KAT VON DEE IN GREEN BAY
BY BOB BAXTER
WITH PHOTOS BY BERNARD CLARK

Look at the ratings. Television audiences are-k-k-k krazy for Kat Von D. Witness Rick's 12th International Tattoo Convention on an iceberg called Green Bay, during a January snowstorm. The airports were closed, the Wisconsin roads were icy, but 7,000 dauntless fans poured through the door on Saturday the 20th. So many fans came to see Miami Ink's crowd-pleasing female phenomenon, 25-year-old Katherine von Drachenberg, that a line all the way to Milwaukee queued up an hour before the doors opened. Born in Nuevo Leon, Mexico from Argentinean parents, Kat Von D has not only captured the imagination of the TV audience, but, more importantly, she's utilized that star power to give something back to the tattoo world that got her where she is. Quite simply, by attending tattoo events, she's helping to both increase awareness and sell tickets at the door.

Sure, Rick Harnowski's tattoo event is one of best on the circuit, but, because of the cold and the relatively esoteric art-for-art's-sake nature if the show, Thursday was slow, Friday was, too, and Sunday was, like all convention Sundays, a quiet time to reflect and greet old friends. On Saturday, however, with the 25-year-old from Southern California in the house, the attendance virtually exploded. And what a great show for it to happen. From the incomparable list of artists to the world-class seminars, from the Radisson convention site to the Oneida Casino right next door, the fabulous Harnowski Family pulled off another classic, and, once again, made it perfectly clear that Rick's International Tattoo Convention is, arguably-whether winter, summer, spring or fall-the finest tattoo convention in America.

Held every other year, Harnowski and his sons Dan and Josh build their event around two things: great artists and educating the public. The highlight is the seminars. This year, Deano Cook gave "Advanced Techniques in Color Realism," Vyvyn Lazonga led "Color Theory and Practical Application for the Tattoo Artist" and Chuck Eldridge presented three: "Tattoos in Advertising," "Tattoo Flash" and "Tattoo Business Cards." Plus several more from Mike Skiver, Rich T, Tattoo-Liz and Eric Minugh. Although the contests started off slowly (there was only a single entry in one of the categories on Friday), M.C. Chris Longo said the level of tattoo art was amazingly high, plus-another great Harnowski touch-this time, everyone could see the contestants up close, thanks to projection screens dotted around the hall. And, get this, during the weekend, Rick graciously announced upcoming events in Philly, Salt Lake and Detroit. That's something you don't hear at other shows. Just another example of Harnowski's sincerity in promoting the tattoo arts.

And look who came: Shahn Anderson, Aaron Bell, Dennis Pase and Scott Althen from Black Orchid in Savannah, Judy Parker from San Diego, Nick Shrenk, Tattoo Mario and Marco Bratt from The Netherlands, Senior Jose Tana from Buenos Aires, Larry Brogan, Jason Butcher, Dave Conner form Des Moines, Kay Davis, Derek Dufresne, Cory Ferguson, France's Bernard Soufflet, Tramp and Marshall Bennet from Michigan, Jo Harrison, Megan Hoogland, Eric Jones, Amy Justin from Frisco's Sacred Rose, Paul Dhuey, Vyvyn Lazonga, Mike Perry, Shane O'Neill, Pierre C and Pascal from Montreal, Dan Dittmer, Cap Szumski, Leo Zulueta and Dianne Mansfield from Ann Arbor, Ray Youngman and Bret Zarro, plus dozens more great artists from around the globe. And, of course, the featured artist herself, Kat Von D. She signed autographs, sold T-shirts and even tattooed a couple grateful fans. It may have been a cold in Wisconsin but, inside the hall, it was hot-hot-hot.

The crowd was so enthusiastic that Kat's had security guards, and the line to get her signature was 300 autograph hounds long. Quite a phenomenon, and quite a pivotal moment in the world of modern-day tattooing. At a time when there's a so-called convention practically every weekend, events that focus their energies on art often fall victim to those whose primary goal is selling tickets and filling booths. Once again, most audiences don't know the difference between good shows and bad, but, wherever Kat goes, the crowds are treated to the best.

SKIN&INK attended two previous Kat Von D sightings, one at Steve Peace's fabulous Calgary show and another in Montreal. At the one in Calgary, there were lots of youngsters in Kat's line, mostly pre-teen girls with their mothers. In Montreal and especially Green Bay, the line was primarily adults. A celebrity feeding frenzy? Not entirely. As she says, "I'm here to tattoo and take part, just like everybody else." The bonus is, because of Kat's attendance at these better events, the general public gets to experience a first-rate tattoo show by some of the most informed and dedicated promoters in the business, promoters such as Pierre and Pascal in Montreal, Steve Peace in Calgary and the Harnowskis in Green Bay. There's no doubt about it, Kat Von D's popularity has done much to educate the general public.

