Our New Tattoos - Paradise Tattoo Gathering

Rafe and I went to the Paradise Tattoo Gathering in Hancock, MA at the Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort. This was the second year for the gathering but the first year we went because we just found out about it. We'll go next time in 2011. They decided to have it every other year because it is so much work to put it on every year. Over 60 of the very best tattoo artists in the world are invited to come to this show. Unlike other tattoo events this one is for the artists and the collectors of their work. Very few, if any, people that were "just looking". Here are a couple links:

www.tattoogathering.com
www.jiminypeak.com/

Rafe got his first tattoo from Litos the owner of Forbidden Images Tattoo in New Port Richey, FL. he and his wife Julie were great people and he will finish Rafe's tattoo sometime this spring when he has a guest spot at "Off the Map Tattoo" in Northampton, MA. The fine folks at Off the Map put on the Gathering (Thanks Gabe and Mary!) with a lot of help from volunteers. Just a fantastic group of people who are passionate about tattooing.

www.forbiddenimages.com
www.offthemaptattoo.com

My first new tattoo was done by Stefano Alcantara of Lima, Peru who works out of Paul Booth's Last Rite Tattoo Theatre in NYC. Stefano did the memorial portraits of my parents. He's a phenomenal artist and a great guy. Mom and dad are 17 and 21 respectively in these photos. They eloped and never had a wedding portrait, but these are from the same time period. Check out more of Stefano's work here:

www.stefanoalcantara.com/
http://www.darkimages.com/

He also is on YT under the name "stefanostattoo"

www.youtube.com/user/stefanostattoo
www.myspace.com/stefanostattoos

My second tattoo is from an illustration by Mervyn Peake from Alice in Wonderland, which I wanted done in color. The original illustration is a pen and ink drawing and the artist did an amazing job of bringing it to life in full color. I feel honored to wear his work on my skin.

www.mervynpeake.org/

We had the best time, met the nicest people, and suffered greatly for the art ;-) But once the needle stops the pain lessens greatly ;-)

I also bought a beautiful oil painting by Jackee Sandelands-Strom, wife of the famous tattoo artist Tom Strom of Minneapolis. This raven painting was hanging in Tom's studio for three years and she finally convinced him to part with it. I was the one destined to own it. Thanks Tom for giving it up!

www.thestromrefinery.com/artists/Jackee/

Ok, that's enough links and stuff for you. Now watch the video! LOL

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• ravensky23
• timbergeek
• tattoo
• Stefano
• Litos
• Off the Map
• Jackee Sanderlands-Strom
• Tom Strom
• Alice in Wonderland
• Mervyn Peake

[Jagamp]

Wow Debbie those tattoos are so amazing, some of the best I have seen. 5*****

It's great to see you and discover who you are. That's the one good thing about YouTube that facebook does not have :)

[ravensky23]

Thanks Jeff! Stefano is one of the best tattoo artists I've ever met and he captured my parents photographs perfectly. I'm a lover of real tattoo art and as I always say, ink is addictive! I have to put them in places I can hide easily when I'm at work. The bank I work for would not be happy if one of their managers had tattoos all over their arms. But I'll retire one day ;-) then look out! LOL

[sureifyousayso]

Very nice work, they look great!

5 stars.

[ravensky23]

Thank you!

[juzuggy]

Raven the new tatt's are fab i just love them. The tea party on your back is just amazing.

[ravensky23]

Thank you! I love the tea party, it's my first color tattoo and I really like it a lot, it won't be the last one!

[mysteryglo]

Wow, what fantastic tattoos! What great artists. The ones of your parents looks exactly like the pictures! I can't even imagine how painful that must be! Rafe's looks really, really sore!

Cute little cottage that you got!

So good to see you!!

[robertpina99]

Being a fan of tattoos, I've seen some awesome work, but this is extraordinary, artful, beautiful work. Amazing!

[typeonegative13]

amazing portraits

[3zib]

WOW you're a lucky lady and awesome vid.. Been wanting a piece by Oleg for a long time and hope to one day. If you dont mind be asking how much did those set you back?

[NiteBlogger]

Kick ass awesome tats! Esp ur mom & dad. ;)

[princessbobo910]

Awesome video!

This is the first time I saw.

It's amazing! *****

Bo Bo ^ v ^

[operaknitter]

Fabulous tattoos. Who was the artist and where does he do his work?

Please, more knitting videos. Thanks!