Friday 13th was Flash Day
A Special Surprise…
Our second Friday the 13th Flash Day was just as fun as the first, and like the first, a special surprise will be arriving in clients mailboxes soon… What special surprise you ask? 13 GIFT CERTIFICATES! As a special thank you to those who participated in our Flash Day, we are giving each of them 13 gift certificates, 1 to use towards their next tattoo and 12 to share with friends. We will be doing this every Friday the 13th so 1) Check your calendar for the next Friday the 13th 2) check our website for new flash and pick one (or more) you like 3) book your appointment 4) check the mail for your gift certificates!
Need a last minute holiday gift?
Buy them a gift certificate! Simply purchase a gift certificate online here https://www.myradiantenergy.net/gift-certificates and have it sent to your email, or directly to your recipient’s email! No fighting the crowds, no endless shopping, you don’t even have to wrap it!
Everybody’s New Hours
We are happy to announce that we have so many talented artists at our shop, even being open 7 days is not enough! In order to give everyone equal time in their work spaces, all artists are enjoying a 4 day in shop work week. What does this mean for you? Well, someone is always in the shop to consult with walks in, but your favorite artist has specific hours. Check them out below.
@carolineannevans
Caroline is available on Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat from 12pm to 8pm. Caroline’s enjoys the challenge of Celtic knotwork and coverup tattoos.
@koryn_tattoo
Koryn is available on Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri from 12 pm to 8 pm. Koryn loves doing anime and fineline.
@doomsayer.art
Casey is available on Sun from 5pm to 8pm and Mon, Tues, Weds from 12pm to 8pm. Casey loves creating art and loves all styles.
@bobbyblack_tattoos
Bobby is available on Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues from 12 pm to 8 pm. Bobby enjoys black work and pepper shading.
@ryzarttattoo
Rich is available on Fri and Sat from 12 pm to 8 pm. He has started his apprenticeship tattoos. Rich loves neo-trad and enjoys applying his talents to other styles as well.
December Overview
November was full of fun (machine building) and family (Thanksgiving) and December will continue with even more! We start with our FLASH DAY on Dec 13th! It’s a Friday the 13th Flash Day, so the flash is a little bit spooky. All new and old flash sheets are posted below.
Being Thankful for Tattooing
Every Thanksgiving we reflect on what we’re thankful for. This year I am especially thankful for tattoos. I was first introduced to tattoos when my mom got her first one on her shoulder blade. The tattoo has three flowers representing my mom, my sister and me with “my two daughters” in Chinese. From that moment on, I fell in love with the art of tattooing. When I was playing with my Barbies, I would take black permanent markers and draw flowers and butterflies all over their bodies. I had begged my mom since I was 16 years old to let me get a tattoo. When she said no, I took India ink and a sewing needle and poked a moon onto my ankle (don’t try this at home kids). When I turned 18, the only thing I asked my mom for was a tattoo. She agreed, and I was hooked. After I spoke to my artist about becoming a tattooer, he told me not to do it. He said that it isn’t always guaranteed money, and it takes a while to build up a client base. But I didn’t care, I knew it was what I wanted to do. After a year of building my portfolio, I got a tattoo apprenticeship, and my life changed forever. I’ve met some of the greatest people who are now my closest friends. I’ve gotten to travel the state and meet artists from around the world at conventions. This career was definitely the right choice for me. Every day I go into the shop, I have more fun than the last and I get to create works of art on people that they get to keep for the rest of their lives. I am beyond thankful.
Casey Ritacco
No turkeys were harmed in the creation of this AI image.
Machine Building Day
Koryn
The machine building class was a very unique, hands-on experience. And with new technology coming out all the time for modern tattoo artists, it was a nice refreshing way to turn back the clocks a bit and really appreciate how far the industry has come. From learning proper wiring and all the fine tuning it takes to make a machine run properly for the job at hand, I took away a new appreciation for all the artists before us and the machine builders who are still working on their craft to this day.
Casey
I haven’t had much experience with coil machines, so learning about them and how they work definitely made me more confident with using them on actual skin.
