and was involved in local car clubs based in the Tampa Bay area. 

While recovering from a terrible back injury, he went on to pursue tattooing in 2006. After Bob’s construction accident, he confesses that, “Tattooing saved my life”. Tattooing gave him an opportunity to pursue his love of art and allowing him to work in an industry that uses his natural talents to provide for his family. 

Bob is known to freehand many of his tattoos by drawing it on with a marker and creating a true custom tattoo. He is always painting tattoo style subject matter and looking to expand his style.

A true versatile artist, Bob can pretty much cover all styles of tattoo artwork. His passion for the Tattoo industry shows in his work and he is always ready for the next artistic challenge presented. 

Check out his most current work on Instagram!

 

Meet Melissa 

Meet Melissa Murphy, Shop Manager, and our skilled Piercer with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Born on May 28th, Melissa has dedicated her career to creating stunning and unique piercings for her clients. Melissa joined the Legendary Team in 2017.  

“I enjoy styling ear piercings. I like when clients ask me what piercings I think would look good on their ears.” – Melissa

Her journey into the world of piercing began unexpectedly when she found herself getting numerous piercings. Melissa's frequent visits to a tattoo studio, which coincidentally owned a neighboring clothing store where she often shopped, led her to forge a friendship with the owner's wife. When the studio's piercer decided to relocate, Melissa was offered an apprenticeship, setting her on a path she still loves today.

Beyond her piercing expertise, Melissa has also pursued various art projects. Currently, she has been channeling her creativity into making unique jewelry pieces, including stylized boot chains.

Melissa has been getting into traveling, and enjoys exploring new destinations, going on hiking adventures, and sightseeing. “I just went on my 1st cruise in April and loved it. Can't wait to do it again.” - Melissa

Fun Fact: Melissa loves to roller skate! “I've been roller skating on and off since I was little. The past 3 years I've been skating more often.” – Melissa

Melissa’s drink of choice is tea. Hot or Cold… she’ll take it either way!

 

Meet Eric

Eric Wasserman was born in Massachusetts and moved to the Tampa Bay area in early 2000. His artistic influences came from his Father who is an oil painter.

Eric started his career at our custom Apparel Printing Studio, Legendary Screen Printing and Embroidery. He has been creating Graphic Art and Custom T-shirt Designs over the years and he was led into tattooing by our Owner, Mitch.

Eric’s favorite tattoo style is New School and Neotraditional. He enjoys tattooing Custom Anime, Lettering, and Black and Grey Tattoos.

Check out his most current work on Instagram! 

 

Meet Tim

“Hey what’s up! I’m Tim”

Tim Dalton, born on July 8^th, has been with the Legendary Family for over a year and a half. He has an integral part at Legendary Screen Printing and is also a dedicated apprentice at Legendary Tattoos.

At the print shop, Tim plays a pivotal role in ensuring smooth and efficient operations. He oversees the production process, from printing shirts to ensuring they are promptly getting out the door to our valued customers. However, Tim's contributions go beyond production. He also handles administrative tasks, engaging with customers, managing orders, and organizing jobs.

Tim's journey into the art of tattooing is a captivating one. “I bought a machine during COVID because I wanted to get tattooed but couldn’t because everything was shut down. I started practicing on myself and brave friends and family and it grew from there.” – Tim

Within the realm of tattooing, Tim enjoys doing American traditional pieces. He has also been exploring the neo-traditional style as well, which allows for more intricate and contemporary interpretations. Additionally, Tim enjoys the occasional black and grey.

Tim has been keeping himself busy with side projects. “Professionally, I’ve been working on some new Legendary LTD designs. Personally, I’ve been getting back into drums and music.” - Tim

Fun Fact: Prior to his journey in the tattoo and t-shirt printing industry, Tim’s first career was as a paramedic.

When Tim isn’t working, you can catch him hitting the skatepark with his wife and dog, or enjoying a classic old-fashioned.

 

Meet Ty

“Hi, my name is Ty – The Legendary Ninja.”

At Legendary, Ty has been an invaluable asset since September 2022. As part of the Legendary Screen-Printing Team, Ty's primary responsibility is to prepare designs for Direct-to-Film printing and create eye-catching design mockups. But it doesn't stop there – Ty also lends a hand in other areas like heat press/screen printing and embroidery, making Ty an essential player in ensuring the highest quality products.

When Ty isn't busy perfecting designs at Legendary, he unleashes his creativity in personal projects. “Personally, I’ve been working on a few character designs, and currently, I’ve been working on an updated Legendary LTD design, so look out for that.” - Ty

In his free time, Ty enjoys drawing and playing games. Family is also of utmost importance to Ty, and he makes sure to spend quality time hanging out and helping out whenever possible.

Fun Fact: “I have skated the whole Pinellas Trail before. It’s very nice, definitely recommend checking the trail out.” - Ty

Ty has a love for many different types of beverages from OJ, to Kiwi Ramune, to Hot Dragon Peral Tea, however a Frozen Thai Tea Boba is Ty’s go to refreshment.

 

Meet Kaylee

Kaylee has been a key member of the Legendary Tattoos family for the past 3 years.

Born on July 14^th, Kaylee's journey into the world of tattooing was ignited by her mother. Fueled by her desire to see Kaylee thrive in her artistic passion, her mother took the pivotal step of purchasing her a tattoo machine. “My mom got me started in tattooing by buying me a machine and helping me get an apprenticeship after I wasn’t enjoying my first career” – Kaylee.

