This oil painting of a skull mixes elements of Tibetan and Mexican designs may reside on canvas now, but it was envisioned to rest permanently on somebody's back. That's because skin is where most of the work of 32-year-old artist Jesse James ends up. "The painting is almost like a means to an end," James says. The owner of Candy Shop Tattoo in St. Joseph, James designed all of his friends' tattoos before jumping into the craft head first in 1995. He worked in several shops in Hawaii and California before coming to St. Joe. James has created and tattooed numerous designs and is inspired by the "movers and shakers" from different art movements, but he devotes special attention when it comes to his designs rooted in other cultures. He studies up on tattoo innovators (he cites turn-of-the-century Japanese artist Horichiyo as a big influence) and their early works to make sure if he tries to replicate a culture's art himself, it looks as authentic as possible. "Art's a language. You don't want to be speaking Spanish with a French accent," James says. Jesse James' work can be found at Candy Shop Tattoo, 722 Felix St.