Saint Louis Artist
Matt Hodel
About me
Matt Hodel has 25 years of tattooing experience. Graduating into the industry in the 90’s, his roots of tattooing come from a time when a client’s vague description was what an artist had to rely on for imagery. Using this as his foundation in tattooing, Matt has honed this skill to help clients tell their stories in a visual language. Working with a client to pull out a narrative is what has helped Matt build a strong following in his field.
Taking to the road pre-internet, Matt traveled to Japan, Brazil, Europe, and most of the States to seek out Tattoo Artists working at the top of their game. The knowledge collected from these journeys has been crucial to his craft.
Matt currently owns Ragtime Tattoo in St. Louis, Missouri. An Appointment only shop, Ragtime relies on the old ways of marketing; word of mouth and strong referrals.
Please take a minute to view his Portfolio. If you like what you see, take a moment to fill out a Contact form to schedule a free consultation.
Thank you.
Riverfront Times
"Ragtime Tattoo's current iteration came about thanks to Hodel's conviction that he couldn't focus on creating large, complicated tattoos at a normal shop. On a trip to Austria, he saw a friend's parlor; it worked by appointment only, booking weeks in advance, and allowed for a kind of in-depth work that just isn't possible when your day is full of walk-ins."
Conversations with Calcaterra
"When one enters Ragtime Tattoo they will not only walk out with fresh ink but also a fresh look upon life when encountering the shop’s proprietor Matt Hodel. Ken met Matt via the creation of a commercial campaign for the St. Louis City and County libraries and immediately knew a podcast recording was in their future. Matt is not only an incredible tattoo artist and philosopher but a great mentor with his own podcast focusing on art."
Webster Journal
"Owner of Ragtime Tattoo, Hodel said a typical day means waking up at 5 a.m. to draw for four hours. He then has several appointments, sometimes lasting until 8 p.m. He leaves the studio, goes home and finishes his work for the day. Hodel then gets up at 5 a.m. the next day to do it over again."
Rolling Heavy Magazine
"Matt Hodel has been tattooing since 1996. A world traveler working in Japan, Brazil, Europe and across the States. He has a steady work load at his shop Ragtime Tattoo located in St. Louis, Missouri.”