Salt Lake Shows Some Skin: Our First Tattoo Convention Comes to Town

For many individuals living within the Utah state lines, Salt Lake City serves as a sanctuary from an otherwise by-The-Book society. Many members of SLC’s most apparent subcultures do abide by a sort of writing, though — that of ink on flesh. With the continual acceptance of underground movements by the mainstream and the steadfast dedication of the people who began them, you can spot tattooed youth anywhere from Sage’s Cafe and Albee Sq to the mall and McDonald’s. One fact remains, though, whether you view tattoos as a lifelong symbol of dedication to a movement or a hip fashion statement that will make the girls at East High swoon: The caliber of tattoo artists in SLC rivals that of any major city in the world. That is why, on February 27, 28 and 29, Salt Lake City will be hosting its first-ever tattoo convention, and it will be a convention of truly grand proportions.

Put together by Lost Art Tattoo Studio, this year’s convention ain’t gonna be no wallflower amongst the dozens of annual international tattoo conventions. “Usually, tattoo conventions are held in hotels near airports and you have to take cab rides to get into town. This one will be convenient to artists. They’ll get to walk around and check out downtown,” says CJ Starky of Lost Art. “Ten years ago, this probably wouldn’t have worked. People weren’t getting sleeves and back pieces — there wasn’t the quality. But at this convention, there will be eight international booths from four different continents. We’ve been planning for a year now for this, and the time is right. Lots of good shops are thriving.”

Salt Lake has indeed turned into an ideal city to hold a tattoo convention. “The artists here are world-class and the tattooed public get work on a large scale that rivals many cities considered hubs of tattooing,” says Keet D’Arms, a tattoo artist at Lost Art. “This will be a fantastic opportunity for Salt Lake City to show both the quantity and quality of work that comes out of here, as well as a chance to collect pieces from artists who are recognized around the world from the excellence of their tattooing. The floor will be open to the public, but since it is an adult environment, it would be advantageous to make childcare plans for the days you plan to attend,” he adds. You have to be 18 to get tattooed, but if you’re younger, you’re still allowed to hang out inside where all the excitement will be.

Nate Drew, another tattoo artist at Lost Art, told me there will be tons of entertainment. “Some tattoo artists don’t like working to loud music, so there will be some quieter bands in the evenings, like The Rodeo Boys and Voodoo Organist. It’s not all ironed out — there might be some sideshow entertainers. We’ve talked to local venues like Monk’s that will be showcasing bands. There’s stuff to look at, too. Shops will have T-shirts with their logos for sale. Artists will have original small paintings or prints. Trixie Roth will have Rat Fink merchandise. Willie Fisher is a pin-striper from New Mexico, and he’ll have hand-painted signs.” Dan Rock, The End Records, Fine Art Cloning, The Heavy Metal Shop, H2Ocean and Living in Skin Clothing will all have products for sale.

D’Arms is quick to point out the numerous positive points of the convention: “You’re getting the opportunity to get high-end work from well-respected professionals. There are artists attending the show from cultures that birthed tattooing as we know it today. Keone Nunes (Hawaii) will be hand-tattooing in traditional Polynesian style. From Malaysia, the Borneo Headhunters will be conducting one of the oldest and most respected forms of tattoo. Artists from Japan and Europe will be offering styles you would normally need a passport and plane ticket to acquire. This will be Sabado‘s [Japan] first time in America in years –– six, to be exact. He does Western twists on traditional Japanese tattoos.” He might bring Tattoo Burst, a Japanese art/tattoo magazine. Also from Japan will be Eccentric Tattoo, King Kong Tattoo and Tattoo Church. Coming from Europe is 0815 Tattoo (Germany), Spike’s (UK) and Shad, who’s known for traditional Japanese. “He’s well respected by the Japanese,” says Drew. Ethno Tattoo Studio (Switzerland) will have Bit and Klaus. Klaus Fuhrmann, originally from Austria, started the Vienna School of Tattooing and tattooed Filip Leu‘s back. Other international artists are Running Bear and Ivan Szazi (Brazil). “Ivan is originally from Europe and now lives in Brazil, where he works with master tattooist Mauricio in São Paulo,” Drew explains.

D’Arms anticipates this event will “be an awesome cultural exchange, as well as a chance for Utahns to dispel some of the myths about our restrictive social climate,” he says. “The staff will have people lined up to help translate. Be aware of cultural differences — every little bit of respect goes a long way and it is up to us to make our visitors as comfortable as we can.” And I think we can all agree when D’Arms says, “A tattoo convention is about having fun. It is a celebration of body art and a place to feel free to express yourself without being judged for the art you wear.”

