Although he’s a Perth boy, Jackson May’s work has travelled the globe.
Tattoos inked by the Rockingham artist are permanently etched in the skin of Grammy-winning rappers, Olympic medallists, and even the West Coast Eagles.
Ahead of a mammoth weekend at Perth’s annual Tattoo Expo, the superstar artist sat down with PerthNow to discuss his high-profile clients and his seventeen years in WA’s tattoo industry.
May revealed his first experience with a prominent customer happened nearly a decade ago, when an AFL all-star unexpectedly slid into his DMs.
“Nic Naitanui first reached out to me through Instagram in like 2016, 2017,” he told PerthNow.
The retired West Coast Eagle is now a staple on May’s tattoo table, with several pieces including a 2019 realism portrait of Michael Jordan being inked at his Rockingham studio.
It was this previous client relationship that nabbed the WA tattooer an unforgettable offer: doing ink for the 2018 West Coast Eagles premiership team after their epic MCG victory.
“When they won the flag (in 2018), Nic messaged me and said ‘What do you think about tatting all the boys?’” May said.
Naitanui turned his kitchen into an impromptu studio for the Youngbloods co-owner, with stars like Josh Kennedy, Jamie Cripps and Dom Sheed getting a permanent reminder of their Grand Final win on their skin.
Although May played a part in commemorating Eagles history, the artist revealed he secretly held a different AFL allegiance before meeting the West Coast players.
“I’ve been a Dockers supporter for a long time,” he said, but revealed he was never a die-hard AFL fan.
Nowadays, the Perth local said he’s happy as long as Western Australia is being represented on the field.
“I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m Team WA,” he said.
“If one of our teams is up there, I’m happy.”
If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
May also had the honour of commemorating the 2021 Tokyo Olympics for one Perth-raised athlete.
When Olympic boxer Caitlin Parker landed back in her home state after competing in her first Games, Jackson was one of the first calls made by her coach Foxy.
“I tattooed her coach when she was growing up, and he ended up going to the 2021 Olympics with her,” he said.
“When she came back (to Perth), she wanted to get the rings tattooed and he put us in contact.”
In an interview with The West Australian after the Tokyo games, Parker sang her praises for May’s work and said the ink was representative of her boxing journey.
“All the things didn’t go how I had planned in Tokyo, but (the tattoo) is a reminder for me of all the hard work, the blood, the sweat, the tears that have been put into this journey so far,” the athlete said.
“It is a reminder of the people who have helped me and pushed me along the way.
“It is representative of the Olympic rings, but it is also a push to keep going for Paris. And (my coach) Foxy was there, sitting next to me, as he has been the whole way.”
It appears the tattoo did its job — with Parker later becoming the first female boxer in Australia to win an Olympic medal after she won bronze in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
May hasn’t just worked on the skin of WA sporting legends, however — with Nic Nat helping the Rockingham artist land a gig tattooing late rapper Coolio during the Perth leg of his 2019 tour.
“It was through friends of friends that knew Nic,” May told PerthNow.
“I didn’t even know if it was going to end up happening, but I ended up tattooing him in his hotel room when he was in Perth.”
The Gangster’s Paradise rapper got an abstract lion tattoo done during the session, while May also inked the rapper’s saxophonist and guitarist at the CBD hotel.
With so many A-list clients, it seems impossible to choose a favourite — but for May, he said there was one experience that clearly stood out.
“The Eagles were probably one of my favourites,” he said.
“Just the pure excitement of them winning the premiership, then a few days later being with them while they were celebrating.
“Yeah, that was quite surreal and very cool.”
Despite the acclaim and celebrity praise, May remains as level-headed as he did the day he began tattooing back in 2009.
With the Perth Tattoo Expo approaching, the artist said he was keen to learn some new skills, meet new people, and throw his hat in the ring for a few awards — although he says taking home a trophy would just be an added bonus.
“As long as I get to do a cool tattoo and my client leaves happy, that’s always the goal.”
The Australian Tattoo Expo will be landing at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from October 23 to October 25.