Legendary Female Tattooers...

[Energy]

What ever happened to Cynthia Witkin?

[ShawnPorter]

I have to go with Kari Barba. She tattooed a friend of mine back in the late eighties and besides being amazed by her work at how good tattoos could be, I was equally amazed that I'd actually seen a tattoo in real life by someone who's work I'd seen in magazines. It was like finding out Santa Claus is real for me.

I have a lot of old documentary footage of Kari tattooing from the 80s- when I clear my hard drive or buy a new laptop (it's time) I'll add it to OV for ya'all.

[MGblues]

I have a lot of old documentary footage of Kari tattooing from the 80s- when I clear my hard drive or buy a new laptop (it's time) I'll add it to OV for ya'all.

That'd be awesome! I can't wait.

[Joe Shit]

Andrea Elston@ Classic Tattoo :: San Marcos, TX 78666 :: 512.392.0938 she was tattooing in NYC years ago when it was still illegal.

Marguerite Peters used to work at Peter Tat2 in LI many years ago.I heard she's still tattooing in Upstate,NY.

Cindy Ciarella works at Twin Moon Creations in LI.I heard she's been tattooing over 20yrs.

[ShawnPorter]

That'd be awesome! I can't wait.

You might have to... I'm saving quarters I find at my bar to pay for the laptop. :D

I'm up to $700. I should kickstarter that jawn. "Occult Vibrations needs a new laptop to rip video, and so Shawn can look at porn. PAY ME".

[MGblues]

You might have to... I'm saving quarters I find at my bar to pay for the laptop. :D

I'm up to $700. I should kickstarter that jawn. "Occult Vibrations needs a new laptop to rip video, and so Shawn can look at porn. PAY ME".

Guess I'll start looking under the couch cushions for quarters on a daily basis then...

[ShawnPorter]

Guess I'll start looking under the couch cushions for quarters on a daily basis then...

I just found another four dollars. Four closer! (I work at a bar, most of our drinks are $_.50, so there's usually change. The drunk customers drop it. I pick it up)

[beez]

I think I would be remiss if I didn't add Junii Salmon to this list, considering she's a) a total bad ass, and b) she did my last couple of tattoos, and will be doing more! 'b)' of course is not a criteria for this list, but I thought I'd throw it out there ;).

[Bunny Switchblade]

I have a list somewhere around the house with close to 40-50 names of ladies that tattooed from the 20's thru the 70's!

There were a lot more women tattooing than I think most know about!

Names like Dee Brown and Bernice Steinhart from Portland, OR......(60's & 70's)

I think @Joe Shit added Debbie Lenz from Youngstown, OH to this list....I'll be finally adding something from her this Summer hopefully!

Not really sure if they are legendary though.......

My mentor (who is female) opened her shop here in Maryland in the 1970's and has been tattooing 30+ years!

[beez]

Bunny! Any way to get a copy of that list? Awesome that you have compiled it!

I have a list somewhere around the house with close to 40-50 names of ladies that tattooed from the 20's thru the 70's!

There were a lot more women tattooing than I think most know about!

Names like Dee Brown and Bernice Steinhart from Portland, OR......(60's & 70's)

I think @Joe Shit added Debbie Lenz from Youngstown, OH to this list....I'll be finally adding something from her this Summer hopefully!

Not really sure if they are legendary though.......

My mentor (who is female) opened her shop here in Maryland in the 1970's and has been tattooing 30+ years!

[teddibease]

Bunny! Any way to get a copy of that list? Awesome that you have compiled it!

I second that notion!

[face]

$700 in found quarters? Sweet.

[kylegrey]

Jessie Knight

Jessie Knight. First lady tattooist | Facebook

Jessie Knight, Britain's First Female Tattoo Artist | The Mary Sue

[beez]

Thanks @kylegrey!

[heathenist]

One thing I love about still being in school is the ability to request pretty much any book through the library, thanks to this thread my school will be buying Bodies of Subversion and checking it out to me in a week or so, and because I'm a graduate student I can keep them for months at a time.

