The 16th annual West Texas Tattoo Convention was held at Foster Communications Coliseum last weekend with almost 200 artists in attendance.
Alex and Aubrey Trufant organized the event, they own Trufant Brothers Tattoo, 117 N. Chadbourne St.
“It was an amazing weekend,” said Alex “I’m paying for it now, but it was worth it.”
Booths were booked solid. Artists and apprentices took the customer’s choice of design down to the stencil machine. Tables were packed with prints of every design imaginable. Just pick one, and it’s yours.
People lounged on benches while artists buzzed away, sending them home ecstatic and wrapped in plastic.
Artist Julian Roberts with Trufant Bros. is a 17-year veteran of the industry. He worked the convention this year alongside Haley Wall, who’s been apprenticing for a year.
The artists were all too busy during the convention to pick up any new “ink” themselves.
“My first tattoo?” Roberts reminisced, “It was for one of my ex-girlfriends, on the pad of my thumb. Half a heart with an “m”. Don’t regret it at all!”
“We get to go sometimes to Germany, Japan for conventions.” World Tattoo Events lists dozens of upcoming conventions in Europe and Asia.
“In our area, black-and-grey artwork is a predominant style. American Traditional, like this style,” He says gesturing to the tattoo he’s working on now “is coming back with a vengeance.”
“It’s tried and true. There are 70-year-old designs still being used today, and it’s cool to see them get the recognition they deserve. With so many people getting tattoos, there really isn’t one style. It’s all accepted, and it’s all awesome.”
In 2023, Forbes reported that the tattoo industry brought in two billion dollars. Thirtytwo-percent of adults have a tattoo, including 22-percent who have more than one. Almost half of all Americans under 40 have a tattoo, Pew Research reports.
The afterparty was hosted at Penny Tap House featuring hard rock bands “Amma” and “The Well”. The bar was packed and both bands put on a great show.
If you’re looking for your first tattoo, come on down to Trufant Bros or any one of the over 20 artists in town. Or catch the next convention if you want the best selection of designs and artistry.
