At the age of 18, Jeannie “Jean” Aldous’ daughter asked her if she could get a tattoo. Though hesitant at first, Aldous gathered up 10 tattoo artists for a friendly competition: Come up with the best tattoo for her daughter. Thirty-one years later, Aldous now hosts a competition with over 100 tattoo artists in what is considered the oldest tattoo expo in the United States.

“Never in a million years would I ever thought this would become so big,” said Aldous.

The 31st Annual AM-Jam Tattoo Expo brings together international and locally known tattoo artists for three days of tattoo competitions and demonstrations, starting Friday. Held at the Ramada East Carrier Circle, visitors have the chance to meet the artists, look through their work and get tattoos as well. “Lizardman,” a sideshow performer famous for his green scale tattoos, is also set to appear as the expo’s master of ceremonies.

“It’s just like shopping at a mall with all the different styles,” said Aldous, the president of AM-Jam Inc., the organization that puts together the expo. “The only difference is you can only pick something you can actually take with you.”

Visitors can expect tattoo artists from the local Syracuse community, the state of California and countries including Russia and the United Kingdom. One tattoo artist from the United Kingdom, Aldous recalls, enjoyed last year’s expo so much that he bought a house in Syracuse.

For non-English speaking visitors, the expo also features bilingual artists.

Aldous, who is also a nurse by profession, is devoted to keeping the expo clean and ensures the artists follow procedure required by the New York State Department of Health. She is also selective when choosing which artists to feature, as participating artists are expected to have at least five years of experience.

“People will remember where they got their tattoo but they might not remember who gave it to them,” said Aldous. “And I don’t want somebody saying, ‘I went to the AM-Jam tattoo show and I got a bad tattoo,’ so I do everything in my power not to have that.”

From best portrait to best black and grey tattoo, the expo boasts over 20 different tattoo categories in its competitions. The expo is also the only tattoo convention that doesn’t charge artists to enter its contests, which are held all day.

Adam Moore, of Twizted Ink in Rome, New York, is one of the tattoo artists participating in the expo this year.

Moore, who’s been a tattoo artist “on and off” for 22 years, specializes in 3-D, watercolor and realistic tattoo art. He said the expo gives people the chance to interact with artists they like.

“It’s an opportunity to pick the best artist for you and what you want to get,” said Moore. “You’ll be able to see good quality of tattoos because you can actually see their work in person.

With a steampunk theme this year, Aldous draws from the principles she uses in woodworking when judging the tattoo contest “because art is art, irregardless,” she said. Components such as quality and constancy of the tattoo’s outline, color, aesthetic appeal, presentation and placement are taken into consideration by the judges.

Judges participating in the competition include an oil painter with a degree in fine arts, a tattoo collector and Aldous’ daughter, who is a graphic artist.

What makes this expo stand out from other tattoo expos, Aldous said, is its “emphasis on the arts.” In addition to its wide selection of artistic tattoos, the expo refrains from making too much noise so artists can focus better.

“It’s so personal, when you get a tattoo,” said Aldous. “It should be quiet — there shouldn’t be any distracting background noise in order for them to concentrate to do the best art they can.”

Another tattoo artist, George LaBrada of East West Tattoo Social Club from Los Angeles, has participated in the expo for the past 10 years during his 15-year career. He credits the expo’s success to its broad range of appeal.

“They do their job as far as getting people to show up,” said LaBrada. “I’ve seen generations of parents bringing kids as they get older — it’s really family-oriented.”

For families, there’s also a “non-permanent tattoo category” kids can participate in by playing with henna tattoos or magic markers.

Most importantly, Aldous hopes to change common misconceptions held about getting a tattoo — especially among parents. Aldous, whose mother is “anti-tattoo,” brought her parents to the expo one year and remembers their amazement of all the “in memory” tattoos they saw of people’s families and friends.

“All of a sudden, they walked out of there and didn’t have that same mindset about tattoos anymore,” said Aldous.

Aldous urges those under the age of 18 to bring their parents to the expo and become educated about the culture of tattoos.

“It’s mainstream now,” said Aldous. “If you don’t want them to have tattoos, at least come learn about it and speak to these artists so you can understand a little more on where their son or daughter is coming from, and why they want it so much.”

Published on January 25, 2017 at 9:31 pm