Joe Bass delivers on every level!
For five years I searched for the right tattoo artist. Â I had a good idea of what ink I wanted but still looked to collaborate with the artist which was proving hard to find. Â Serendipitously, I found Joe Bass at the Jade Mermaid after I moved into an apartment above his shop on Burnside. The shop is warm, inviting, and... clean! It's
a solo shop which I prefer to most other shops that feature a few artists and a piercer. Â
During the consultation, all I really gave him to go off of was a rather poor sketch on a napkin and an entourage of ideas. Â My drawing skills are not the best and the tattoo I now have is not like any other I have seen so image and design references were hard to find. Â It was important to me to find an artist that could understand me so what I ended up with would match exactly what I wanted.
Joe's attention to detail and placement are spot on. The shading is beautiful and the colors pop. He answered every question I had about the process honestly and accurately. Communicating and collaborating with Joe is natural and enjoyable.  Between several rad conversations, ink sessions, and emails, a truly amazing piece of art is on my back and left side.  Before the piece was finished random people just  had to stop me to tell me how beautiful my ink is and the complements are still rolling in now that it is finished.
I am beyond satisfied that Joe Bass is my tattoo artist! I will definitely be going back to Joe for future ink projects. I highly recommend Joe!
Joe Bass is an amazing tattoo artist and person. Â My husband and I wanted new ink to commemorate the end of our west coast honeymoon. Â We looked him up and he had great reviews, THANKS FELLOW YELPERS!! Â He squeezed us into his schedule so that we could have it done before we left town. Â He was in the process of doing a full sleeve tattoo on a guy who sat for almost 2 days straight. Â My tattoo was done on my foot, which is supposed to be the most painful spot, but he has a great hand and it was done in no time. Â His shop is SUPER clean and he is the only guy there unless he has a visiting artist. It was a great experience and I would go back to Portland just to see Joe and get more ink. Â He is that cool.
Review Source:I can't say enough good things about Jade Mermaid. Â Joe Bass is a consummate artist and professional. Â His work is beautiful and he will spend the time with you to make sure you get exactly what you want. Â I'm in the middle of a 3/4 sleeve of original design and I am so happy with the results. Â
His employees, Jerry and Joanne are also great tattoo artists who will make sure you have a great experience there. Â I've watched them interact with all types of actual and potential customers while I've been there and everyone gets treated with respect, unlike the hipster douche bag attitude you can get at SO many other shops.
As to the physical shop, it's always very clean and comfortable. Â So, what are you waiting for?!?? Â Get down there and get that ink you've always wanted! Â Big project or small, Jade Mermaid will set you up!
Getting tattooed is an intimate experience that should be shared with an artist who cares about their work, and cares about their customers. Joe Bass is that artist. He is one of the smartest men I know, that consistently produces works of art. He actually thinks about tattoo placement, and acknowledges the fact that regardless of how beautiful the art may be, making sure it works with your body is just as important. Not only is spending hours on end getting tattooed more on par with hanging out with a buddy and having awesome conversations, but you will leave a smarter person, with a handful of facts, and a wonderful tattoo that will make you smile everyday. The studio is by far, the cleanest place I've found in Portland. I will be the first person to spot something less than sanitary, and I have yet to do so. In my humble opinion, it would be down right crazy to go anywhere else. It's always helpful to hear the less than great qualities about a place, but I am not the person to talk to about that, as I have not found any. I have nothing but beautiful things to say about Joe Bass and The Jade Mermaid. For as long as Joe tattoos, I will be a returning client.
Review Source:Get your tattoo here. Â Clean (I mean OCD clean), Â awesomely talented artists, super cool, super smart. Best work I've seen or had. Â Likey! Â Jerry Martian is amazing and you've got to meet him to understand that. I was referred by a close friend and I'm telling all of my friends about Jade Mermaid - that says volumes. Â Jerry took the idea in my head and created a piece of art that takes my breath away. Definitely the place for you, whoever you are and whatever you're seeking in your first or next tattoo. Don't miss out on the best tattoo of your life. Go now.
