West Coast Ink Issue 1 - 2012 | Page 26

Dave Puhky Photographer : Julia Loglisci I f you can manage to look past his big muscles and six pack abs, you’ll notice this guy has quite the elaborate sleeve tattoo. West Coast Ink had the pleasure of meeting up with Dave Puhky, an island fitness fanatic who says he’s currently in the best shape of his life. You may be unable to tell now, especially after chatting with him, but in his teenage years Dave was actually quite mischievous. It wasn’t until after getting himself into some trouble that he realized he needed to make a change to better his future; Dave looked to competitive MMA fighting to channel some of his aggression. “Training and working out has always been an important part of my life,” Dave says. “I have found that wrestling and fighting has always been a good way to let off some steam and regain my thoughts.” West coast native Dave Puhky has a passion for tattoos and the tattoo culture. This Saltspring Island native moved to Victoria when he was twenty-one years old. Dave, who had already received a few tattoos, says that it was important to him that his next tattoo represented something of extreme significance. “I had wanted a larger tattoo for a long time,” says Dave. “I had a couple of small ones already, but I really wanted a larger more detailed tattoo; something close to my heart and meaningful to my life.” For a young man, this twenty-four year old has been through a lot of heartbreak and life changing experiences. “When I was younger, I got into a lot of trouble with drugs and alcohol,” says Dave. 26 | West Coast Ink | Issue 1