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Dringenberg and Co.

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  1. Dringenberg and Co.
    Last month was super busy. First we had Ink and Iron tattoo convention at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. I barely made it to the convention at all. I was going to go on Saturday but I'd heard it was hot and crowded. I guess as I am getting older and working more in the office side of things here at Dringenberg & Co., I feel less like hanging around not working at conventions. Besides with my new school and work schedule I have to try and make time to rest. Even though I have taken time off from school to work this summer I am still finding it hard to find extra time. After Ink and Iron was our one year wedding anniversary. While we have been together for what seems like forever, we only got married one year ago. This year we celebrated our anniversary at the Tattoo Masters Invitational at Hollywood Park. It was really fun. Although there was not that many people coming thru the door, it was a tattoo convention for tattoo artists. I feel like everybody there was able to get a small piece from someone and really take the time to visit with each other. the night before the convention started was a roast. It was my first tattoo industry roast. The Roasters were Bob Roberts, Joe Vegas, Jack Rudy, Freddy Corbin, Philadelphia Eddie, Paul Jeffries and Permanent Mark. The Roasted was the legendary Hanky Panky Schiffmacher. I though all of the guys told some great stories and there were more laughs than awkward silences. So to me the evening was a success. It was really nice to see Freddy and Lisa Corbin. Freddy married Dan and I last year and I always enjoy when I get to the wives. It was additionally cool because I got to meet Henk's lovely wife Louisa. I had never met Henk so getting to meet both of them was awesome. Long ago when Dan was away and I lived in Italy, I had taken a trip to Amsterdam with some friends. I dragged them to the red light district to go to Henk's tattoo museum. So meeting the Schiffmacher's and being invited to the new tattoo museum opening was for me very rewarding. It's like things are stating to come full circle. It feels good to work hard at something and be able to experience the fruits of your labor.
    Which brings me to what is happening now. If you are in the tattoo industry and you are on Facebook then you probably know what I am talking about. There hasn't been one day in the past week where there hasn't been a posting on Facebook to boycott or sign a petition to boycott some new tattoo t.v. show. I will not give ANY credibility by naming it, but you all know what I am talking about. Here's the thing. Why should we help them with free advertising. All the posts and google searches only fuel the fire that is already burning. If you are a true artist then such nonsense shouldn't affect your trade. My father is a world renowned musician. Don't you think there are music schools and internet videos already in existence that could potentially take business away from him? Let me tell you, there are. And good for them. But what does that have to do with him? NOTHING... For him, he wakes up every day and goes to work. Whether he has a gig or not. He is up practicing his instruments at a minimum 8 hours a day. He has been playing since he was 4, and professionally since he was 14. His craft supported a family of 5 children and none of us ever went with out. So I ask, why is everybody so worried about this new t.v. show? If you are a true craftsman/woman of the tattoo industry and you work every day perfecting your craft, this show will have no impact on your life. They say it takes 10,000 hours to make a master. So just work on that and let the chips fall where they may. Do great work and your life will be blessed. I realize this business is a business and there is a certain amount of the game you have to play. While I may not agree with all of the politics they exist and we have to coexist whether we want to or not. But please, please,please......stop giving credibility where no credibility is due and just get to work. Work on your 10,000 hours and be rewarded by your achievements.
    To read my full blog with photos check out www.theillustrateddaughter.com
  2. Dringenberg and Co.
    his·to·ry
     [his-tuh-ree, his-tree]
    noun, plural -ries.
    1.
    the branch of knowledge dealing with past events.
    2.
    a continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usuallywritten as a chronological account; chronicle: a history ofFrance; a medical history of the patient.
    3.
    the aggregate of past events.
    4.
    the record of past events and times, especially inconnection with the human race.
    5.
    a past notable for its important, unusual, or interestingevents: a ship with a history.