The list of international artists alone could cause a continental shift. But what if you’re not feeling quite as over-the-seas adventurous? There are more than enough artists and shops coming from around the states, including Jeff Whitehead, Brave New World; Judy Parker, Lit Fuse (Washington); Lotus Tattoo (New York); Megan Hoogland, Red Dragon (Virginia); Sacred Center Tattoo (Nevada); Timothy Hoyer and Tony Olivas. There’s a list on www.slctattoo.com that names other artists and gives links for contact, or you can call Lost Art at (801) 537-7878.

Jennifer Billig (Oregon) has been tattooing for almost 12 years. Having not been to SLC since ’98, she’s excited to come back. She states that conventions “give people the chance to observe and get tattooed by artists they wouldn’t normally have access to, and if you like people-watching, there’s no better place to be!” That’s what I say. Her favorite tattoo subjects are “botanical imagery, art nouveau-influenced designs” and a “variety of everything else so I’m not doing the same thing everyday.” Some of you might remember Kate Hellenbrand. She once worked with Sailor Jerry and lived in Salt Lake City until 15 years ago. Now living in New York, she’ll be attending, too.

If you want to get a tattoo done during the convention, it’s a good idea to plan ahead. “Many artists will have appointments booked before the convention begins, so if you plan to get a piece from someone specifically, it would be a good idea to get in touch with that person in advance,” D’Arms says. “To approach someone about getting an appointment during the show, get in contact with that person as soon as possible on Friday to see what their availability is. More likely than not, the artist will require a deposit in order to hold a time for you. It is always a good idea to ask how much money to bring as to avoid any misunderstandings. Nobody accepts checks for tattoos, so bring plenty of good ol’ American cash.”

He finishes, “Remember that these artists are traveling to you, and it is wise not to bargain hunt. This isn’t about getting the cheapest tattoo, but rather it’s about an investment in yourself. You’ll have the tattoo longer than you remember how much it cost.” D’Arms is diligent about securing the success of Salt Lake’s first tattoo convention.

If you want to keep things close to home, you’ll have good choices with ASI, Good Times, Tattootlan and Big Deluxe. Big Deluxe will be on site, rotating all of their local artists and some from San Diego. Rich Dohoney (owner/artist) is hoping that if all goes well, they’ll have a guest artist at their booth. It’s all a surprise, so stop by for custom work to be dazzled. Koi Piercing Studio will be there for piercing/cleaning needs and may bring a special exhibit showcasing owner Curt Warren‘s traditional and antique jewelry collection.

What if you just want to display the quality of tattoos you already have? You can enter in a contest for Best Sleeve, Best Full Back, Best Small Tattoo, Best Color, Best Black & Gray or any of many other categories. There’s a complete list of each division during Saturday or Sunday on the website. Starky agreed with me that it’s sort of like an easy beauty pageant, because you show off your stuff to a panel of judges who will be sitting on stage. Then you can parade around to everyone watching. D’Arms further outlined the show: “Contestants pay a basic entry fee and sign up for the category their work fits in. When that particular category is announced, you line up close to the stage and wait for your name or number to be called. It’s best to show the entered piece to the crowd first, then to the judges. The tattoo is examined closely, then the next person is called. Trophies are distributed to the lucky winners; then it’s on to the next category!”

He adds, “Judges are looking for healed and settled work. You shouldn’t enter a contest with a tattoo that is in the process of healing, or freshly done, unless it is the ‘Tattoo of the Day’ competition.” Further, “If you win a trophy, it is considered bad luck not to give the award to the artist that did it. After all, you get to keep the tattoo — the artist only gets a photograph.” Sponsors like Jagermeister and Vans donated products for contest prizes and other giveaways.

I’ve been to a few tattoo conventions, and like this one, they last three days. You can buy a one-time ticket for the whole convention for $30, or you can get in any one day for $15. Tickets are available at the door or through the gents at Lost Art Tattoo Studio. Snowboarders or skiers get a deal: a three-day pass, one lift ticket to Canyons Resort and round-trip transportation for only $90! Contact cj@lostarttattoo.com for more info.

The normal rules of getting tattooed apply at the show: no drinking, no drugs and any otherwise obnoxious behavior will not be tolerated. Lost Art asks both artists and patrons not to wear any bike club colors or gang-related apparel. As a further measure of respect, when you see a piece you don’t particularly like, keep your opinion to yourself. No one wants to hear that what they are wearing for the rest of their life is done poorly.

“This is the time for Salt Lake City to step up, show our quality of life, and show your pride,” Starky challenges. That means grab your grandma and head to town, ’cause tattoos are for everyone!

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