Caroline
My take away from this was that even after tattooing for 3 decades, there was stuff that I had learned. There is always something to learn, you learn something new every day……and I got another machine ☺
Check out our machine building day
The Art of Gratitude:
How Tattoos Serve as Lasting Reminders of Thankfulness
Tattoos have long been a form of self-expression, a way to mark important moments in life, and even an avenue for spiritual or emotional healing. In recent years, more people have turned to tattoos as permanent reminders of gratitude—symbols of appreciation for life’s blessings, milestones, or the people who have left a lasting impact.
Why Gratitude?
Gratitude is more than a feeling; it’s a mindset that has been shown to improve mental health, boost relationships, and enhance overall well-being. When we practice gratitude, we shift our focus from what’s lacking to what’s abundant in our lives. It's an intentional act that promotes emotional resilience and inner peace.
In a world that often prioritizes striving, achieving, and acquiring more, gratitude brings us back to the present moment and helps us appreciate what we already have. A tattoo inspired by gratitude can be a meaningful expression of this positive mindset—a visual reminder that we are thankful for the people, experiences, and lessons that shape our lives.
1. Symbols of Growth and Transformation
Many people use tattoos to commemorate personal growth or life-altering experiences. Popular symbols like the lotus flower, which grows out of the mud to bloom, represent rising above challenges and emerging stronger. Similarly, the phoenix—a mythical bird that rises from its ashes—symbolizes rebirth and resilience, making it a fitting tribute to overcoming hardships with gratitude.
2. Names and Initials of Loved Ones
Tattoos that feature the names or initials of family members, friends, or mentors are common among people who want to honor those who have had a profound impact on their lives. This could be a parent who supported you unconditionally or a friend who has always been there in times of need. Such tattoos carry a deep emotional connection, expressing gratitude for the love and support these individuals offer.
3. Words and Quotes
Words carry power. A favorite quote about gratitude, personal strength, or love can serve as a permanent reminder of what’s truly important. Popular phrases like “Grateful,” “Thankful,” “Blessed,” or “This too shall pass” can provide strength during difficult times while reminding the wearer to stay grounded in gratitude.
4. Nature Elements
Nature often serves as a metaphor for life’s cycles and the beauty of growth. Trees, especially oak trees, can represent strength and endurance. Leaves, flowers, or even the sun can symbolize the simple yet powerful things in life that we are grateful for.
5. Coordinates or Dates
Some people choose to tattoo the coordinates of a place that has significant meaning to them—perhaps the place they were born, where they met a loved one, or a place that changed their life. Similarly, important dates such as anniversaries or moments of personal transformation can serve as a permanent reminder of gratitude for those experiences.
Gratitude as a Source of Healing Through Tattoos
For many, tattoos are not just about aesthetic beauty—they are deeply personal and healing. The process of getting a tattoo can be a therapeutic experience for those navigating grief, loss, or trauma. Some individuals get tattoos to memorialize a loved one or to honor a life-changing experience that they are grateful for.
Tattoos also serve as a form of self-empowerment. By taking control of one’s body and narrative, a tattoo becomes a symbol of self-respect and a testament to personal strength. For some, the act of getting tattooed is itself a form of gratitude—expressing appreciation for the body they inhabit and the life they live.
Tattoos and Mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness aligns closely with gratitude. By focusing on the present moment and acknowledging the beauty around us, we can cultivate a sense of peace and contentment. Many people find that their tattoos help them stay mindful and rooted in gratitude, as they reflect on the meaning behind their designs. Each time they see their tattoo, it brings them back to the moment of appreciation or the significance it holds.
Gratitude That Lasts Forever
Tattoos, with their permanence, offer a profound way to carry gratitude with you wherever you go. Whether it’s a design that symbolizes personal growth, a tribute to a loved one, or a simple word or phrase that reminds you to be thankful, tattoos serve as lasting emblems of what we hold dear. In a world that can often feel overwhelming, these symbols offer grounding and clarity, helping us stay rooted in the things that truly matter.
A tattoo can be more than just ink on skin—it can be a lifelong reminder to live with intention, appreciate the good in our lives, and carry gratitude with us always.
