Taylor Brynne, a model from of Philadelphia shows off a chest piece she got at 19, which is "a lesson and reminder to myself to guard my heart," Friday, Aug. 11, 2017 at the Wildwood Tattoo Convention.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
by Thom Carroll PhillyVoice Contributor
The Wildwood Tattoo Beach Bash was held at the Wildwoods Convention Center on the boardwalk in Wildwood, N.J., this past weekend, (Aug. 11-Aug. 13). The annual event attracted hundreds of people looking to get tattooed and more than 200 booth's worth of artists, including many that have appeared on the Spike television series, "Ink Master." There were also sideshow performances, a swimsuit contest and an unforgettable act by The Enigma, who is completely covered in tattooed puzzle pieces.
Here is a series of photos from Friday of the weekend-long event.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceTattoo artist, “Bang” of Boston, MA, appeared on Season 9 of the Ink Master series on the Spike network. Bang has about 15 tattoos and regrets most the one of a pit bull biting through the skin on her back.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceZona Watson of the End Times Boutique holds a human skull that is likely from a middle-aged caucasian male. When asked where the skull came from, “You gotta know the right people.” Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceMackenzie Chiavaro, a stylist at Sniptease Salon in Toms River, NJ, has many Native American themed tattoos that honor her Chippewa heritage.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceGlen Weisgerber, a pinstriping artisan from Edison, NJ, works on a sign early in the day on Friday of the Wildwood Tattoo Convention. Weisgerber is covered with tattoos that he got in the 80's and 90's from designs he made himself.Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceJamie Myers, 30, of Saratoga Springs, NY, met tattoo artist and hometown friend Mike Backus at the Wildwood Tattoo Convention and gave him a choice: Tattoo either a moose or an elephant on her thigh. Backus is experimenting with a cross hatching technique after being inspired from a book by Frank Cho.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceCarrie Madeline, 25, of Forked River, NJ, shows a memorial tattoo for her grandfather Edward Juralewicz, “he was literally my best friend.” The tattoo was created by John Patrick of Art Gallery Tattoo in Forked River, NJ.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice“Tattoo Joe” of Physical Graffiti in Bridgeport, CT, gives James O'Hanlon a Nintendo controller tattoo to go with the rest of his Nintendo sleeve. “It (the sleeve) makes me happy and I want to be happy in the skin I live in.”
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceNew York-based actor and filmmaker Kitty Crystal, who is just about 50-percent covered with tattoos, shows off two on her wrist- one of an angry pickle, “don't be a dill!” she exclaimed, and another of a hambone, which is the nickname of her nephew. Both wrist tattoos were created by artist Picasso Dunlar.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceJohn Patrick of Art Gallery Tattoo in Forked River, NJ tattoos a mandala on the shin of Natasha Budd at the Wildwood Tattoo Convention. Budd has about 7 or 8 tattoos by Patrick.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceA woman grimaces while getting a tattoo at the Wildwood Tattoo Convention, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017.Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceTaylor DeMers came to the Wildwood Tattoo Convention on Friday and gave Trevor Frasca, a tattoo artist and friend, the blank canvas of her right arm to create a tattoo for her. He chose a horror-theme with wolfsbane flowers and lightbulb to symbolize “her quick-thinking brain.”
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice“Monster” from Baltimore shows off her brand-new neck tattoo that reads “Vanity,” as part of a seven deadly sins tattoo series. Monster choose the neck since it was an extremely-visible and vain location for a tattoo.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceStylists from Sniptease Salon in Toms River, NJ, pose for a photo on Friday, Aug. 11, 2017, at the Wildwood Tattoo Convention.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceTroy Timpel, left, owner of Villain Arts and producer of 13 tattoo conventions, is joined by “Dr. Blasphemy,” another important figure in the production of the tattoo conventions, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017.