Caroline Evans 2/20/25 Caroline Evans 2/20/25

Love Art, Flash and Pits

Remember Flash Day is Feb 26th, our flash sheets are bleow, on IG & FB and posted in the shop! Mohegan Sun convention is coming up, both Caroline and Casey will be there. We have many more events in the works and new merch coming to the shop soon!

“When we are creating and sharing the gifts of that creativity, we are living in Love. We come closer to God.” - Darnell Waine

Darnell Waine was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He was very young when he first noticed his artistic ability and loved being creative. After graduating from high school, he was not interested in art school, he was more attracted to tattooing. He did not want a regular job, so tattooing was the perfect career choice for him. He believes, “…drawing is the basis of a good tattooer’s abilities. The same principles apply in drawing and tattooing-—you’re just learning a different tool and canvas.” He has been tattooing for over 15 years and specializes in black & grey realism and illustrative realism. He loves tattooing portraits.
In an interview with Bethany Scott about his time on Best Ink, he said that the show was an awesome experience. “I like to compare it to a roller coaster ride—ups & downs and you get thrown for a loop from time to time. I definitely learned a lot about myself as an artist and things haven’t quite been the same since the show aired…in a good way, of course. Artistically there were definitely some tough competitors I was going up against. The other artists definitely kept me on my toes and pushed me to really dig deep creatively.”
Although tattooing is how he pays the bills, painting is his passion. And he does dig very deep creatively. This can be seen in his art at AMH Gallery which stands for All My Heart Gallery. Darnell once believed that his purpose in life was to create art. One day he found his highest purpose was Love. That art was not his greatest purpose, but his greatest tool to fulfill his purpose. Darnell’s art embodies the spirit of love and he shares his art to inspire others to cultivate love from within and share their love with others.
Darnell’s Gallery https://amhgallery.com/#home-section
IG https://www.instagram.com/darnellwaine/?hl=en
Interview with Bethany Scott https://www.edmondoutlook.com/my-outlook-darnell-waine/
WORKSxWAINE interview with VoyageLA https://voyagela.com/interview/meet-darnell-waine-worksxwaine-south-bay-los-angeles-ca/

2 Days 4 Pits

Radiant Energy has submitted a $150 gift certificate to Brick City Rescue’s Hardcore for Pits 7 weekend fundraiser. Pre-party, March 1st at Ghost Hawk Brewing Co, 321 River Road in Clifton. On March 2nd doors open 1pm at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ featuring Judge, The Take, Mephiskapheles, The Ice Cold Killers, Damage Done, Kirkby Kiss and Steady Sound System. Plus Art Auction - Killer Raffles and supply drive (crates (large), dog bowls, food, treats, leashes! Tickets available in IG Bio or eventbrite.com
https://www.instagram.com/brick_city_rescue/
**Brick City Rescue Inc (BCR) is dedicated to finding loving, stable homes for all adoptable homeless dogs in NJ with a main focus on Bully Breeds.**

Caroline Evans 2/13/25 Caroline Evans 2/13/25

Valentine’s and Pits

Flash Day is February 26th! Our new flash is posted below, it’s never too early to book an appointment….speaking of which, the New England Tattoo Expo is April 11 - 13. Caroline and Casey will both be there! Happy Valentine’s Day, Happy Black History Month!

**“While being tattooed, I noticed that there weren’t a lot of people that I felt safe with. And so, I wanted to provide that for Black and brown people within my community.”**

Doreen Garner was born in 1986 in Philadelphia, PA. After graduating from Tyler School of Art at Temple University, she attended Rhode Island School of Design where she earned a Masters of Fine Arts. She attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture after moving to NY in 2014. In 2015, her artist-in-residence at the Henry Street Settlement in downtown Manhattan was the beginning of her many art exhibitions. Her work is comprised of various materials, some found, repurposed, or rescued, that help her to create expressions of black, female physicality and traumatic medical history. Some of these materials include hair braiding and hair weaves; pearls, beads and Swarovski crystals; glass, silicone, Vaseline and condoms.
In Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, winter of 2018, a pop-up tattoo shop was held every Friday and Saturday. She used this pop-up to create a space for black people to feel welcome within the tattoo culture. She had flash for clients to choose from, or they could create their own designs. In an effort to bring black history into the tattoo culture, she kept a selected list of tattoos for clients who identified as a person of color to receive for free. She is now Philly based and specializing in Protective Style tattoos. These tattoos incorporate braids, cowrie shells and other symbols of protection.
She also runs a social commentary podcast with Kenya Robinson called #trashDAY on Clocktower Radio and a tattoo podcast called Mad Pain.
Links to all her endeavors can be found in her link tree in her IG bio here
https://www.instagram.com/flesh_and_fluid/?hl=en

