The sound of buzzing needles and excited chatter welcomed visitors to the third annual Oregon Ink Tattoo Convention from May 6-8.
More than 150 tattoo artists from all over the country came to the Lane Events Center, ready to ink up anybody willing. @@http://www.oregonink.net/home11.html@@ @@http://www.laneeventscenter.org/@@
With booths covering most of the center and people talking to and browsing the different artists, the convention was quite different from any normal tattoo shop.
“At a convention, there’s a different energy, a higher energy. It’s like tattooing in a circus environment,” said Jimmy Bertram, from Black Shamrock Tattoo in Bakersfield, Calif. “At a shop, we’re able to control the environment, so it’s a little easier.” @@http://www.oregonink.net/artists11.html@@
Bertram has been tattooing for more than 20 years, and he attributes his career to fate.
“When the universe wants you somewhere, it puts you there. I’m exactly where I need to be,” Bertram said. “I needed to do it, for some reason. So I got some equipment and tattooed my friends. We were all hardcore punk rock guys, so there was no shortage of friends to tattoo.”
He was at last year’s convention and plans to come back next year but admitted that he doesn’t come as much for the work as he does to see his friends.
Organizers Kevin Rasmussen and Brandon Ingram have worked hard to ensure Bertram and the other artists have plenty of both work and friends to occupy their time at the convention. @@http://www.kval.com/news/42856822.html@@
There are several tattoo shops in Eugene, but Rasmussen believes these kind of conventions have an advantage over shops.
“We have out-of-state artists, which many people wouldn’t be able to see, come to them,” Rasmussen said. “Some artists might have a style not available around here.”
That advantage was impossible up until a year ago, Rasmussen said. Before then, artists needed an Oregon license in order to work in the state, but now they only need a temporary license.
Tim Atwell was one of the artists benefiting from the change. He’s from Rockford, Ill., and works at Delicious Ink Tattoo there. He compared his experience working there to his experience working at conventions. @@http://www.facebook.com/pages/Delicious-Ink-Tattoo-Parlour/243598640748@@
“At the shop, we’re guaranteed a job every day, but here we rely solely on the patrons of the convention,” Atwell said. “It’s also a little more difficult because I don’t have the comforts of home.”
Danielle Alexander from Blacklist Tattoo in Portland shared Atwell’s sentiments. @@http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tattoos-by-Danielle/126194137423234@@
“It takes you out of your comfort zone, so it takes a little longer,” Alexander said. “I sometimes have to think ‘Where’d I put this? Where’d I put that?’ It takes longer to find a groove.”
Although she’s been tattooing for seven years, Alexander said being a woman has, at times, made it more difficult for her to be taken seriously as an artist.
“Girls have to work twice as hard as the guys do,” Alexander said. “I don’t find it discouraging, but it has discouraged other girls. It just motivates me.”
At the convention, having lots of tattoos is the norm, but many of the artists expressed dissatisfaction at the misconceptions people often have about tattoos and the people who have them.
“We’re not a bunch of thugs and bikers and ex-cons,” Rasmussen said. “Tattoos are more artistic than a lot of people realize.”
Despite any social stigma that may be attached to tattoos, people continue to get them, and artists aren’t starving for work. As tattoos become more acceptable, more people are making the decision to get inked. This means more work for the artists, which isn’t something they’re complaining about.
“It’s really awesome to make people happy just by drawing something. You can change their lives,” Alexander said. “You’ll meet people years later and maybe not remember their face or name, but you remember the tattoo. And they remember the entire experience. It really affects people.”
Bertram agreed that the customer satisfaction is the most rewarding part of his job.
“The best part isn’t the self-satisfaction; it isn’t the money,” Bertram said. “It’s when I’m done, and they look in the mirror and I see the expression on their faces, how stoked they are to see their new tattoo. That’s what gets me going.”