Check Out Jonathan (Giga) Swiney’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan (Giga) Swiney.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Jonathan, aka Jon Redcorn, and my close friends know me as Giga. I’m a mixed-blood from Tennessee. I’ve always been the “black sheep” in my family.

Skateboarding, tattoos, martial arts, Death Metal, and punk music were some of my favorite things ever (and still are). I started my official apprenticeship in 2015-2018, got signed off in 2018, and have continued to learn and grow on my journey each day. I spent about two years before that going to every tattoo shop I could when I lived in Michigan and moved back to Tennessee in that time frame trying to land an apprenticeship and just learn about the Tattoo Industry.

My obsession with tattoos started at a very young age and was not supported by my family at all. I watched a documentary about the Yakuza and Japanese Tattooing when I was 9 or 10 and it really sealed the deal for me on wanting to become a tattoo artist. I fell in love with the Asian style tattoos and Irezumi before I knew much about any other types of tattooing. I also fell in love with Black and grey horror styles when I learned about artists like Bob Tyrell and Paul Booth.

Tattooing isn’t an easy journey (not that life generally is anyway, lol) I worked my ass off apprenticing 6-7 days a week on top of 2 sometimes 3 other part-time jobs to pay my bills and fund my apprenticeship. I generally spent 15-20 hours a day working my part-time jobs and doing my apprenticeship. Sometimes I had a working car most of the time I didn’t so I’d have to catch rides or just walk to the shop and my jobs. Luckily the shop I worked at was downtown and one of my part-time jobs was at a shitty pub right across the street.

It’s always been a continuous cycle of always pushing forward, making sacrifices, auditing my circle, and not giving up. Not letting all the naysayers keep me down and using it as more motivation to work harder. Painting, tracing drawing, and watching other tattooers and artists as much as I could. Which is still a big part of my process still to this day.

I opened my own studio in downtown Kingsport Tennessee on Cherokee Street called Raven Mocker Tattoo and have been open since 2020. Since then, I’ve been continuing to grow and get to work with and learn under some of the most renowned artists in the Tattoo industry. I enjoy traveling to other studios and working with these artists.

Mastery is a lifelong journey not an arrival point, and it’s important to always keep a beginner/apprentice mindset to be able to receive and grow.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been more like a road going through the Grand Canyon, lol. I didn’t really have much of a support system, my family was raised pretty religious and conservative.

They definitely didn’t support me in my pursuit to become a tattoo artist. I’ve lost a lot of people over the years through death as well as people not looking to grow with me and it’s always hard to lose people we love regardless of the exact way that loss happened.

I’ve already been through a failed marriage, and many nights in the hospital battling health issues but perseverance is key. Countless amounts of car problems and periods of no transportation were always a struggle but it all made me a better person.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I tattoo, paint, draw, and practice martial arts. My favorite styles to Tattoo would definitely be Japanese/Asian Traditional, Illustrative Horror, Neo Trad, and anything Gamer/Comic related. I’m most proud of the fact I focus on quality over quantity.

I like to build relationships with my clientele through the process and give the highest quality results. I focus on the overall experience and like to make sure my clients are confident in the aftercare process also, not just the hours they’re in my chair. I also love to be able to joke around with my clients and just have a great time overall.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’m a huge Godzilla and Dinosaur geek, lol.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/ravenmockertattoo?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ravenmockertattoo?mibextid=LQQJ4d