**Brick City Rescue Inc (BCR) is dedicated to finding loving, stable homes for all adoptable homeless dogs in NJ with a main focus on Bully Breeds.**

Radiant Energy has submitted a $150 gift certificate to Brick City Rescue’s Hardcore for Pits 7 weekend fundraiser. Pre-party, March 1st at Ghost Hawk Brewing Co, 321 River Road in Clifton with Vic Ruggiero of the Slackers and Lenny Lashley’s Gang of One and Steady Sound System! On March 2nd doors open 1pm at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ featuring Judge, The Take, Mephiskapheles, The Ice Cold Killers, Damage Done, Kirkby Kiss and Steady Sound System. Plus Art Auction - Killer Raffles and supply drive (crates (large), dog bowls, food, treats, leashes! Tickets available in IG Bio or eventbrite.com
https://www.instagram.com/brick_city_rescue/

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow!!! What last minute gift can you get your lover? A Radiant Energy Tattoo gift certificate! Pay in person, online or over the phone and have gift certificate emailed instantly during business hours 12pm - 8pm.
Flash Day is Feb 26th! See last week’s post for flash sheet photos, or check them out on Instagram or Facebook. It’s never too early to book your flash day appointment!

Caroline Evans 2/6/25 Caroline Evans 2/6/25

Valentine’s & Black History

It’s February, month of Black History, Valentine’s Day and New Flash - see below! We are also looking forward to the next convention, The New England Tattoo Expo at Mohegan Sun! It’s always a good time, but this year will be Casey’s first time! If you are in the area, come out and see her, talk to her, get tattooed by her! Caroline, Casey are taking appointments now!

*“Anytime you do anything, it should be an artform.” – Jacci Gresham, AART Accent Tattoo*Make it stand out

Originally a design engineer from Flint, MI, Jacci Gresham moved to New Orleans in search of work and wound up becoming a tattoo artist. She and friend, Ali Singh, opened Aart Accent Tattoos & Body Piercing in 1976. At the time, she was one of only five women tattooing in the US and the only one in New Orleans. She is the first black female tattoo artist in America and was honored as a Pioneer of Female Tattoo Artists in 2011.
In the 1970s and before, women were not accepted in tattoo shops unless they were dating/married to one of the artists. So, when Jacci opened her tiny shop, only the 3rd shop in New Orleans, with no experience and no tattoos on her body, you’d have thought it was destined to fail. But it was the other two shops that wound up closing, making hers the oldest continuous tattoo shop in New Orleans and it is still open today!
In an interview with Sabrina Stone in Very Local, Jacci spoke about the *art* of tattooing.
“When I first started tattooing, artists didn’t seem to be too enthusiastic about the art part. They were enthusiastic about making the money. A rose would be red and green and that was it. When I got into business, I put about five colors into a rose. I would highlight it with pink and a little yellow in the center. The stem would be green highlighted with yellow. Tattooing is, can be, should be, an artform. Anytime you do anything, it should be an artform.”
And about how female artists are changing the industry.
“A lot of times, being a woman and you’re working with guys (or even other women), they’ll be picky. They’ll do unnecessary picking, not adding creative thoughts. Back then, women didn’t tattoo too often, and in my experience, women are more caring, they’re more particular. They want to get it right, so it’s changing things. In the era that I came through, half the people, they just did tattooing for money.”
Read the article here. https://www.verylocal.com/the-oldest-tattoo-shop-in-louisiana-is-in-new-orleans-and-operated-by-tattooing-legend-jacci-gresham/5944/

**THE PITTIE PROJECT’S GOAL IS TO GET INTO COMMUNITIES AND OFFER SUPPORT AND EDUCATION TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF BULLY BREEDS IN THE SHELTER.**

Radiant Energy has submitted a $150 gift certificate to the Pittie Project’s Love for Pitties Valentine’s Day Bash. While this event is sold out, we will be donating gift certificates to other charities throughout the year! In the mean time, you can donate directly through their website. https://www.thepittie.com/

Caroline Evans 1/30/25 Caroline Evans 1/30/25

January Wrap Up!