That's not a small thing. Educating the populace about tattooing is a noble goal. And, after looking at Ms. Von D's recent past, it seems she's very good at determining quality. Her years working with the likes of True Tattoo's Clay Decker, Chris Garvey and Tim Hendricks have clearly paid off. And, best of all, Kat has brought a whole new audience to the world of tattooing, and she is, from all reports, a highly capable and well-liked ambassador.

So well liked, in fact, that, on Saturday, Rick himself couldn't get through the crowds to welcome his invited guest. That's when Lyle Tuttle (someone who knows more than a little about promotion and being a celebrity) stepped in. He suggested that Rick put on a kind of passing-of-the-torch ceremony, where the older generation could acknowledge Kat's positive influence, on stage, in front of everyone. Rick loved the idea and, next thing we know, Chuck Eldridge, Rick, Mike Skiver, Leo Zulueta, Ray Youngman, Lyle, Diamond Ted, Vyvyn and the M.C., Chris Longo, along with a sea of fans, paid tribute to Kat in a short, dignified presentation. To cap it off, Eldridge gave her a commemorative copy of the 1970's classic, Bert Grimm Historical Flash Collection, Volume 1, which everyone on stage signed. "Here's hoping we find your work in a book like this, someday," quipped Eldridge, as he handed the volume to the appreciative, young star.

An interesting phenomenon, this trail-breaking woman with the world-class tattoo skills. Her old workmate Chris Garver was on Miami Ink first, then Kat landed a job on the series. In the beginning she's an incidental player, but, the audiences wanted more and she appeared more often. Knowing how TV often misses the mark, Miami Ink does a fairly creditable job of portraying the tattoo lifestyle. The show's cast members, Ami James, Darren Brass, Chris Nunez and Yojiro Hirada, all have tattoo backgrounds. Garver, for example, had an international reputation long before the show hit the airwaves.

Yes, there are detractors. Some say the show doesn't accurately portray any tattoo shop they've ever seen. And some think it's too much like a soap opera. Shop owners tell me that Miami Ink fans are inclined to leave their TVs, walk to the nearest tattoo parlor and act like know-it-alls. They're instant authorities, just because they've seen it on TV. But the negatives outnumber the positives. There's always going to be posers. But the cold, hard fact remains: in the middle of winter, in a snowstorm, 7,000 people drove on slippery roads and paid their hard-earned money to see a talented, female tattoo artist named Kat Von D. And, yes, they also came to get tattooed. And, yes, they had a great time checking out the booths and attending the seminars. And, yes, all of the artists were busy. Hopefully, in the future, they'll come even if Kat stays home. Because, once tattoo fans get a taste of the finest the convention world has to offer, they won't settle for second best. They'll begin to recognize the truly talented artists and not waste their money on scratchers. For that alone, our hats are off to the woman of the hour. Our hats are off to Kat Von D.

This is a milestone moment for tattooing. What with the proliferation of tattoos in commercial advertising, motion pictures and, yes, TV shows like Miami Ink, tattoos have become, for the most part, universally accepted. Tattooed people are no longer pigeonhole as jailbirds and killers, when celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Cher sport ink on prime time. But I don't recall a female tattooist with such star power as Kat Von D. It's usually a man who leads the way in innovation and experimentation. Sure, there's been tattoo trailblazers like Betty Broadbent, SuzAnne Fauser, Vyvyn Lazonga, Patty Kelley and Pat Sinatra, but none with the same kind of trend-setting impact as Don Ed Hardy, Paul Booth or Horiyoshi III. The distaff side may have changed what we think about women tattooers, but it's the men in the family that changed what we think about tattooing. Then along comes Kat Von D. She is a woman, but not a woman that planned or structured her success. She was in the right place at the right time. I can't imagine she knew that, when she first got a tattoo at age 14, she'd be a television star. And perhaps she doesn't know or understand her power, today. But, having witnessed the heartfelt adulation and respect shown to her at Green Bay, I can't image Kat Von D is oblivious. And like the best of them, she has the power to change. The power to change our perception of a cherished art form. The power to win more converts. The power to infuse a few more years of life into this ever-evolving art form. All that said, it's the future that peaks my interest. Which way will it go? It's all up to Kat Von D.

I've said it before: "To whom much is given, much is expected."