James and Anthony Tex couldn’t pass up the opportunity to appear on a reality show featuring tattoo artists when the producers of Ink Master contacted them to invite them to participate.

James is 50 years old and has been in the industry for 26 years.

“Before I left, I had watched a few seasons just to understand what the show was about and you’re like, ‘oh, I could do better,'” James said.

“But then you get on the show and you realize it’s reality TV and you’re not going to do this (challenge) every time, you’re going to try but if you’ve ever watched the show you realize that No one is perfect and anything can happen.”

Anthony is 32 and says his father taught him everything he knows about tattooing. The two have similar illustration styles and the younger Tex says they are the first father-son duo to be a guest on the series.

“I think they had brothers, family members, something like that – but there’s nothing to stop it,” he said. “So I think having my dad and I on Ink Master was a really good opportunity for our photo, for our name, for Canada, it’s really great.”

Difficult start

Both men say the start of the competition was tricky with all the lights, cameras and microphones monitoring and listening to their every move.

“The first few tattoos, it was a little strange because it’s a quiet room and you need the audio,” Anthony said. “But after the first tattoos, you don’t even think about it anymore, you become one with the room.”

“I was lucky to at least have Anthony by my side,” James said. “(He provided) a little support system and then after a few weeks he got to know everyone on the show and they were super nice, awesome, talented young people because I was the oldest guy. “

The two cannot divulge any details from the show, nor reveal how far they have come in the competition. Ink Master is streaming on Paramount+ and has 16 tattoo artists competing for $250,000 in prize money.

“You’re kind of seen in a different light,” James said. “All your insecurities and flaws are shown on TV because there is no place to hide.”

“It’s definitely on the resume,” Anthony said. “If you don’t go too far (in the competition), or if you get to the top first or all the way to the end, whatever happens, it will improve your career at some point.”

A family affair

Production on the show took place in late spring 2024 and Karen Tex, Jame’s wife and Anthony’s mother, had her hands full running the Deadly Tattoos store in southwest Calgary because She had no right to tell anyone that her boys were filming a North American reality film. television show. But now that the show is airing, she watches it with them.

“I’m so proud,” she said. “I’m probably their biggest fan girl, it’s been amazing watching them on the show and seeing all the challenges and obstacles they go through, so yeah, it’s been really cool.”

Karen says bookings are up now as Calgarians go online Ink Master and they want to get tattoos from celebrities.

“I would say the emails are picking up and you know people are appreciative of having local artists on the show,” she said. “I represent Calgary and we’re a local business here too, so it’s very exciting.”

Karen hopes her 25-year-old daughter Ali will also be a guest on the show one day when she has a few more years of tattoo experience under her belt.

Learn more about the tattoo parlor here.