While January can never compete with the excitement of December, the Philly convention, Flash Day and a new contest gave it their best shot!

The Philly Convention

Caroline, Melanie and @DrizzyEmpBoy attended the Philly Convention Jan 24th thru 26th ! There have been some bumps along the way, but Caroline and Melanie persevered and learned that they work really well together! Youtube video coming soon, but on tiktok you can check out all the folks in the tattoo family that Caroline saw that weekend!

Dice Roll Game

Our new contest will begin next month, but you can find our practice run on all the socials this month! Try and guess the criteria for the Dice Roll Tattoos. Remember, this is actual tattoo flash available for anyone who wants these images forever. Plus, it’s a fun way to interact with your tattoo artist and possibly win a free t-shirt.
This month’s criteria was 1. Foot, 2. Blackwork, 3. Wing, 4. Snake

Flash Day is Feb 26th!

Our new flash will be posted here next week! It will also be posted on the socials and the front desk in the shop.

Caroline Evans 1/23/25 Caroline Evans 1/23/25

Philly, Flash and Feel It!

Philly Convention this weekend!

Caroline, Melanie, Bobby and @DrizzyEmpBoy are at the Philly Convention Jan 24th thru 26th! There have been some bumps along the way, but that won’t stop ‘em! They are geared up for a great weekend and can’t wait to see you! So, stop by and see them even if you are not getting tattooed! Call/text for appt 732-503-8469, or just walk up to the booth! For more info about the convention visit https://villainarts.com/tattoo-conventions-villain-arts/philadelphia-tattoo-arts-convention/

Flash Day is Jan 29th!

Speaking of available appointments, there are still some **Flash Day Jan 29th** appointments available too. ***Check out the January Flash below in the Jan 9th blog post*** and make your appointment now!

All the Feels

Recently the world became aware of a 45 year old influencer, Ricardo Godoi, who tragically died of cardiac arrest while being administered anesthesia for a large back tattoo. While police are still investigating, Godoi’s family, friends and followers are mourning his untimely and unnecessary death.
Apparently, it’s becoming a trend for the insanely rich to go under anesthesia for large scale tattoos. As seen in multiple videos posted to tiktok by artist Joaquin Ganga. It cuts hours and hours off multi session tattoos, reducing weeks and months of work down to one 8 hour session with as many as six artists working at once. Oh, and they say it’s pain free.
Now, a lot of us die hards are going to ask…If it’s pain free, what’s the point? Your tattoo is no longer a symbol of your ability to endure, a badge of dedication that transcends agony and suffering. It is minimized to the extent that it becomes the equivalent of changing your clothes.

In an article written by Chloe Nordquist in Scripps News Life, Dr. John Baer, DO, an anesthesiologist and chair of anesthesia at Swedish Medical Center in Colorado said, “Back in the 1940s it was about 1 in 1,000 people would die from anesthesia, now that number is closer to 1 in 100,000. Anesthesia is really a lot more complicated than just flipping a switch like turning off a light, but those who have the money, the fame, they will find the places they can get this safely done, but still there’s always that inherent risk.”

The risks are laid out by many medical websites, such as the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Yale Medicine, but this is what the American Society of Anesthesiologists says.
“Surgery and anesthesia are safer today than ever before, thanks to continuing advances in science. But this doesn’t mean there is zero risk. In fact, surgery and anesthesia are inherently dangerous, and as with any medication or procedure, there is always the chance that something can go wrong. Certain patients are more likely to experience problems or complications and possibly even death than others because of their age, medical conditions, or the type of surgery they’re having.”
Anesthesia is safer today than ever before, right? Plus, you are not subjecting your body to multiple sessions of torture.
“The whole picture is done, you don't have to come back multiple times, and I can see how somebody might see some value in that,” Dr. Baer does think this process could generate more interest. However, right now, it’s mainly for celebrities and the wealthy with a price point of somewhere around $40,000.