Kaylee has carved out a niche for herself as a talented tattoo artist specializing in black and gray realism. She also enjoys tattooing neo traditional pieces. “I am currently working on a full color, Star Wars sleeve” – Kaylee

Beyond the buzzing of the tattoo machine, Kaylee finds solace in the realms of fishing and reading.

As a multi-talented artist, Kaylee has also mastered the art of transforming faces through special effects makeup and face painting.  

 

Meet Brad

Brad Stauffer, born on February 21st, has been a part of the Legendary team on and off for several years. “It’s complicated” - Brad

Brad is meticulous when it comes to t-shirt production, known for his keen eye for detail and dedication to producing high-quality prints. He is also known as the inhouse Professional Zen Magnifier, Vibe Manager, and Resident Comedian.

Outside of his professional role, Brad is a passionate music producer, songwriter, and DJ. “I’m currently working on my Sonic Masterpiece.” - Brad

In his spare time, Brad engages in theological discussions with strangers. He also enjoys writing movies in his head as he goes through his daily activities and takes
delight in pointing out things that would make great band names.

An interesting fact about Brad: “I’m trying to boil my whole life down to a solid 5 minutes.” - Brad

When it comes to his drink of choice, you can find Brad with Gus & Bru in hand.

Brad's unique talents and vibrant personality make him an invaluable member of the Legendary team, contributing to a dynamic and enjoyable work environment.

 

Meet David

Meet David Blank, one of the incredibly talented artists here at Legendary Tattoos. Born on November 3rd, David is about to celebrate his one-year anniversary with us this December, and he's already made quite an impression as an artist at the shop.

While David has always had a deep passion for art, he initially embarked on a path towards a graphic design degree. However, life had other plans for him. During his college years, he found himself increasingly drawn to the world of tattoos. “While I was in college, I started getting tattooed and realized that I’d much rather tattoo than design websites and advertisements.” – David

David specializes in smooth black and grey realism, where he creates stunning tattoos that come to life with depth and detail. In addition, he's known for his incredible fine line/ linework tattoos that showcase precision and skill.

When David isn’t working you can find him spending time at the shop. “In my free time I like to come into the tattoo shop anyway and hang out with the gang and think about tattooing the next day. I also enjoy trying to build race cars.” - David

Fun Fact: David has a tattoo of a goose in a flaming dumpster on my leg, aka “dumpster goose”

David’s drink of choice is Ultra Sunrise Monster energy drinks, giving him the energy and focus he needs during long sessions of tattooing.

 

Meet Rick

Meet Rick Damer, one of the newest members to the Legendary Family!

Rick is the friendly face you'll see meeting and greeting our fantastic customers. He excels at setting and delivering expectations, all while managing the production of the finest apparel in Southwest Florida! Rick brings a smile and a positive mental attitude to every interaction, ensuring that our customers have an exceptional experience with Legendary.

Rick also keeps himself busy as the managing editor of a science fiction periodical called Aegeon: Science Fiction Illustrated. “We are in our third year of production printing short form and long form science fiction with accompanying illustrations.” – Rick

In his spare time, Rick enjoys a variety of hobbies, including traveling, playing music, and engaging in games. “I like to travel to cities near and far for weekend getaways or day trips to Disney parks. I also play guitar and saxophone as well as tabletop games like D&D and others.” - Rick

Interesting Fact: Rick has served our country as a Marine. “I spent 8 years as a Combat Cameraman in the United States Marine Corps and have seen much of the world as a result.” – Rick

On the weekends you can catch Rick with a cold Guinness in hand!

Rick’s diverse experiences and upbeat attitude make him a valuable asset to the Legendary team. Be sure to say hello next time you visit!

 

Meet Christina 

Born on December 5^th, Christina Teckman is a dynamic force behind the Legendary brand. As the wife of owner Mitch, Christina has been an integral part of the journey since the inception of Legendary Tattoos 15 years ago.

Last year, Christina bid farewell to her 16-year career in Corporate America as an Apparel Buyer at HSN to join forces with Mitch in supporting both Legendary Tattoos and Legendary Screen Printing. Beyond the storefronts, she also manages and runs their online clothing brand, Legendary LTD.

While her primary focus lies in Social Media and Marketing, Christina wears many hats within the businesses. From handling administrative tasks, diving into graphic design work, developing websites, to providing customer service, and more. “Really whatever is needed at the moment, I jump in and do it.” – Christina

In her personal time, Christina finds joy in playing with her 7 year old daughter, Lilly. “She has the best personality and is literally the funniest person I know! She is growing up so fast, and I'm enjoying my time taking it all in.” – Christina  

She also has delved into the world of health and wellness. "I’ve been weight training and practicing hot yoga at Fitness 360, while focusing on clean eating." - Christina 

With a passion for Interior Design, Christina is always on the lookout for new projects around the house as well. “I am very much into interior designing and almost went for that degree, but ended up with a Bachelors in Fashion Design instead” – Christina

Fun Fact: Christina was born in England. “My dad was a deep-sea diver who did underwater welding and traveled the world when I was little.” – Christina

Another Fun Fact: Christina and her sister, Victoria, were invited to join Bon Jovi on stage during their 2006 tour in Tampa, FL. "Jon Bon Jovi came over and hugged us... that was the best concert I've ever been to!" - Christina 

Christina's drink of choice is anything sparkling, whether its a Flavored Sparkling Water or Prosecco, she'll take either!