No, I don’t have any tattoos on my body. Just wanted to put that out there before I go any further. Why? Well, I’m just way too indecisive to settle on an image that I would want on a part of my body for the rest of my life. First of all, I would spend hours/days/months (sleepless nights!) obsessing over which image would be the perfect one for me. Then, if I were to actually decide on one (which is highly unlikely), I’ll probably come up with another image that I should have gotten about a week after my tattoo healed and would be kicking myself for not realizing it. Next thing you know, I’d be covered up to my neck with tattoos, out a few thousand dollars and in need of therapy. Why put Mrs. Perez through that sort of hell? Nuff said about that.
The South Florida Tattoo Expo, which just celebrated its 23rd year, is a three day weekend affair (Friday-Sunday) that was held yet again at the Coral Springs Marriott Hotel, Golf Club & Convention Center. It not only features the best tattoo artists in all of South Florida but a truckload of live bands, a burlesque show, hot body contest, car show, local vendors, and human suspension (the act of suspending a human body from hooks that have been put through the skin!). And here’s the best part: all proceeds benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital; and it’s been that way since year one. Good people doing good things.
There is a video you can watch over at my film/video site southfloridafilmmaker.com but I’ve got plenty of photographs. So many, in fact, that I’m going to spread them out over three separate posts. Here is the first and it features just a sample of the many tattoo artists that attended the expo. The South Florida Tattoo Expo is a great way to not only get a tattoo from the best artists in the region but to get to know parlors and tattoo professionals before committing to some ink. And as for 2019, the dates are set for August 9-11, see you there…
ARTISTS AT WORK
Bobby Badfellow of Badfellow Tattoo in Fort Lauderdale, who were presenting sponsors of the expo…
Featured tattoo artist (from “Ink Master” Season 3) Madison Loftis
South Florida artist Jose Gaddi
Stevie Moon Tattoos in Fort Lauderdale
Mike Angel of Dharma Tattoo Studio in Miami Springs
Damien Bart of Bruce Bart Tattooing
Vanity Lynn of No Hard Feelings Tattoo in Coral Springs
Apollo Busato of Iron Glory tattoo in Pompano Beach
Doug Leeth of Evans, Georgia
Artist Sabrina Nolan
South Carolina based artist Ray Griggs of Bearded Brothers Tattoo
Steven Lopez of Water Street Tattoo in West Palm Beach
Pete Martinez of All-In-tattoo of West Palm Beach
Emily Tides of No Hard Feelings Tattoo in Coral Springs
Artist Kris Kocha of Omaha, Nebraska
Brazilian artist Luiz Lopes
Chase Nolan of Fort Lauderdale
Megan Schader of Badfellow Tattoo in Fort Lauderdale
Rob Soli of South Seas Tattoo Company in Deerfield Beach
Fame Tattoos of Miami
Chris Young of 3 Layers Deep Tattoo in Coral Springs
Iryna Ikova of Magnum Tattoo Miami
You’re never too old for some new ink, courtesy of Sacred Eye Tattoos of Hollywood, FL
Special thanks to Lisa Brodeur-Quinter for granting me the opportunity to finally check out the Expo (you won’t be sorry). And stay tuned for more photographs this week…