Ben Shaw with the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, who has been tattooing for 23 years, said, “You have to go through it to get to it. You have to go through the pain to get the reward of a tattoo. So, when you see someone who is heavily tattooed, you know they can withstand pain, they know how to commit to something.”

I get it, you don’t have the time or energy to get a tattoo the right way. Has cutting corners ever made anything better? No, and you can die from it.
While surgery and tattooing are not the same, getting a tattoo does cause trauma to the body. Your body still needs time to heal and it will tell you when it has had enough. Will you be able to hear it if you are knocked out?
And what would this mean for other tattoo artists, who don’t surrender to this reckless speed tattooing trend?
“If there’s some negative things that come about from this, it will reflect poorly upon us professionals who are trying to do it safely, moderately,” said Shaw.
“If there isn't an appropriate medical staff that is around to take care of those types of situations, then that's something that can become an even bigger concern of ours,” said Mick O’Herien, the vice president at the Alliance of Professional Tattooists.
If you are curious or concerned about this type of procedure, talk to your tattoo artist about it. The cost alone may be a detriment for the majority of tattoo enthusiasts, but finding a tattoo artist willing to be involved may be another.

https://www.tiktok.com/@ganga
https://www.scrippsnews.com/life/tattoo-sedation-is-it-safe-and-will-the-growing-trend-take-hold
https://madeforthismoment.asahq.org/anesthesia-101/types-of-anesthesia/anesthesia-risks/

Caroline Evans 1/16/25 Caroline Evans 1/16/25

Flash Day, New Contest, and Boots, oh my!

There are still a few spots left for the Philly Convention Jan 24th thru 26th! Caroline will be assisted by Melanie, and sharing the booth with shopmate Bobby and @DrizzyEmpBoy. Stop by and see them even if you are not getting tattooed! Call/text for appt 732-503-8469, for more info about the convention visit https://villainarts.com/tattoo-conventions-villain-arts/philadelphia-tattoo-arts-convention/

Speaking of available appointments, there are still some Flash Day Jan 29th appointments available too. Check out the January Flash below and make your appointment now! Call/text 732-503-8469

New Contest!

Every month our artists draw a tattoo based on criteria from a roll of the dice, Tattoo Paint Roll dice. The pictures will be posted across all social media channels (FB, IG, tiktok, YT) and we are asking for your critiques! You will need to figure out what the criteria is and ensure that all artists’ tattoos incorporate the correct criteria. Winners will receive a free t-shirt. Your critique can be as simple or as nuanced as you feel each tattoo requires. Sample critiques can be found here https://youtu.be/9N64ytaseV4?si=UeijZeC0dZvsHWCf

Custom Boots!

Caroline finished the latest commission for a pair of custom hand painted boots! In addition to tattooing, running a business and sitting on various industry boards, she hand paints boots, purses, shoes, jackets, etc. If you are interested, you can find more information here https://www.tattoosbycaroline.com/custom-boots

Caroline Evans 1/9/25 Caroline Evans 1/9/25

January 2025 is underway!

We have gotten some of the new and exciting things going and some are still in the works. We’ve started our morning stretches and will be doing a video series on the importance of keeping our bodies stretched, strengthened and moving. The new contest is still in the works and will be ready to roll in the coming weeks. But now, lets talk about Flash Day 1/29 and the Philly Convention 1/24 – 26.

Flash Day Jan 29th

The new Flash Day flash is featured below. These images are offered at a discounted price one day only, arms and legs only, about 3”x 3.5” depending on image. View the flash sheets below. Call/text 732-503-8469 to book an appointment, or walk in.

T-shirts!!!

