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Festival Shows Ink Has Seeped In

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By Kathy Moore | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 12, 2009

Clay Montgomery, the owner of Atomic Tattoos, wanted to blend a bit of Tampa history and culture with the tattoo industry. He chose the Cuban Club in Ybor City as the backdrop for the inaugural Cigar City Tattoo Convention. The intimate venue allowed him to invite artists from around the world and to be selective with vendors.

"The artists here are the best of the best," he said Sunday.

The tattoo convention ran from Thursday to Sunday and featured seminars and artwork by top tattoo artists. Throughout the weekend, patrons had new designs inked on their bodies or old artwork modified; artists competed against each other in daily tattoo contests, and bands and musicians provided entertainment.

Montgomery considers the weekend a success, estimating that several thousand people came through the doors.

"Tattooing has become acceptable for everybody," he said. "We have customers of every background, every race, every culture, every economic level; professional people, working class people, convicts, bikers - you name it. We've got everybody."

Kathy Moore

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