Getting some ink: New Mexico Tattoo Fiesta celebrates body art

Dive into the art and world of tattooing at the New Mexico Tattoo Fiesta.

Brian Everett, co-founder of the convention and owner of Route 66 Fine Line, said this convention is like no other.

"The Tattoo Fiesta is very unique in the sense that here in New Mexico, we have a culture like nowhere else in the country," Everett said. “Most of the artists that come in from other states and stuff, they just kind of breathe it in.”

The convention takes place Friday through Sunday at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The event was moved from its original location at Isleta Casino and Resort.

Everett opened up his first shop 49 years ago and says he has seen the tattoo industry grow exponentially ever since.

“Back then, you couldn't tattoo in the city limits of Albuquerque. I was in Alameda … and that was kind of the beginning of it,” Everett said. “At that point, there were three places where you could get tattooed.”

Everett says he was unsure when the fiesta first began if Albuquerque had a large enough population to support it. The first convention showed the city was hungry for tattooing and the atmosphere at the convention remains strong 13 years later.

“It's exhilarating … You walk around and you look at the work that's being done at the show, and it's amazing because everybody's there. It's almost like they're on stage,” Everett said. “Everybody is prepared. Most of them already have their clients lined out, and they're doing amazing pieces.”

The artists tattooing in the open, where event goers can see, makes for a wholly different experience from a tattoo shop, according to Everett.

“It would be the difference of a band sitting there playing in their garage in comparison to playing at The Pit,” Everett said. “I mean, it just has a whole different sense of itself."

For those planning to attend, Everett suggests arriving early on day one to hit the ground running.

“I'd say get in there Friday, right when the door opens, and just walk around and talk to artists and look at the work before. By Saturday, everybody's working,” Everett said. “Saturday, that place is rocking, so it’s harder to get an opportunity to talk to an artist, because they're all working by then.”

Everett also suggests thoroughly exploring all the artists' work when choosing who to get a tattoo from at the convention, because tattooing is like any other form of art.

“Everybody has something different that moves them, that really catches their eye, and they get an emotional feeling about it,” Everett said. “Tattooing is the same. So, they really need to walk around and look at all the work that's being done and choose an artist that really kind of lights up their vibe.”

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