Quay Arts in Newport hosted the Isle of Wight Tattoo Convention at the weekend (1st/2nd October) – the 1st time such an event has been held on the Island for a decade.
The convention was organised by Filip Pasieka and Tom Wharton (Boy Wonder Tattoos, Newport). The Isle of Wight was also represented at the event by The Alchemy Club in Cowes and Newport’s Raven Skin.
Mainland artists appearing during the weekend included Dave Carson (Sacred Heart), Gray Silva (Rampant Ink), Evil Chef (Black Forest Tattoo) and Charlie Davis from (Jason Davis Tattoo).
Organiser Tom Wharton was originally a fine artist catering for the maritime pictures market. However, Tom turned to tattooing when the art market slumped. Tom said:
“I prefer tattooing to fine art. Tattooing is more lucrative financially”.
Island Echo asked Tom whether he ever turns down requests for tattoos. He said:
“I’ve turned down a swastika. I won’t do anything too offensive. I won’t do anyone’s hands or face for a 1st tattoo, especially for 18-year olds”
Fellow organiser Filip had some interesting stories about unusual requests for tattoos – sometimes in some very unusual places. Filip said:
“The strangest request I have had for a tattoo is from a customer who wanted a fox’s tail disappearing into their anus being pursued by the hunt. A stripper also asked me for a tattoo of a black star on her bum hole. I was worried she might fart while I was doing the tattoo and the ink would go everywhere”.
When asked whether the Isle of Wight Tattoo Convention had been a success, Tom said:
“It’s been amazing. Everyone’s happy and wants to return next year.”
Ain’t life strange.
If people are born with a birth Mark, many people like to have it hidden / removed.
Yet people don’t mind covering their bodies with Tattoo’s.
Brilliant,so glad I went,can’t wait till next year’s one,we’ll done Tom and Filip
Did not see this advertised anywhere or i would have gone sad times
This is what I don’t understand, times are supposed to be tough, people allegedly have no money, can’t pay the bills, fuel prices through the roof, can’t pay the rent/mortgage etc and yet people seem willing and able to spend hundreds of pounds on having a drawing put on their arm or leg?
I’ve nothing against tattoos, it’s a personal choice, but it just seems completely at odds with everything else we’re told is going on these days.
It’s not just tattoos either, they just happen to be the story here. People with the latest phones, all the kids with mobile phones even at Primary School, all talking about what they watched on Netflix, Prime etc, all with Xboxes, PS4s etc.
It’s the contradiction that I don’t understand.
And you come by this information how, exactly?
How do you know what kids at primary school are talking about?
A number of possibilities come to mind:
Not being judgemental ( who, me?) but I just wonder what happens then tatts fall out of fashion? You could change the colour and style of your hair or clothes with no problem, or even take out the face furniture, but what do you do about getting rid of tattoos?
You do realise that tattoos have been around for about the same length of time as humans don’t you? Dont think they will go anywhere anytime soon. While I agree some styles / placements do go through fashions
They can be removed
They can be reworked or covered up.
Only some can be reworked or covered, you’d have a hard job covering the larger tattoos. At least you can change hairstyles or clothes.