Dean Gunther

Dean Gunther was born in 1987 in Cape Town, South Africa. He grew up in a suburb called Bellville.

- Philip Meraglia

He has always been fascinated by art and it was clear from a very young age that he was talented. After he knew that he wanted to become a tattoo artist, he got his first tattoo that was done in proper prison style. The ink was made from a black rubber band that is melted into foil, which you then rub in the foil to give you a fine powder, you then mix that with water or spit (very unhygienic and frowned upon.) However, that tattoo had a very powerful meaning and it’s a story that he carries with pride.

After doing a few sales jobs after school, he was very unhappy and at the age of 20 he decided to follow his passion and start a career with his talent, which was drawing, regardless of how little the money would be, if any. He was still selling sandwiches part-time and in the afternoons after he sold sandwiches, he would hang out at the local tattoo studio in Epping Ruyterwacht known as Johnny and Jason’s where he used to get tattooed. In 2008, he started tattooing after-hours. Soon after I started building my reputation, I remember someone saying, 'Do what you love and what you are good at, and you will go much further in life and be happy, rather than doing something just for the money.' That is exactly what I have done, and never looked back.

He still remembers the first international tattoo convention in Cape Town he attended back in 2008, meeting tattoo artists from all over the world, and knowing that traveling the world and sharing his work was what he wanted to do. “I believe you should treat people like you want to be treated and never forget your roots.”