[Mark Bee]

One thing I love about still being in school is the ability to request pretty much any book through the library, thanks to this thread my school will be buying Bodies of Subversion and checking it out to me in a week or so, and because I'm a graduate student I can keep them for months at a time.

Such a good idea! I'm going to take advantage of my similar status and see what I can get brought into the uni library.

[gougetheeyes]

I work at a bar, most of our drinks are $_.50, so there's usually change. The drunk customers drop it. I pick it up

I was gonna say that you gotta change that 50 cents thing, but maybe it works out better...

[ShawnPorter]

$700 in found quarters? Sweet.

It's also an OCD thing. When I get really stressed out I compulsively count things. Having change to count gives me immediate access to something and helps avert any further issues.

Legendary female tattooers... Did I mention Annette already? I've known her since I was a youngin. Great lady.

[Jennifer Stell]

She's one I SERIOUSLY look up to... not because she's leggy, but because she's the definition of perseverance.

[Deb Yarian]

I don't think anyone mentioned-- Ms Sofia (formerly Ms Deborah formerly Mrs.Inksmith) she began a little over 30 yrs ago and is a super tattooer!!!

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A couple of my favorites:

Jacci Gresham

Watch: Tattoo Legend Jacci Gresham Talks About Getting Her Start | Complex

Vyvyn

Vyvyn Lazonga

Jami Eason....

Annette LaRue....

Deb Yarian...

I'm talking Tattooers that were doing it before most us were alive....

Please Add...

Thank you for the kind mention, Jennifer, and for including me in any thread that has "legendary" in it's title.ha ha.

- - - Updated - - -

I was always a fan of Suzanne Fausier (sp?) from Michigan.

And I've known Annette since I was.... christ.. 15? Deb tattooed my brother when he was on vacation once.... small tattoo world.

It is a small world Shawn! Where and when and what did I tattoo on your brother?

[ShawnPorter]

- - - Updated - - -

It is a small world Shawn! Where and when and what did I tattoo on your brother?

Kanji, 1989 or 1990... um.. fuck. My cousin was graduating from Boot Camp, so... Georgia maybe? Columbus county?

[Infernum]

Kari Barba! way ahead of her time, and still kicks ass!!! much respect!

Outer Limits just celebrated their 30 anniversary last week.

[Graeme]

What about Painless Nell? Stoney mentions her a few times in Stoney Knows How and her name comes up from time to time when reading about the old school. Not really sure when she started tattooing, but she was tattooing in the 40s. She had a shop in San Diego, Tattoo Archive has an address for her in San Francisco, and I think Stoney mentions her tattooing in St. Louis.

Lucky's Tattoo Museum has a bunch of her flash available to view online here, but you have to find her name under "flash by artist name" because I can't seem to link to it directly:

Lucky Supply Tattoo Museum

And I found this picture here, which is of a tattoo done by her in the 50s.

[kylegrey]

Stella Grassman

Deafy and Stella Grassman

[ANTM]

Andrea Elston@ Classic Tattoo :: San Marcos, TX 78666 :: 512.392.0938 she was tattooing in NYC years ago when it was still illegal.

Marguerite Peters used to work at Peter Tat2 in LI many years ago.I heard she's still tattooing in Upstate,NY.

Cindy Ciarella works at Twin Moon Creations in LI.I heard she's been tattooing over 20yrs.

i dont know if her last name is peters-Marguerite , Both Marg and Cindy C. worked out of Peter Tat-2 (aka peters) . I believe Marguerite is in Delhi NY at SnapDragon ink.

Its amazing how many people mention Marguerite's name around Long island and NYC she really is Legendary.

Cindy C. as well, she's been tattooing well over 20 years, its 37-38 Years i believe, i think Marguerite is tattooing a year or two longer. They both have Very Very Similar Styles very beautiful fine line work