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Inked-up and sleeved-out were de rigueur at Tattoo Hollywood, the first annual tattoo convention held in the heart of LA, at Hollywood’s Renaissance Hotel on August 21^st-23^rd. Freaks hadn’t gathered in this capacity since the Inkslingers Ball in 2006; where tattoos have no stigma, carry no stereotypes, nor make you different from the rest of the crowd. It was a meeting of artists and patrons, both equally passionate about artistic expressions and individuality.

Over 200 booths were set up, with tattoo artists representing New York, Missouri, Ohio, Florida and most of California, to name a few. Most had their portfolios displayed, showcasing photographs of their best projects. Many artists were at work, setting needle to skin at make-shift benches for eager clients. According to Chris from Daddyo’s Electric Tattooing in Centralia, IL, artists come to conventions not only to market their shop, but to hold court, some having celebrity status among ink-seekers. Clients will go to a convention to acquire a tattoo from a notable artist they might not have been able to come in contact with otherwise.

After reviewing hundreds of books and images at the show…there were definitely some superstars that stood out for me:

The Purist:

Johnny 2/3

Yer Cheat’n Heart Tattoo

Gardena, CA

“This is the way tattoos are supposed to look, “declares Johnny 2/3, when I asked him why his uber-traditional style has enjoyed such a long popularity. Influenced by the American tattoo artist, Sailor Jerry (basically the creator of rockabilly cool, who came BEFORE Ed Hardy), Johnny’s style is a pristine representation of all the best of traditional tattooing: Bold, crisp colors, strong lines, and traditional American images (hula girls, naval imagery, booze, sparrows, birds of prey and scrolled banners). His pieces are composed beautifully, with witty backgrounds and in-fill, rope lettering and thematic continuity. This creates homage to tradition, and insures that your tattoos won’t look like a bunch of un-related stickers stuck on the back of your Trapper Keeper.

The Dreamer:

Alex Garcia

The Dolorosa Tattoo Company

Studio City, CA

Alex has the soul of an artist; he’s unassuming and shy. His original artwork is scandalously enchanting: gothic, morbid and other-worldly. In the vein of the low-brow king of pink puppy dogs and non-sequitor meat, Mark Ryden, Alex has mostly kept his art and tattooing worlds separate. But, as more are turning on to his style, clients are asking for tattoos that reflect his signature. One of his favorites, as he quietly shows me in his book, is of a little girl fixing her hair in a mirror; a hairdryer reflecting back as a pistol.

Artistas Callejeros:

Bobby Serna, et al

Ink Slingers Studio

Alhambra, CA

I was kind of afraid of these guys. On outward appearance alone, they could be Latino gang-bangers. But, the closer you get, the more you wanted to give a hug. Their caramel colored skin was covered with lovingly delicate portraits of friends, family, little ones, abuelos in the military, or religious iconography. And, working only in black and grey, Bobby’s work has miraculous depth and shading! What lent itself to the overall squeezability of the group even more was one of the artists cradling his very new baby daughter next to her pink stroller. And, I was at first struck by the amount of Benjamin Franklin portraits. Are these guys history buffs? No, idiot. It’s “the benjamins.”

The Spiritualist:

Jaime Santos

Scarab Body Arts

Syracuse, NY

Tattoos have meaning, they are profound. And, being one of the few women tattoo artists at the show, Jamie easily translates this through her work. “I think that people come to me because I understand their search for meaning. I understand that they have something to say with these images.” And, she does this joyously! She shows me a bottle of hot, neon pink ink. “I love this stuff. It’s my favorite.” Sea creatures intertwined flowers, ice cream and candy. Beautifully electric colors. And, an occasional green girl zombie.

Words by Sailorbeware, photos by Curious Josh

 

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Sam McTrusty looks nauseous. He’s about to commit an act that is essentially irreversible and permanent. The lead singer for rock band Twin Atlantic has burned a lot of brain cells contemplating this tattoo and the final verdict…a triangle. That’s right, one solitary triangle on the wrist. Its entirely loaded with meaning, and yet a basic shape that every child 2 and up can identify.

And that’s the beauty and the art of the tattoo. At its best it should mean the most to the one who wears it. Its so personal as a form of expression that it should be thought through and slept on for many many moons. Sam wanted to remember this place and time, and the triangle is a powerful symbol throughout history. It stands for the symbol for god, or the trinity, for power, danger, math, astrology and so much more. Those three little lines are loaded.

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The truest way to set a memory is to mix it with a little of both pleasure and pain. Scottish rock band, Twin Atlantic, broke virgin skin in the service of remembering their time recording in Los Angeles. For singer Sam, and drummer Craig, it was their very first tattoo. Bass player Ross already has a few mementos of his own from previous encounters with inkslingers abroad. While Guitarist, Barry, just watched it all unfold.

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