From ink to canvas, London tattoo artist opens solo show at TAP Centre

Dave Schultz has spent more than two decades leaving his mark on people’s skin. Now, he’s making an impression on canvas too.

The London-based tattoo artist, best known for his bold line work and vibrant colours, is showcasing his first major solo art exhibition. Bright Things From Dark Places is on at the TAP Centre for Creativity and runs until August 17. The exhibit features Schultz’s paintings from 2018 to 2025, including a time marked by both personal struggle and artistic transformation.

“Some of the imagery is dark, some of it’s very bright, but still has a dark feeling,” said Schultz in an interview on CBC’s London Morning. “Over the COVID years, I struggled with addiction. My art wasn’t coming from a very happy place.”

That began to change in 2024, when Schultz got clean. His artwork, though still rooted in the intense visuals that characterize tattoo culture, began to reflect a different kind of emotional depth, one of resilience, recovery, and hope.

“It’s been a really fun journey. I’m very grateful for every opportunity I’ve been given,” he said. “No matter how dark life gets, light will shine through if you let it.”

Schultz, a full-time artist at Hangar 18 in downtown London, began his tattoo journey as a teenager in a Grade 10 co-op placement, an unusual path forged by a teacher who saw potential in his energy and creativity.

“They weren’t super comfortable with a 16-year-old hanging out in a tattoo shop for school credit,” Schultz laughed. “But with the right persuasion, I got my foot in the door. Without her, I don’t know if I’d be living this life.”

LISTEN | Dave Schultz talks tattoos and painting on London Morning:

Though he paints with liquid acrylics rather than ink, Schultz said his approach to painting closely mirrors his tattoo technique, with strong line work, layering of colour, and precise control of pigment. The crossover in mediums is no accident.

“Anything I paint could be tattooed,” he said.

The show at TAP includes dozens of works created over the past seven years, many while Schultz was navigating addiction. The pieces vary in tone, but together they offer a look inside the artist’s mind as he fought his way back to health.

“I return to similar subjects often. My mind is a busy place and I find comfort in certain imagery,” he said. “Creating something new from familiar ideas keeps me at ease.”

Schultz hopes the show will resonate with viewers on a personal level. “Everyone’s going to feel differently when they look at the work,” he said. “But I think the volume of it, the sheer amount I’ve created while living a full life, shows how much we’re capable of.”

Schultz will also be doing a live cutout painting on Dundas Place outside of TAP when his exhibition ends on August 17 starting at 12 p.m.