Convention at Pearkes Arena shows tattoos now mainstream
By Michael D. Reid, Times Colonist - March 14, 2010
If you're of a certain age, chances are you'll remember when "Tattoo" would make you think of that little guy of the same name on Fantasy Island who yelled "The plane, the plane!" or the title of that deliciously creepy 1981 thriller starring Bruce Dern as a deranged tattoo artist so obsessed with a model (Maud Adams) he forcibly uses her body as a canvas.
This weekend's inaugural Capital City Tattoo Convention at Pearkes Arena dispels such stereotypes. A hotbed of diversity with flair to spare, it shows how what once seemed the exclusive domain of sailors and convicts -- has gone mainstream.
Is there anyone in Victoria who doesn't have a tattoo? we wondered while wandering past booths showcasing the wares of body art culture firms like Blank Generation, Permanent Record, Freakshow Choppers and Absolute Underground, where filmmaker Ira Hunter (Zombie Jesus) was about to screen clips from his punk and metal publication's online TV series.
Read more: Convention at Pearkes Arena shows tattoos now mainstream
Indelible impressions
Organizers of city's first tattoo convention are set to make a mark with family-friendly event
By Mike Devlin, Times Colonist
When organizers Scott Pettersen and Shawn Steinberg hatched the idea of staging the city's first tattoo convention, they didn't fret over where or when it would happen, or how much it would cost to produce.
They were more concerned with the possibility of it even happening at all.
Tattoos, although more acceptable than ever, still have a stigma attached to them, perhaps more so in a city like Victoria than bigger metropolitan areas. It is something that both Pettersen, 38, and Steinberg, 33, know full well heading into the planning process for this weekend's Capital City Tattoo Convention.
To some, the pair's array of tattoos -- Steinberg has them on his hands, neck and face -- suggest a checkered past. That such an assumption is based solely on appearances is what bothers Steinberg the most.
"Some old lady said to me, 'What does your mother think of that?' And I said, 'My mother? She loves me.'"
Under the skin
By Kyle Slavin - Saanich News
Published: March 09, 2010 6:00 AM
They don’t look like your typical businessmen.
None of three is wearing a suit or tie, and it’s hard not to be distracted by the details in the clusters of tattoos that adorn their arms, legs and faces.
Shawn Steinberg, Scott Pettersen and Erik Van Kobra are the brains behind this weekend’s Capital City Tattoo Convention, the first of its kind in Greater Victoria.
“The interest is there (and has) been for a while now. For us to have never had an event like this ... it’s almost a no brainer to finally do it,” Van Kobra said, his partners jumping into the conversation.
“And there’s just so many talented artists here,” Steinberg added.
“There’d also be no reason to do it if the community itself was much smaller – not as many shops or people with tattoos. If that was the case … but it’s not,” added Pettersen.
The convention takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Pearkes recreation centre. Artists from the Island and mainland will showcase their finished work as well as create new tattoos.
Many of the 28 exhibitors will be set up to give convention-goers new ink, something that created a challenge for organizers who needed to get health authorities to allow tattooing at the convention.