He craved knowledge. Studied the history of tattooing. Took art and drawing classes. Delved into the chemistry of the inks he was using, explored their effects on human skin, and he became a pioneer in using sterilization. But he knew he needed to study with the master tattoo artists of his era if he wanted to become a great tattoo artist in his own right.
Every painter has to go to Paris.
Every great painter has his own style and Thomas knew he had yet to find his own. The Denver convention was important for another reason. It began Thomas' connection to Japan, which would culminate in his first of many trips there in 1982. At Denver he met, Oguri, a Japanese tattoo artist who spoke English. Oguri was from Gifu City and he and Thomas kept in touch by correspondence.