I’m Rickey, Owner and Operator of Modified Design Tattoos & Body Piercing and Fine Art Gallery. Here’s a little about me and some of my work.

I was raised in what I affectionately call a “cult”, known to most people as the Mormon Church, of which I am clearly no longer affiliated with. I survived 220v of electricity flowing through my body at 18 months old, drowning at 4, falling off a 2 story building at 6, and a crazy truck wreck at 16. I stabbed my right eye with a switch blade on accident when I was 12 which caused me to have a lazy eye until 2008 when my doctor fixed it.

This all attributed to me being a very odd child, lacking most social skills needed to function with other humans, on any normal level at least. Which lead me into a life of art and body modification, two things I love more than anything and I decided to build my career around.

As far as tattooing goes, I rock the black-n-grey like crazy. It’s by far my favorite thing to do, but lately I have been branching out towards photo realism. I have a ways to go with it, but keep an eye on my portfolio as I dive deeper into this style. I’ll do flash, but I love it when someone comes to me with a cool idea and just lets me do my thing. I free hand when the piece allows for it. I prefer free handing to using a pattern because it always flows with the body better. So bring me some cool ideas and let me design something custom for you!

I love piercing, it’s what I first started doing in this industry. I’m extremely well versed in all the basics, plus more. I do microdermals, surface piercings, dermal punching, and more. I’m a safety piercer though, which means if your body isn’t built for it I will refuse to do it, or if I just think the idea won’t work. I love to do long term projects, and design various piercings for anybody that lets me. So come in and talk to me about your next piercing or project.

F.A.Q.’s

• What size are your gauges? – First, they are plugs, not “gauges”, but they are 2 inches.
• Did that hurt? – Yes…it did hurt.
• How long did it take to stretch them that far? – I pierced my ears at 13yo and began stretching (16g, 14g, 12g, etc…) slowly for a couple of years at first, all the while assuring my mother they where the same size as the last pair. At 16 I kicked it into high gear and went a little too fast for a few years, I was at 1 1/2 inches by 18, and 2″ by 22. I haven’t stretched in 3 years, and may never again.
• Do they hurt now? – Nope…
• Did you stretch your inner ears too? – Yes and no. I had my Conch’s dermal punched by Allen Falkner at Obscurities in Dallas, TX. He punched them at 8mm, or 0g. I then spent 2 years stretching them to 7/16″. A very painful process!
• Is your lip stretched too? – Yep, 5/8″. It used to be 3/4″ but after a couple of years of that I backed down for comfort reasons.
• Did I just see light through your nose? – Yes, I had my septum dermal punched and scalpelled to 00g and I’m currently stretching it up to 1/2″.
• Is your tongue split? – Yes, and I can move both halves separately.
• Is it true you have no nipples? – Yes.
• Are you f*cking insane? – That’s relative.

Tattoos

Piercing

Microdermals

Surface Piercing

Dermal Punching

Keep In Mind

I am extremely busy these days and may not always be taking walk in customers for tattoos or piercings, but you can always request me. If you want to be pierced by me, ask. If you want a tattoo by me, make an appointment.

Trades

In my rare spare time I will trade tattoo and piercing work for physical items or services, like welding, plumbing, etc… As far as physical items I’m always interested in tv’s (flat panels only, any size) and other tech related items, reptiles/supplies (I keep almost strictly venomous snakes but I’m always looking for quality caging), and vintage medical tools, and many other things.

Currently I am looking for a set of 22″ 6 lug (chevy) rims with excellent tires. I will trade a full sleeve or back piece for the right set.

Schedule

Sunday: 12pm-8pm
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 12pm-10pm
Thursday: 12pm-10pm
Friday: 12pm-12am
Saturday: 12pm-12am

Schedule

Sunday: Off
Monday: 12pm-10pm
Tuesday: 12pm-10pm
Wednesday: 12pm-10pm
Thursday: 12pm-10pm
Friday: 12pm-12am
Saturday: 12pm-12am

Mike has been piercing professionally for 1 year now after apprenticing under Rickey Wheeler. He does great with all basic piercings and more, and is sure to be a career piercer. Come see him for your next piercing.

