We’re looking forward to introducing you to “Morbid” Mark Dalton. Check out our conversation below.
“Morbid” Mark, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me starts early — usually around 4:30 or 5 a.m. I get up, shower, shave, and hit the road for the hour-long drive to campus. This term, my mornings are spent in sculpture class from 8 to 12:30, then a quick lunch before my experimental studies course from 1:30 to 5:30, where we explore nontraditional materials in contemporary art.
After class, I’ve recently been given permission to work on marble as an extracurricular project, so I’ll usually carve for a few more hours before heading home. My goal is to use that piece as one of my finals this term while also getting more hands-on practice for next year’s marble symposium. On the days I’m not on campus, it’s more of the same rhythm — only with tattooing and running the shop taking center stage.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Sure thing. My name is Mark Dalton (many know me as Morbid Mark Dalton, I’m a multidisciplinary artist and tattooist based here in Colorado. I own The Scurvy Dog Tattoo Project, where my crew and I focus on custom, high-skill work that pushes both technical precision and creativity. Outside of the shop, I am currently pursuing my BFA at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, where I work in painting, sculpture, and mixed media.
My fine art practice explores the intersection of humanity and technology; what I like to call the “biomechanical baroque.” It’s equal parts classical influence and dystopian commentary, reflecting both the beauty and the arrogance of human ambition. What makes my story a little different is that I’ve lived both sides of the art world: the gritty, fast-paced reality of tattooing and the slower, reflective process of fine art. Each informs the other, and that crossover gives my work a very distinct energy.
Right now, I’m working on a series of sculptural and painted pieces that expand on those ideas: merging technical craft, anatomical precision, and philosophical undertones about creation and decay. Whether it’s on skin, canvas, or marble, my goal’s the same: to make something that’s both haunting and human.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I don’t think the world ever really got the chance to tell me who to be; I’ve always been a bit of a rebel. I picked up tattooing young, but for many years my life was tangled up in substance abuse. To most people, I probably looked like a lost cause, another statistic waiting for a tragic ending, if we’re being honest.
When I finally put the dope down and plugged the jug, I had just enough sense left to fall back into art, which has always been my natural language. It became my lifeline. Through a lot of hard work, years of recovery, and sheer stubbornness, I’ve built a life around my craft that still feels surreal some days. Between the people who support me and the opportunities that just keep coming, it’s more than I ever imagined. You could call it a classic success story built from less than nothing — but for me, it’s just proof that art can save a life if you let it.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
So many times, especially in early recovery. No one tells you that the path to getting clean is anything but brutal. There were countless moments when I wanted to turn back, to go back to what was comfortable, what was easy — even if it was killing me.
Fortunately, recovery communities are full of people who’ve been through the same hell and made it out the other side. They’re the ones who guide those of us still fighting through it. With enough time, guidance, and experience, you start to put real distance between yourself and that next drink, until it feels like a bad dream you’d trade the world to never revisit. These days, I know for a fact that there will always be hard times, but I’ve also learned they’re temporary. You push through, stay grounded, and remember why you started.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to the belief that if I work hard enough, hone my craft, and give back selflessly, I’ll build something that carries my name long after I’m gone. Whether that legacy comes through my own art or through the artists I’ve been fortunate enough to help climb out of their own trenches, only time will tell. Either way, I think those are noble pursuits — to create, to lift others, and to leave behind something that matters.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
Despite what it might look like from the outside — with all the projects, collaborations, and constant movement — I’m most at peace in solitude. When the noise of the world fades to a distant hum and I can disappear into my home studio, just existing with my art, that’s when I feel most aligned with my true purpose. Those quiet hours of creation are where everything makes sense again.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://scurvydogtattoo.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morbidmarkd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.dalton.12382923