    I was talking to my friend Ms. Mikki a couple of weeks ago about the lack of women tattooers and their place in history. Why is the history of tattooing mostly a boys club? Where are the women who have paved the way for women and men in tattooing today? Many of the books published are by men and about men. Ms. Mikki has been tattooing for 24 years. She has worked with many of the women who pioneered tattooing for men and women in the tattoo industry today. Suzanne Fauser, Vyvyn Lazonga, Kari Barba, Patty Kelly to name a few. Ms. Mikki was the first woman to work at Temple Tattoo and AWR and other shops as well. And after years of tattooing Ms. Mikki was told that she should hang out more with the guys and maybe then she could be a part of the books being published. Isn't history made up of the hard work and determination of the people. Wasn't it the Freedom Riders, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and countless others hard work and determination during the Civil Right's movement that made it in to the history books? Or was it the story of the guy's life who was watching from the sidelines that made it in to history. I don't know, but I am pretty sure I have never heard of that guy before.
    When I first met Dan one of the things that inspired me most about him was that he was up to something. He was making the best tattoo machines he could, so he could leave a legacy behind when he was gone. If the machines he made were not the best, he would bury his head in a book and put in time working out the new information in his machines. Hard work and determination. Dan is the first to say that he doesn't know everything. Sure he knows a lot but he continues to learn every day.
    I have had the pleasure of visiting Lyle Tuttle's collection of tattoo history. I have also had the pleasure of visiting Henk Schiffmacher's Tattoo Museum. Dan and I have been invited to participate in the opening of Henk's new museum opening in November. What I have seen in these particular collections is a vast and complete collection of the history, past and present of tattooing. Including men and women from around the world and the accomplishments and failures of artists that have innovated the industry we love so much. Lyle and Henk gather information with respect. Research what is and what isn't. They are true contributors to the history of the industry.
    I have noticed there are many books on tattoos, tattoo machines, and tattooing readily available on the internet. Google the word tattoo on the internet and about 408,000,000 results come up. So what does that say about the future history of the tattoo industry? Well for starters it says tattooing is no longer for sailors, whores and criminals. It says anyone can get a tattoo (196,000,000 Google results), do a tattoo (146,000,000 Google results) or build a tattoo machine (1,030,000 Google results). But who is contributing to this immense wealth of information. Is it the tattooer tattooing everyday, studying their craft and changing peoples lives? I cannot imagine that this form of electronic history is made up of all of the tattooers who have paid their dues and continue to pay their dues day in and day out. So what about the information published in books? I started to research actual published books on tattooing and the number is so immense, and frankly I found a couple of sites that have low cost publication, so really I suppose anyone could publish a book.
    Accordingly, what can be done? Who are true contributors and not just information regurgitant's? I imagine it is the tattoo community. A community that must come together. Especially in this time of electronic history and tattoo schools. A tattoo community that is rich with ideas and conversation, from people all over the world. With diverse backgrounds, men and women, young and old, rich and poor. I envision a community full of communication. I know some might say, "well, isn't that what the internet is?" I agree, yes that is what the internet is. But there are so many disreputable sites and individuals who write what they want, and say what they think is the truth. The truth is out there. True contributors are busy making their mark on history. Research and find what is real. Work hard with determination. Keep ego out and let talent rule.
    The tattoo industry is no longer this thing, kept in the dark. For sailors and whores done in underground shops. It is main stream, it is on television shows, commercials, movies, in fashion and in magazines. It is rare for me to go out and not see other people with tattoos. Maybe because I live in Hollywood, CA or maybe not. One thing is for sure tattoos are out there. I think it is time that history is updated and representative of what is a true record of past events and times, and not of what a few say it is.
  3. Dringenberg and Co.
    Last night was the premier of NY Ink. I am so happy for our friends on the show. Our friends have been on all the TLC shows, Miami, LA and now NY. I always hear so many tattooers say that by being on these shows, people are selling out. Really? Selling out? Wouldn't they if they had the chance to be on TV jump at the chance? I'm sure 8 out of 10, if not 10 out of 10 would if they could. I watched it. I had to see what the new shop looked like. I had to support my LA friends and give them a little west coast love. I can't say for sure that I will watch it on a regular basis. Having lived thru most of my 20's in a tattoo shop working as the shop girl, when I watch TV I like to escape my own reality and dream about someone else's. Never the less it's a cool show with wonderful artists and some of our dearest friends.
