Since the ‘70s, tattoo artistry has undergone a drastic redefinition. Once a mark of deviancy, it has evolved to a socially acceptable form of self-expression and creativity. Even a majority of the un-inked accept it as a legitimate artistic medium.
This newfound acceptance has opened doors to Salt Lake City’s tattoo community. Last weekend, the buzz of tattoo machines greeted attendees at the 11th Annual Salt Lake City International Tattoo Convention. Over 500 renowned tattoo artists attended the event, which meant there was a plethora of tattooers to meet, talk to, and get inked by.
To tattoo artists, conventions like the one at the Salt Palace are an opportunity to disseminate their artwork and to observe the work of colleagues. Some shops attend the local event each year. This tradition produces an overriding sense of camaraderie between artists.
However, putting a large number of elite artists together in one place guarantees some amount of competition. This year, the convention awarded artists for outstanding achievement in certain categories, such as best portrait, best color, and best tattoo of the day.
This dose of combative energy keeps tattoo artists at the top of their game. It also lets them learn new techniques and tricks.
“This convention allows you to spread your style and art,” says Bartholomew Diamond, at Big Deluxe. “It lets you showcase what you can do. You get to show that you can compete with the big boys.”
Big Deluxe was one of six local shops at the event. It opened in 1998. Although Diamond was originally born in Sacramento, he has worked in Salt Lake City for about eight years. Rich D and Mike Johnson, two artists also at Big Deluxe, helped Diamond adjust to living in a new city. They also helped mentor him by teaching their ink skills.
Diamond calls his style “new style,” and says his tactic is to use bold lines and bright colors.
“Like this,” Diamond said as he pointed to the bright orange flower he was tattooing on a woman’s arm. Diamond’s take on flowers is not traditional. Instead, these plants have a bold and graffiti-like design.
Another artist, Richie Lucero, traveled almost 3,000 miles to attend the convention. Lucero was born in the small town of Wahiawa, Hawaii. He started tattooing in 2003. Now he’s at Black Cat Tattoo, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Lucero succeeded in the tattooing world without any formal training or any formal apprenticeship.
He stresses the importance of having both talent and a strong work ethic.
“I loved to draw as a kid,” Lucero says. “I got into tattooing because I liked the idea that I was designing a piece of art for someone who would never lose it.”
Lucero’s favorite type of work to do is Japanese-style tattoos, which mix bold and soft lines. Whether they are colored or black and gray, these tattoos have a long historical lineage behind them, and each image has its own symbolic meaning.
It was Betsy Gafgen’s first time at this convention, and she was all smiles and laughs as she worked on a woman’s leg tattoo. When asked about her style, Gafgen grinned and proceeded to make a long list of adjectives including neo-traditional, girly, bright colors, and nerdy.
“Honestly, I was so nervous [to come to this convention],” Gafgen says. “I’ve watched a lot of these other artists work for years, and it’s finally a chance to meet each other.”
Gafgen was born in Maine but creates at Roses and Ruins Tattoos in Charleston, South Carolina. She was also one of the few female artists at the convention.
“There are a lot of women out there that are freaking amazing,” Gafgen says. “But it’s male-dominated, just like other industries out there. [As a female tattoo artist] you just have to let your work speak for itself.”
The Salt Lake International Tattoo Convention not only brought together the tattooed community, but it also introduced people without any ink to the art form — some folks even brought their kids. People were tattooed in plain sight, and because of this openness, everyone had the opportunity to see the hard work and skill that goes into producing a professional tattoo.