Raymond Galapon III

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

Pain. Long suffering. Loss. Memories. Three weeks before the needle first touched my chest, my wife of 20 years separated from me and our two boys, and my Uncle, like a second father, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in his 40s. Oh, and I had lost a $20,000 down payment to a house neither of us would never step foot in. Born and raised Hawaiian, the tapestry was always wanted but never needed. Until it was. It was therapy 101.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

Don’t erase good memories because of bad times! I am weave with emotions, stamped with dates of miracles and depict some of the world’s greatest influences. At my center, and at the right hand, I overlook a masterpiece of being faithful over few. The stars align not because we forced them, but because we allowed them to. Always.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would invite my tattoo artist (who became a close friend and therapist essentially), along with family and friends on a weeklong cruise to show off all of our fresh art by Bang Bang, sponsored by InkedMag! It would be an all out party, documented celebrating healthy mindset, embracing emotions, and shared passions through art. To include renting a conference room on the boat to do a podcast about how ink was channeled to be therapeutic and liberating!