Caroline will be bringing all the t-shirts that we’ve had for sale in the shop to the convention. We need to make room for all the new merch that will be arriving soon, so grab your last minute merch now before it’s gone forever!
Also, if you are a client who lives in the western NJ, PA area and are looking to get a tattoo by Caroline or Bobby, call/text the shop and make you appointment before all the spots are gone. Shop 732-503-8469, for more info about the convention visit https://villainarts.com/tattoo-conventions-villain-arts/philadelphia-tattoo-arts-convention/

Caroline Evans 1/2/25 Caroline Evans 1/2/25

Looking Back at 2024

Looking back over 2024, we have done a lot! We donated to causes, we attended educational events and have added to our growing tattoo shop family.

MY BODY MY CHOICE Tattoo Fundraiser Event

Last year we donated $520 to the National Network of Abortion Funds from our MBMC tattoo event in July. This is up from 2023, but down from the first year. Hopefully, 2025 shows a bigger turn out, maybe some cool new flash for the event will draw more people in….
We also donated a $50 gift certificate to Brick football and a $50 gift certificate to Brick cheerleading fundraisers. We have been happy to be a part of this community for the last 9 years and love to be able to give back. There are some new organizations that we are looking into donating to this year.
We started a new client appreciation reward for our Friday the 13th Flash Days. We were able to reward our clients twice since there were 2 occasions of Friday the 13th!

Educational Events

In July of 2024, we attended the Lyle Tuttle Collection Skull Session Tattoo Art Event in NYC which was fun and informative.
Caroline attended Paradise Tattoo Gathering in Jiminy Peak, MA again this year. Paradise is a week long gathering of art seminars with the added bonus of visiting with your out of state tattoo family members that you may have missed at the conventions.

Our tattoo shop family is still growing!

In 2024, our tattoo shop family grew by leaps and bounds! We added 2 established artists, graduated 1 apprentice and began the graduation process of another. In 2025, we are looking forward to graduating the last one and taking on some new apprentices!
How to book our artists:
Caroline – Call/text 732-503-8469 Koryn – DM @koryn_tattoo on Instagram
Casey – Text 732-451-4904 Bobby – Call/text 732-503-8469
Rich - Call/text 732-503-8469

Caroline Evans 12/26/24 Caroline Evans 12/26/24

Anticipating January 2025!!!

Some of the exciting things that will be happening are Flash Day 1/29, the Philly Con 1/24 – 26 and exciting new contests for our clients and followers to play along with.

Ch, Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes!

If you haven’t noticed, the shop has been going through a lot of changes in the latter half of 2024 and will continue in 2025. We have welcomed 3 new artists (Koryn, Bobby and Casey) and have extended our hours to 7 days a week. We’ve rearranged furniture and our social media presence. We will be rearranging our contests and client participation events as well. The info on those will be coming as things are finalized. In the meantime, you can leave us a google review about your recent tattoo or an old one that you still love.

The Villian Arts 27th annual Philly Tattoo Convention

It will be held in the Pennsylvania Convention Center from 1/24 to 1/26. A 1 day pass is $25 or a 3 day pass is $50, children under 12 are admitted free. In addition to hundreds of tattoo artists from all over the country, there are also entertainment artists that will be performing all weekend. Caroline doesn’t miss this convention, since it is one of her favorites and this year, Bobby will be joining her. If you do decide to attend, swing by her booth and say “hello” they’d love to see you there!
If you are a client who lives in the western NJ, PA area and are looking to get a tattoo by Caroline or Bobby, call/text the shop and make you appointment now. Shop 732-503-8469, for more info about the convention visit https://villainarts.com/tattoo-conventions-villain-arts/philadelphia-tattoo-arts-convention/

Flash Day is Jan 29th!

Flash Day is the day we offer flash tattoos at discounted prices. Only the images on the flash sheets are discounted and only on Flash Day.
Check back for updated flash sheets. Our artists are drawing up some brand new flash to feature for this month, so don’t miss out! You can see the new flash posted here, on our Instagram, Facebook, tiktok or on the front desk in the shop, so if you are in the area, stop in and say, “hi!”

Caroline Evans 12/19/24 Caroline Evans 12/19/24

Radiant Energy Tattoo