RICHARD COOK
Founder of Greystone Tattoo Company & Tattoo Artist
December 7, 1979 - March 1, 2025
Richard Cook built more than a tattoo studio — he built a refuge for artists, outsiders, dreamers, and anyone searching for a place they could breathe and belong. When Richard opened Greystone Tattoo Company, he didn’t set out to create a trendy shop or follow industry hype. He set out to create a community rooted in respect, authenticity, and soul.
Richard’s work spoke for him. Known for his precision, his geometry, and his fearless use of color, he approached every tattoo the same way he approached life: with vision, intention, and a quiet fire. Clients trusted him not just for his talent, but for the way he made them feel; safe, seen, and valued. Artists trusted him because he believed in them — truly believed — and gave them the space and encouragement to grow into who they were meant to be.
His impact wasn’t loud. It was steady, grounding, and deeply personal. He cared about people. He cared about craft. He cared about building something real in a world full of shortcuts. Greystone was never just a shop to him; it was a home. A place where art wasn’t rushed, people mattered, and integrity sat at the center of everything.
His legacy isn’t only in the tattoos he created — though they tell stories all over the world. His legacy is the culture he built: honest, inclusive, committed to growth, lived in laughter and rooted in genuine connection.
Here at Greystone Tattoo Company, we’re not just tattooing, we’re continuing a legacy, Richard Cook’s legacy — one line, one appointment, one life touched at a time.
In the artists who grew under his wing.
In the clients who still talk about the way he made them feel.
In the energy of a room he built for people like him — and people like us.
While we lost one of the most genuine men in this community, Greystone isn’t defined by loss. It is defined by what was built — and what continues.
For Richard.
For the ones he lifted.
For everyone who walks through these doors seeking something real.