Review Source:I love Joanne and Jerry Martin, they are my favorite portland tattoo artists! Â They took me and my friend the day we called and did a great job, as usual. Â One of my favorite tattoos was done by Joanne, two hens on my arm. Â She did the drawing, which was better than mine and came out fabulous. Â It is my most appreciated tattoo by strangers, especially in Costa Rica. Â Jade Mermaid is also a lovely space, very comfortable, and they play good music. Â There are lots of tattoo shops in portland, but Jerry and Joanne make me feel really at home, getting tattooed there feels like just hanging with friends. Â Also, not over-priced!
Review Source:Joanne Martin is amazing. I went to her with a very obscure idea and she made it come to life. Her line work is intricate and she puts a lot of love in care in her work. This tattoo has healed the best out of any others! Very bright and colorful as well. Everyone that sees my tattoo is really impressed with it.
Review Source:If you are looking for some serious high quality, creative and original ink work, go see Jerry at The Jade Mermaid. Â I met him 5 or 6 years ago working at shop in SE and started with a single piece on my arm. Â I was impressed of course with the detail and overall quality, but I was also so impressed by his attitude and outstanding level of customer service. Â I watched him greet everyone that came in the door with a genuine interaction that is honestly missing from most "too-cool-for-school" Â tattoo parlors. Â
He has since done many original pieces for me that have included some amazing free-hand work with excellent depth and detail. The new shop he is at, The Jade Mermaid, has a great vibe and some pretty cool other artists working there that share his positive attitude. Â
Honestly, I won't get inked by anyone else. Not gonna happen..period.
The tale I twist is slightly long, but stick with it because it ends beautifully.
A few years back I was diagnosed with a rare disease called POEMS Syndrome- a disease that almost took my life. After years of being horribly sick, struggles with the healthcare system, losing 100lbs and a head full of waist-lengthed dreads, and an eventual stem cell transplant - I was left all but wasted away before my disease was finally kicked into remission.
After a couple of years, I gradually gained my health and strength (I'm working on the dreads) and finally became strong enough to again travel- and decided I deserved a vacation. To commemorate my travel after the years of Hell and torture, I decided a tattoo was in order. I did a bit of research, asked a bunch of questions, and was lead to Joe Bass.
I sent him an email, discussed ideas with him, and decided that he was the man for the job. When we finally met, it was like talking to an old friend. Not only because Joe is possibly one of the coolest people I've ever met, but because the tattoo he designed for me was EXACTLY as I had imagined in my head. Before I was tattooed, I had planed on it being my last. But it came out so beautifully that I'm now planning on traveling back to Joe to get more work done.
If you take nothing else from this review- know that Joe Bass, as an artist and a person, is worth coming back from Hell and traveling from Washington, DC to Portland, OR to see. I would travel anywhere he was to get him to do my ink, and any shop that houses him is one that deserves your patronage.
Jerry has been tattooing me for years and I've never been disappointed. He is great at interpreting your ideas into beautiful work that is more than you could ask for. He worked for years on Hawthorne and has just recently relocated to the Jade Mermaid. I would highly recommend him. You will not be disappointed!!!
Review Source:A great new addition to the community!!
I have had work done in the past by Joe Bass the owner of the Jade Mermaid and the new location doesn't fail to impress. Â Before I got to the studio I was concerned about the parking and truthfully it was as easy as parking anywhere downtown Portland. Â I circled the block and found 5 hour parking very quickly.
The shop itself is comfortable and inviting. Â If you have had work done by Joe in the past you understand how inviting his shops have always been. Â The Jade Mermaid is no different. Â The walls are adorned with original artwork and indicative of a custom art studio. Â How can you go wrong with a old school Mata Hari pinball machine!
Some of the things that stood out for me when I first was introduced to Joe are; his personable demeanor and how he was quick to put his customers at ease. Â Joe is an accomplished tattooist who has a fantastic eye for the subtlety in shading and muscle structure when deciding on proper placement.
With the studio being so centrally located you are only a block or two from many Portland hotspots like; Powell's Books, The Crystal Ballroom and JELD-WEN Field home of the Portland Timbers.
If you are looking for the whole tattoo experience, Joe Bass and the Jade Mermaid will defiantly live up to all of your expectations.
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