Any event on the weekend of April 19 to 21, 2024, will inevitably be impacted by Germany’s “Gods of Ink” mega convention. However, we find ourselves in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, a national treasure known for its snow-covered mountain peaks and emerald-hued water. The mere presence of tattoo artists nearby enhances the allure of the voyage. […]
Tattoo enthusiasts must visit Triangle Tattoo & Museum in Fort Bragg on the Mendocino County coast of California. Madame Chinchilla and Mr G, tattoo artists, industry historians, and life partners, founded this space in 1986. Both had trained under Bert Rodriguez, a Mexican-American tattoo artist who started a Santa Rosa studio in 1978 and the Tattoos & […]
The first-ever Ventura County Fair was held in 1874 at the conclusion of the local San Miguel Days agricultural festival; 149 years later, Christina Diaz organized the 5th Seaside Tattoo Show at the Fairgrounds in a Quonset hut named San Miguel. The Pacific Ocean is so close to this venue that it can be heard […]
In the second year of the Capitol City Classic Convention, held on May 19 to 21, the event hosted by Sacramento’s Royal Peacock Tattoo Parlor attempted to improve by avoiding the Mother’s Day weekend and moving the convention a week later, as well as bringing in talents such as Tin-Tin, Eddy Deutsche, Tutti Serra, Fibs and others who […]
The master photographer Dianne Mansfield’s “Eye of the Beholder” has been released in hardback format by Raking Light Projects. Mansfield has documented the tattoo community for over four decades in a raw and compelling manner, capturing the reality of a tattooer’s life and work. From photos of Pacific Islanders to images taken at major conventions, it is clear […]
Inspired by the work of Renaissance and Art Nouveau painters, German tattooist Adriaan Machete is renowned worldwide for his delicate and exquisitely colored body art. His professional tattoo career began around 2007 after he apprenticed with Iban Maya. His major break came in 2010 when he was invited to be a guest artist in various […]
The tattoo industry has seen a significant change in recent years, with renowned conventions closing their doors for good, studios closing, tattooists relocating, and new events emerging, such as the Capitol City Classic Convention. This massive and high-quality event was hosted by Royal Peacock Tattoo Parlor in Sacramento, California; organizer Britton Mcfetridge worked hard with his […]
After the last year and a half without tattoo events, it was a breath of fresh air to be attending one, especially in California. Held on May 7 – 9, 2021, at Feather Falls Casino in Oroville, north of Sacramento, the expo was packed with spectators in the banquet hall—giving the impression that tattoo demand will […]
Tommy Montoya has seen firsthand both the underground and the mainstream of the tattoo scene. Recognized for his 20-year commitment to West Coast black-and-gray tattooing, Montoya, a California-based artist, rose to international prominence after appearing on the television show “NY Ink” (2011–2013). Tommy Montoya and Ryan Ashley Malarkey headlined the 2019 “Feather Falls Tattoo Expo” […]
On the same weekend of “Black Friday” and barely weeks away from Christmas, the Lisbon Tattoo Rock Fest held its event on that long weekend at the “Tejo Sala” conference building, which is annexed to the Altice Arena and with a beautiful view of the Tagus / Tejo river. Entering the Lisbon Tattoo Rock Fest, […]