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Jason Wilson is a tattoo artist with more than two decades of professional experience. He has owned and operated Integrity Tattoos in historic downtown Belleville since 2001, and is an active member of the city’s hot rod scene.

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Jason got his start at age 16. He ordered his own equipment from a tattoo supply catalog and spent the rest of high school inking his classmates and dodging angry calls from their mothers. He also practiced on himself, covering nearly his entire left side (he’s right-handed) with his own psychedelic-inspired artwork.

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In the early days, Jason found inspiration in Rick Griffin’s psychedelic rock posters and the drawings of Brian Schroeder (Pushead), who created artwork for many bands and musicians, including Metallica and The Misfits, as well as graphics and advertisements for 1980s Zorlac Skateboards.

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Jason was in his 20s and fresh out of the Army when a chance encounter with Ken Cameron at the Atlanta Tattoo Festival led to the opportunity of a lifetime: A guest spot at Tattoos by Lou, Miami’s original tattoo studio. The week-long gig turned into a two-year apprenticeship. Jason was fascinated by the art, and drove all over Miami picking the brains of some of the world’s best tattoo artists, including Ami James and Chris Garver of Miami Ink fame.

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Since Jason’s return to his hometown of Belleville, Ill., he has continued to expand his skills. A lifelong artist with a well-rounded portfolio, he can tattoo in just about any style, adding his own distinctive flair to every piece he creates. Biomechanical, hot rod, photo-realism, cover-ups and his original drawings have won this artist more than a dozen local awards.

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