Those days seem long gone, as everybody and their mother seems to want or have a tattoo and the only thing unconventional is not bringing your kids to the tattoo convention. You’d find them on sailors and jailbirds and women of ill repute and that’s about it.
The skin belonged to local veterans and the winning artist - Frank Ready, earned a prize for himself and a donation to his favorite charity.There used to be something unconventional about tattoos. Each contestant was given the starting design of an eagle and a knife, and allowed to finish the tattoo in their own style.
Speaking of Ink Masters, as a special event, Marie joined Dani Ryan, Frank Ready, Jason Vaughn, Josh Payne, and Creepy Jason in a Rematch with the Masters Tattoo Competition. Carmelo Gomez, from Lucky Gypsy Tattoo, Midlothian, VA, won Tattoo of the Day and Best of Show, and Ink Master Laura Marie, from Atomic Roc Tattoo, Rochester NY, earned two consecutive Best of Day awards. But the real action was in the booths where artist were turning out living inkworks.
“It adds a wow factor for people because these artists have such unique styles and it’s a one-in-a-lifetime chance to be tattooed by them.”įans were kept entertained by burlesque performer Cervena Fox, the world famous Captain & Maybelle “Vagabond Side Show” and a Miss DC Pin Up Contest.
We had artists from Spain, Italy, Germany, England, and China,” Carswell says. “One thing that was a little different this year was the most highest number of international artists ever. Attendance was off the charts at more than 10,000. More than 400 artists, representing some 200 studios, filled the show floor at the Crystal Gateway Marriott for the three-day event, January 10-12th. He had people lined up to meet him and it was a really amazing experience for everyone.” “One thing that was pretty special, is that we brought out Chris Nuñez (tattooer and owner of Handcrafted Tattoo and Art Gallery, and contestant and judge from Miami Ink and Ink Master) to hang out and judge the tattoo contests. “Being our tenth year, we wanted to do something big as a Thank You to everyone who has made it a successful show,” Carswell says. He was mentored by Jack Rudy and Brian Everett, and so for him, the expo is an opportunity to blend the cultures that include the legends of tattooing, new school artists, tattoo celebrities and the growing number of tattoo enthusiasts. The DC Tattoo Expo is put on by Exposed Temptations Tattoo and Baller, Inc. Greg Piper (founder of the event and owner of Exposed Temptations Tattoo in Manassas, VA) is very much of the old school vibe. DC itself is such a melting pot of people from every culture you can imagine tit’s a lot easier to get a tattoo subculture going,” says Anna Carswell, communication director for the annual event. And of the past 10 years, the DC Tattoo Expo has been bringing them all together. Tattoo artists on the other hand, represent all that is good, creative and inspiring to come out of our nation’s capital. With all the talk about what goes on in D.C., a person could be cynical about the people who live and work there - at least where politicians and government fat cats are concerned.