Think Salt Lake City’s too conservative for ink? Artists say culture here ‘creates a great tattoo dynamic’

As she sat for her third tattoo on Saturday — a tombstone with the inscription “There better be dogs” — Ellie Thomson said the only part that hurts is the outline.

“The rest of it is pretty easy,” the Salt Lake City resident said.

Thomson had set up an appointment to catch an out-of-state tattoo artist at the Salt Lake City International Tattoo Convention. The setting meant thousands of prying eyes as guests passed by, but she was as unfazed by them as she was the ink-tipped needles poking into her left arm.

“This is my first time here — it’s awesome,” she said of the convention. “It’s really cool seeing all the different artists.”

The three-day tattoo convention, currently in its 15th year, culminates on Sunday at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

“It’s absolutely a family-friendly activity,” said Cristine Lewis, owner of Heavy Duty Tattoo in Ogden and a convention volunteer. “There’s opportunities to get tattoos, and there’s opportunities to meet some amazing people.”

A children’s area — with a bounce house, temporary tattoos, board games and coloring contests — offer diversions to guests not yet old enough for their first tattoos. And the many artists drew sporadic crowds of spectators as they worked, particularly Sulu’ape Keone Nunes, who employs the traditional Hawaiian kakau technique of tapping designs into the skin by hand.

Shae McAfee, owner of Tiger Claw Tattoo in Millcreek, said the convention has shifted over the years toward a more selective roster of artists. And Salt Lake City, he said, is home to a vibrant tattoo culture that sometimes surprises out-of-state guests expecting a more conservative stereotype.

“If you’ve never been to a tattoo convention, with the community, this is a good spot for that,” McAfee said. “Come in here and check out all these people’s work. You’ve got the best of the best.”

CJ Fishburn, an artist with Yellow Rose Tattoo in Sugar House agreed, describing Salt Lake City as a “tattoo town.”

“People here get tattooed a lot,” he said. “Our culture kind of has two polar opposites, which is perfect. It creates a great tattoo dynamic.”

And with a convention, Fishburn said, Utahns have access to excellent artists who wouldn’t otherwise be working in the state.

“We’ve got your dreams,” he said. “Come get them.”

Asked why she has tattoos, Thomson responded “why not?” She said she appreciates the artistry and the skill involved in creating the images.

“If you want something to last, I think you should just get it,” she said. “Go for it.”