by Kris Richter
“I’ve learned it, I’ve lived it, and I love it.”
– Kris Richter
My artist, B.J. Nigh, talked me into getting my first tattoo. I liked it, so I went back. I liked it again, so I went back again. The next time I went in, he suggested a new tattoo. “Skull flowers,” he said by way of a greeting as I approached his station where he was currently tattooing. “What?” I asked. “Skull flowers! Let’s do a skull flower,” he said.
I went to my first tattoo convention in Council Bluffs, Iowa, about seven years ago with my boyfriend at the time. We got there in time to walk around once or twice before the tattoo contest started. I wanted to take B.J. home a trophy! And I did. I ended up winning first place in the Best Small Black and Grey category for the safety pins on my arm.
When I walked off stage, I was handed a card with a picture of International Tattoo Art magazine. It said I had a photo shoot, if I wanted it, with Bill DeMichele, and to be at this room at this time. I was sooo excited! I went to the photo shoot and Bill told me how much he loved all the work I had. He asked me about my artist, and I told Bill that B.J. would be tattooing at the APT in Kansas City the following weekend.
I went home and I was on cloud nine! I called B.J. to tell him the news, and then I went back to normal life. The following Friday, however, I got a phone call from B.J. while I was at work. He said Bill found him at the convention and wanted to photograph me again. So, with almost no money, I made the 3-hour drive to Kansas City. This convention was even bigger than the Council Bluffs one. I met a few people, since I stayed the weekend, and I had a blast.
Bill ended up inviting B.J. to tattoo at Lyle Tuttle’s Old School Tattoo Expo a few months later, in November. We were both stoked; this was huge! This was about the time B.J. suggested the Skull flowers.
We outlined the first one, on the ball of my shoulder, a few weeks before the convention. Now, this was the 2nd Annual Old School Expo, which means it was still held in the City Museum in St. Louis. (It’s now held in the hotel.) The City Museum was such a magical place. It’s literally a giant play place for kids and adults alike. (If you’ve never been, I highly suggest going!) To hear the sound of so many tattoo machines, and hear the on-goings of the convention in that atmosphere was incredible.
Our booth was set up in a nice spot, near the door in one of the rooms. The first day, I sat down to get tattooed. I sat for 6 1/2 hours, my longest sit, to complete my first skull flower. I was shocked at the amount of people who continuously gathered around our booth to watch the progress. We finished in time to enter the Best of Day contest, and… WE WON! The rest of the weekend I walked around the convention with the piece everyone was talking about, and it sparked conversations with people who remain good friends of mine to this day.
[..]