Schedule

Sunday: 12pm-8pm
Monday: 12pm-10pm
Tuesday: 12pm-10pm
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: 12pm-12am
Saturday: 12pm-12am

Tattoo Bob has been a tattooing fixture in the Texoma area since the early 90’s when he relocated to north Texas after closing a successful shop in the panhandle of Florida at Panama City. He came to this area to get away from the hustle and bustle of a “tourist area” When the State of Texas required tattoo shops to become licensed in the early 90’s, Bob was one of the first to secure the required licensing, not only in Texoma, but in the state. He owned and operated Tattoos By Bob in Denison for years, until his health forced him to close the shop down and sell out the business. He was known across the northern Texas, southern Oklahoma area as having a clean, sterile shop that presented a wide variety of styles in a friendly laid back atmosphere.

Bob was born in Macon Georgia in 1946, was raised by various family members, mostly and most importantly by his maternal grandmother. He spent most of his childhood in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater/Tampa area of the west coast of Florida. Because of this, he feels his home to be there, but as he says, “Gimme a salty piece of land on the coast and I am home”.

As a young sailor stationed at Mayport Naval Station in 1965, the first tattoo shop that Bob ever ventured into was near the intersection of Mayport Road and Atlantic Blvd. in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He was hooked from that point on. He became a regular at the local shops and any shops overseas in almost any port the fleet visited. He learned and watched and was more firmly convinced this is what he wanted to do. Although he did “homemade pieces” with homemade equipment (there weren’t all these
”order your complete tattoo shop from us” back then), he did not make an attempt to formally get into the business at that time, but when presented with the opportunity to apprentice in the late 60’s, he jumped at the chance. The rest is history.

Bob has worked in, or owned, shops in Forest Park, Mountain View, Warner Robins and Macon, GA, Panama City FL, and briefly in Phoenix, AZ and Salinas, CA and lastly in Denison, TX. He has tattooed people from all over the US and many foreign countries. One of his shop mottoes was “Almost World Famous”.

Although over the years, sometimes Bob had to work other jobs along with tattooing to make ends meet and to support his family, tattooing has always been his first love. The old saying of “Find a job you love and you will never work another day in your life” is so true.

Tattoo Bob and Miss Maggie, an ER nurse, have been together for over 40 years. “She is my best friend in the world and I could not live without her,” he will tell you with no hesitation. They like to spend time with friends and make frequent trips to Crystal Beach, TX. (a short ferry ride across from Galveston on the Bolivar Peninsula).

After several years of inactivity due to heart problems, Bob got a pacemaker/defibrillator in April of 2007. This has allowed him to resume almost normal activity, including returning to tattooing.

Modified Design:

Pictures from in and around the shop.

Portfolio:

In this section you will find pictures, Some old and some new, that have been made over the years. You will also find pictures of me working and of work I have done. Some of these pictures could be as much as 30+ years old. Mixed in throughout are pictures of my girls, Maggie, Lee, Leigh and Tina. Hope you enjoy looking at all of them.

Schedule:

Sunday: Off
Monday: Noon – 10:00 PM
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Noon – 5:00 PM
Thursday: Noon – 5:00 PM
Friday: Noon – 5:00 PM
Saturday: Noon – 6:00 PM

Appointments can be made at almost anytime that is convenient for you. If you have an idea for a tattoo and want to discuss it, please feel free to stop by the shop anytime I am working to talk about it.

This page displays the work for past present and future guest artist. If you are a tattoo artist and would like to guest spot please email or call Rickey at the shop.

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Richard de la Cruz – Award winning and available by appointment only June 27th-30th. Don’t miss your chance to get tattooed by this amazing artist. Deposits required for appointments. 903-487-2161

Jeremy Witherspoon – Owner of Freaky Tiki Tattoo in Joplin, MO, and great tattoo artist, Jeremy has been a guest at Modified Design twice now, and will hopefully return in the future.

Schedule

Sunday: 12pm-8pm
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: 6pm-12am
Saturday: 12pm-8pm

Schedule

Sunday: 12pm-8pm
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: 6pm-12am
Saturday: 12pm-8pm