Three generations of the Rand family now tattoo from the one shop. Kiara Rand is the new kid on the block learning the tricks of the trade from dad Chris and grandfather Dave. AGRON LATIFI reports.
Chris Rand never thought he would work in the family business.
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In fact tattooing wasn’t in the plans for Rand when he was 18 years old. The university student had every intention of becoming an accountant.
But he needed cash to pay for his uni fees and textbooks so agreed to his dad Dave’s request to help out and do some extra work for the family’s tattoo shop in Windang.
Although, when he was ‘’more or less thrown in the deep end’’ one day and asked by his father to go and colour a client’s coy carp tattoo, his apprenticeship had begun.
‘’I'd already been around the shop since I was a small child and was well versed in cleanliness and hygiene, especially with my dad being one of the first people to change needles – he was a real pioneer in terms of how the industry [improved] hygiene wise,’’ Rand said.
‘’My artistic side is genetic I guess. So when it came time to colour that carp in, my machines were already running and I knew where everything had been because I’d watched it so many times before and away I went and 23 years later I’m still doing it and still at uni.’’
The difference nowadays is that he is working side by side as a senior tattoo artist with father Dave. His mother Sue also still manages the Rand Family Tattoo shop.
For the past eight years Karen Rand has also tattooed alongside her husband Chris.
Earlier this year their eldest daughter Kiara joined the family business and started her tattoo apprenticeship with her mentor and grandfather Dave.
Seeing his 18-year-old daughter follow in his footsteps makes the 43-year-old Rand feel ‘’old but unbelievably proud’’.
‘’I’m very family orientated. I even like my clients and friends to feel like they are part of my extended family. So watching my own flesh and blood develop and be a part of something that my dad started so long ago, yeah, it’s a little bit surreal I got to tell you,’’ he said.
‘’It’s something that I didn’t expect to fully happen.
‘’Sometimes you just look and go wow I’ve got this daughter who is growing to be such a responsible, beautiful young woman and I really don’t know sometimes how that’s possible when I’m in charge. I was looking around for the instruction book sometimes when she was growing up. I think she’s lucky she’s got a mum who’s as supportive as she is.’’
Family support is very important to Rand who somehow manages the time to tattoo, play in two bands, run and study for a Master of Business (MBA) by correspondence.
Fans of Segression know Rand as the Wollongong heavy metal band’s bass guitarist and singer. But not as many people are aware that Rand also plays more mellow, acoustic songs with his other band, Kyndle.
He also helps out as musical director of the Christmas Carols concert in Kiama.
Father, tattooist, musician, student and runner are titles that Rand is happy to wear.
’’I just get up in the morning and see what I can do to help,’’ he said.
‘’Obviously my tattooing is a little bit more structured these days with appointments and everything but I just do what I enjoy.
‘’I enjoy keeping fit so I’m a member at Kembla Joggers and go running quite regularly with the lads.
‘’I guess I’m able to do all this because I have an extremely supportive wife, family and team around me.’’
This support means Rand is also ‘’literally’’ one exam, an online subject and a thesis away from finishing his MBA graduate diploma.
He hopes the MBA will help him convince the state government to improve the tattoo industry.
‘’At the moment the tattoo industry is under regulation and licensing from the state government but there’s no qualifications that are attached to that licensing system. It’s basically just a criminal background check,’’ Rand said.
‘’I decided to further my education so my arguments towards the government would hold a lot more weight.
‘’I also like helping people and with my experience I’ll be able to do some consulting and assist people to better run their businesses.’’
Sue Rand, the glue that holds the Rand family together, was surprised her son became a tattoo artist but couldn’t be prouder of the man he has become.
She is also ecstatic her granddaughter Kiara is learning her craft from her husband Dave, who she said was a great tattooist and teacher to boot.
Born in England, Dave Rand has been tattooing in the Illawarra since 1978. He and wife Sue opened their first shop in Corrimal soon after before relocating Rand Family Tattoo to their current premises in Windang Road, Windang.
‘’We were the first tattoo shop. It’s been great to see it grow over the years from one person tattooing to multiple shops,’’ Rand said.
The award-winning tattooist well known for his flawless Japanese-style and colour work, said tattooing had improved out of site in recent years.
People’s perception of tattooing and tattoo shops had also improved markedly thanks to TV shows such as Miami Ink.
‘’I know they copped criticism from the tattoo community in the US but they did us a great service because it opened it up to people who otherwise would have been frightened to go into a tattoo shop,’’ Rand said.
He was looking forward to continuing the ‘’exciting and challenging’’ job of mentoring his granddaughter. Kiara was also happy learning from the ‘’wise man’’ she calls pop.