Ravenna – Have you ever awed at Claude Monet’s Water Lilies? Or wondered at the emotional turmoil behind Pablo Picasso’s blue period paintings? Art is meant to invoke the human spirit. In the tattoo industry artists have the unique opportunity to connect one-on-one with their medium the human body. But sometimes mistakes happen, or work goes unfinished. On this canvas you can’t simply paint over the misspelled word on your skin or easily remove Tweety Bird from your stomach. These would qualify as bad tattoos and that is when a cover up artist is your new best friend!
It was a lively Saturday night as the 3rd Annual Bad Tattoo Contest sponsored by War Horse Ink at Tavern 1888 kicked off. The event has grown each year and about 150 people were there to enjoy as DJ Krooze & Krew played an eclectic array of upbeat music to kick off the night. Strobe lights lit up the room as colorful tattoos could be seen in every direction on heads, hands, arms and legs. Just pick a body part it probably had a tattoo on it!
Clint Marsh, owner of the recently expanded War Horse Ink, explained reasons for hosting the event. He and his staff wanted to raise money for the Portage County Animal Protective League. It’s their way of promoting the importance of charity and awareness for the care of animals. Secondly, it’s a way for the public to meet the tattooist on a personal level, he said. They can ask questions, learn about the changes of technology and perspective within the industry and understand why tattooist describe themselves as artists.
The function is “a way to cultivate a large grouping of bad tattoos” in one location. “A big part of the industry is cover up art,” Marsh said. “It is an art inside the art,” he expressed poignantly of the skill needed to be a cover-up artist which is a specialization. “We do cover-ups every day.” Marsh specified botched tattoos can be a result of subpar equipment purchased online, poor decision-making skills and various other reasons.
What is cover-up art and how does it apply to bad tattoos? Amber Tschantz, an artist at War Horse Ink was able to answer those questions. Many bad tattoos happen, of course, when people get intoxicated or when people are misinformed about the industry. Amber clarified people think they want a small tattoo with detail, but realistically it can’t be design properly because that kind of detail needs to be larger. “Overtime skin tends to spread the ink, or they could end up with a tattoo from an inexperienced person and possibly get one due to peer pressure. It can happen to any age young or old.”
As a cover-up artist Tschantz really connects with her clients. “I get to put my own spin on their tattoo.” In a sense the re-design “becomes an original work,” she said of helping fix an important piece of their lives and how they show themselves to the world.
How can bad tattoos contribute to Ravenna and support the APL? The event had a 50/50 drawing and numerous raffle baskets containing high quality gifts from local merchants. They ranged from lawn care and Deluxe Donut gift certificates to Italian dinner supplies and a pumpkin made from 100-year-old reclaimed barn wood. All proceeds raised were donated to the APL. Ravenna businesses exemplify a symbiotic relationship with each other when working together to promote charitable endeavors.
Ginger and Mike Boyd of Reincarnation America are consistently involved with area events and fundraising. Much to the benefit of Ravenna they donate a prize basket to almost any organization that asks for help and without blinking they did so for the APL.
It just so happens Ginger has a faded Harley-Davidson Eagle with a sunburst and the date on her shoulder that qualified as an entry because no one could tell what it was. She got it 30-years-ago at Daytona Bike Week she said with the twinkle of reminiscence in her eyes. Luck was on her side (or should I say on her shoulder) because she came in first place winning a $300 certificate.
Also, involved in hosting the event was Tavern 1888 owner, Sandy Knotek. “Everybody is differently and creative in their own way. Some are more subtle than others,” she said showing off a small cross tattoo representing the memory of her parents. Knotek just wants the public to “love the contest and feel comfortable” in knowing our town is open to outside the box ideas that embrace community.
Amber Elcyzyn, a Ravenna resident, was excited to enter the contest with a tattoo of a half-finished heart with a semi-colon. But mostly she was elated the raffle would help the APL. “We rescue animals and feed neighborhood cats,” she said of her love for animals.
Elcyzyn came in second place winning a $200 tattoo cover-up certificate from War Horse Ink and the gaming basket she was hoping to get for her children. “It’s great to win, but the fact that it goes to a good cause is even better,” she said with a smile that went from ear to ear.