    After I watched NY Ink and studying for finals and cooking dinner. It was time for some good old fashioned scripted television. I was watching a show on NBC. It was and hour long 'dramedy' about four couples I think. I say I think because it was kind of all over the place. I couldn't even tell if it took place in New York, LA or San Francisco. Truthfully, I wasn't really watching it. I was practicing my guitar and had it on in the background. Anyway, I have a point. I promise. There was one couple, who the husbands character was a tattoo artist. The wife had black hair and a raspy voice. They both wore leather cuffs on their wrists. I guess if I had been the costume designer I probably would have dressed them the same way, but since I wasn't, and I am actually married to a tattoo artist, I thought it was pretty typical. Typical costume and casting. The man kept bringing up that he was a tattoo artist. Going so far as to point to the one tattoo he had on his arm (put there by the make up department), and even drawing a tattoo design to give to a girl he sat next to on the plane. As I watched this I sat and wondered. Is it so main stream now to be a tattoo artist that television is writing 'tattoo artist' as a character? For me I'm married to one so naturally many of my friends are tattoo artists and their wives, but is this true for people outside the tattoo industry? Or is it that now there are just so many tattooers in general. Has tattooing become as main stream as lawyer, doctor, barista? Cut to the commercial break. It was a commercial that said turkeys don't make good tattoo artists, they make good turkey burgers. Seriously? They even had the turkey doing a tattoo on a girl in a tattoo shop. What will they think of next?
    As I sit here and write this I wonder. Is the old school of tattooing so old now that future generations of tattooers will only have the era of tattoos on television to base their careers on? What will the tattoo industry be like then? Will people's kids grow up will they want to buy tattoo equipment because they are bored and need a new hobby? I can't say.
    But I can say this. If tattoos are so main stream now, than you can stop touching my tattoos when I'm in line at the grocery store, the mall, the post office, the bar, at a concert or anywhere else I may be.
  4. Dringenberg and Co.
    It used to be that when you got a tattoo, that was it. You had it for life. Period. I have heard of extreme cases of it being burned or cut off, but I always thought that only happened if you were in a gang and they no longer wanted you to wear their tattoo. As technology advances so does the tattoo removal industry. I still see ex-gang members trying to turn their life around and willingly remove their tattoos. Recently, however I have seen a new crop of people getting their tattoos removed. Young kids( I call 'em kids because they are younger than me) are getting their first and only tattoos, big. My first tattoo was a small sun on my hip that I paid 20 dollars for. I wasn't 18 so I had to walk in with confidence and hope the tattoo artist didn't ask for my ID. It was so thrilling when I got it. I was pushing the boundaries of my life and getting away with it. The shop smelled of green soap and A/D ointment. The only design to choose from was something off of the wall. But these kids are getting half sleeves of their whole sides tattooed. I guess maybe it is because there are so many tattooers now a days that will do a large piece for a low price. I don't know what the reason is for sure but I can only guess. Anyway, as with my tiny sun tattoo on my hip, these large tattoo pieces end up being not the best idea in the whole world and now, it isn't so difficult to get it removed. I saw one girl with a solid half sleeve tattoo. A professional tattoo full of color and detail. For some reason, she was done with it and wanted to remove it. I couldn't believe it. As great as the tattoo removal technology has gotten, it still takes many painful and expensive sessions to remove tattoos. If it had been me, I would have just gotten another tattoo on my other arm and lived with the one I wasn't stoked about. I mean I can get on board with getting an ex's name tattoo or some gang insignia removed, but removing a professional piece that even if it didn't cost that much money, I know it cost time in the chair. Why do they get it removed? Most of the time the reason I hear is because they just don't like it anymore. To me tattoos have always represented a time in my life. Maybe I'm not the 16 year old who loves the idea of a sun on my hip anymore but I certainly can appreciate the 16 year old girl I was once before. Every time I look at it I remember how much I wanted to rebel against my parents and I laugh a little. And why get it removed at all? Why not add to it or change it into something you can live with. I always joke that if Dan and I ever break up, I'd change the tattoo of his name from Dan to Ran. I think the accessibility of tattoos and tattoo removal is killing creativity. So I guess I wonder why even bother getting a tattoo at all, if you're just going to change your mind about it and get it removed anyway. What is it about getting exactly what you think you want, RIGHT NOW, that is so appealing? Maybe you should just buy new shoes. New shoes always make me happy and then if you get tired of them you can always be sure that next season there will be a new crop of shoes to choose from. Seems less time consuming and less painful to me.
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