Flash Day is Nov 20th
Bobby - Fall Leaves, Caroline - Victorian Mourning Jewelry, Casey - Autumn Inspirations, Casey - Cryptids, Rich - Fall Frustration
November Overview
Monthly Overview: November 2024
MACHINE BUILDING!!!
After a hectic October that included a convention in Alaska, an educational week at Paradise Gathering and a 2 day Flash Day, we are ready for the comforts of home and family. November is willing to provide!
We start with our MACHINE BUILDING on Nov 15th. We purchased tattoo machine kits from NRTS, and Jason Leeser will be teaching us how to build them! This event is open to anyone in the tattoo community. Buy your machine here and join Caroline, Casey, Melanie, Rich, Koryn, Bobby and Jason at our shop!
FLASH DAY is Nov. 20th. All new flash sheets will be posted next week.
The seasonal holidays have begun! The shop will be CLOSED for Thanksgiving and Black Friday Nov. 28 & 29. We will be closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dec. 24 & 25. We will be closed for New Years Eve and New Years Day Dec. 31 & Jan 1.
Neo-Trad Style
What does Neo-traditional Style mean?
It's literally the new version of a traditional tattoo. Take a traditional tattoo and increase the detail, decrease the line weight, modernize the use of color and add vivid highlights. By using varied colors and line sizes, you can create an exaggerated interpretation of the traditional tattoo.
Back in the late 70s, American folk art and pop culture were inspiring a new generation of tattoo artists in New York City. Their revolutionary tattoo techniques coupled with irezumi, the traditional Japanese style, birthed the experimental and now wildly popular neo-trad style.
This style is very popular for two basic reasons. First, the bold designs help the image age well. The thick outlines are less likely to fade over time. Second, it can be readily adapted to suit any aesthetic. It lends itself to being cute like a cartoon, but can also be easily modified into anime or even transformed into something dark and frightening.
Halloween and Tattoos
At their very basic forms, both tattooing and Halloween draw on ancient traditions that have been handed down through the centuries outside of the mainstream information pathways. They inspire feelings of ancestral traditions while weaving themselves into the forefront of modern life.
Halloween is a fairly new holiday compared to the holidays it is based on. Samhain (SOW’ in) is a celebration of the time of the year when the veil between the living world and the afterlife is at it’s thinnest and communication between the worlds is easiest. Similarly, Dia de Los Muertos is a celebration of deceased loved ones and relatives and welcoming their spirits back. Tattoos are permanent representations of memories, loved ones, feelings, thoughts and beliefs that would otherwise be invisible and lost to time. Both are keeping a piece of the past fresh in the mind and not slipping away into the ether.
Halloween lovers have always enjoyed the eerie symbols that represent the spirit of the holiday. Often certain symbols will resonate with someone’s personal memories or experiences, such as a spider web representing the twisted turns their life took from childhood to adulthood or a favorite childhood witch costume. Tarot cards and sugar skulls could represent religious beliefs or a sneak peek into someone’s personal interests.
Getting a tattoo can be considered a ritual in itself. The artist sets up their workstation the way a high priestess sets up her altar. The pain of needles, the spiritual energy, the transformation of an idea into a permanent image are all aspects of the modern day clinging to the past through traditional activities and long established customs.
Both Halloween and tattooing have had their fair share of ridicule and ostracism. Practitioners of both spent decades, even centuries, hiding in the shadows and covering up evidence of their activity in these unpopular pursuits. People dress up in costumes to briefly escape their lives of mundane conformity while tattoo enthusiasts decorate their bodies to escape mundane uniformity. Both allow for individual expression and breaking away from societal boundaries.
Over the years, tattoos have been gaining acceptance by leaps and bounds and are becoming more and more common to see on men and women of all ages and demographics. Halloween has also been nipping on the heels of Christmas in the race to become the most favorite holiday. As more and more people develop and interest in both Halloween and tattoos, both will continue to change and adapt with the modern times causing a never ending story of self expression and enthusiasm for art in its many forms.