#tattanooga

[ellatrick]

had no idea they were playing but i done saw #thekoffinkats at the #tattanooga expo tonight.

[trdphotography]

Ink Revolution Issue #2 - Tattoo Artist Spotlight - Eric Newby - TRD Photography

Ink Revolution Issue #2 - Fall 2013 - Tattoo Artist Spotlight - Eric Newby

We are working on sharing some of our interviews and spreads from previous issues as we work on putting together our new issue. This is an interview we did with Eric Newby, the owner of Inked Expressions in Chattanooga, TN back in the fall of 2013.

IR: We’re talking to Eric Newby, owner of Inked Expressions in Chattanooga, TN. Eric is a multi award winning artist and one of the most respected artists in the Chattanooga area. Eric, how did you get started in tattooing?

Eric: Well I always wanted to do something with art to make a living. I was about to start working at airbrushing t-shirts. One day when I was 18 I went into TJ Tattoo and got my first one by Jhon McKenny. I was in there less than an hour and I paid him $80. I was like ‘Wow! I could do art and make a living!’ At the time there was no one in the area that would do an apprenticeship, So I gathered some equipment through mail order and started working on friends and family by trial and error. I’ve come a long way, believe you me.

IR: So how long were you tattooing before Inked Expressions came about?

Eric: I was about a year in. The first shop that I worked at was a little podunk biker shop. After seeing the owner greet customers with fresh cocaine residue on his nose, I knew there had to be a better way of doing it. So I scraped together and opened up a small two booth shop in East Ridge in 1995.

IR: It’s interesting that you touch on the drug culture a little bit. With tattoos becoming more mainstream, I’ve heard some people argue that tattoos are only for drug addicts and thugs. But the culture really seems to be shifting. What have you experienced?

Eric: I have seen a huge change in the types of people that are collecting tattoos. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s most were considered to be unsavory types if you had tattoos, and with that, the assumption of drug use.

Eric: With the tv shows and the publicity that tattoos have received, todays collectors are a more sophisticated group. I have tattooed nurses, doctors, lawyers, police officers, judges, and your typical american housewife. The stereotypical hell raising, drug using tattoo collector is a thing of the past. I do believe that people who get tattooed do like to let their hair down and enjoy life but they seem to be doing it in a more responsible way now.

IR: I couldn’t agree more. With tattoos becoming more mainstream, what advice would you give to someone looking to get their first tattoo?

Eric: They need to do their homework. Ask around for more than one persons referral. Check portfolios and health inspections. Once they choose an artist and shop, then plan out the piece with the artist. Communicate back and forth with them and speak up to let them know your ideas. Give the artist some freedom to guide you into the potential that the tattoo can be. Finally never, ever get a tattoo from someone working from their house. It’s 2013. It’s easy to get into a shop and do an apprenticeship now.

IR: Do you have any travel plans?

Eric: I have two more conventions this year, those being Panama and Miami, Florida. In 2014 I’ll be doing about one convention a month, including Texas, California, and the big one in Las Vegas.

IR: How can someone contact you?

Eric: Find on Facebook, Instagram @eric_newby, or @inkedexpressions. You can call 423-894-7794, or email us at [email protected]