NBAF 2012
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
PAUL ROE
GEMMA BRITISH INK, WASHINGTON D.C., USA
You’re a British born guy, but the US lured you over – did you learn your craft over here, or in the States? I started tattooing in 1998 in Washington DC after an apprenticeship of about 18 months. I had a lot of graphic design experience and studied fashion at art school, which translates very well to large-scale tattoo design - the permanent garment.
You recently told us that you were trying to improve tattoo and piercing regulations in Washington D.C. – is there an issue with quality or safety without these rules? Tere are about 40 shops in Washington DC and with no rules or regulations about 10 of them should be open. Te quality of work from those other shops is awful, so the health and safety aspects must also be questioned - no pathogens training, god knows what's in the pigment and no artistic ability - taken out on an unsuspecting public, usually those that want a cheap tattoo.
Tell us about Tattoodles, and why you set it up. It was set up by Adam Sky in Vancouver Canada in 2000, and Seth Ciferri's Read Street Tattoo Forum (est. 1999) was rolled in five years ago. I took it all over in 2011 after being an admin for a decade. Tattoodles has (a silly name and) 80,000 users worldwide who can get a subscription to the image database or use the forum for free. Te community links enthusiasts and artists worldwide: you can research designs, local artists, ask questions and see some cool tattoo history too. Te tattoo artists are peer validated, no apprentices, only solid tattooists whose work and ethic meets the community standard.
What style of tattooing are you most at home with working on? I work in every style; I love traditional Japanese and high detail illustration, abstract images and unusual subject matter. Te overall philosophy is a couture tattoo made to fit the individual and never repeated.
We’re stoked you’re coming to Norwich, but what are you looking forward to working on? Returning to my hometown will bring out some old mates I haven't seen in years and of course they want a tattoo! Good friends, good food, good tattoos = good times. And let's not forget working in St. Andrews Hall - there's no venue even close to that in the USA, and you can get a decent cup of tea.
INDIGO, NORWICH
Gemma, you're one of the madcap threesome that puts on the Norwich Body Art Festival. What in the hell made you embark upon this beast? Well, I do ask myself that question sometimes! Ha ha! When approached by the wonder that is Outline Magazine about the possibility of putting on a tattoo and arts event I was very excited. It was something that I thought would go down fantastically in Norwich. Norwich has a huge scene for the art of tattooing and all the accessories that go along with it: art, music, performance and even related clothing and jewellery.
What do you think are the festival's strengths for its size? In my years of being a tattoo enthusiast, I have attended many, MANY tattoo conventions. I think that the Norwich show has a slightly different buzz about it, especially for its size. We focus just as much on art and performance as we do the tattooing and artists. Our show seems to have a lot of repeat offenders; on asking why they want to come every year they usually respond with "we just have so much fun, as well as working"!
You've run your own shop since your early twenties and are now getting on a bit (haha) - how has Norwich's relationship to tattooing changed in that time? Te relationship between Norwich and tattooing has, I feel, changed quite considerably. With shops opening on what seems to be on every corner, people are really having to do their research. In doing this most people have began to understand where the quality and professionalism lies. People seem to respect studios with a good reputation and good work. Norwich is quite a heavily tattooed city for its size, so it’s a pretty strong bond!
Tattoo wise, what pieces do you most enjoy working on in the shop? I love tattooing pretty much anything; I get enjoyment out of doing the small tattoos as much as the bigger custom pieces. I love to work in colour, anything with big bright flowers and as any tattooist will tell you, when a client gives you creative control, it’s like your birthday and Christmas all at once!
What are you most looking forward to at this year's festival? I am most looking forward to seeing all the fantastic artists at work! Peering over their shoulder then excitedly telling friends about it! I’m looking forward to seeing old faces and meeting new ones. But one thing that I look forward to the most is the Sunday night party where the team gets to relax with a drink (or 5) and reminisce over the wonder of the weekend! See you all on the 18th and 19th August!
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NORWICHBODYARTFESTIVAL.CO.UK
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