Aug 1-3, I attended the second annual Green State Tattoo Convention at the DoubleTree in South Burlington. It was the only tattoo convention in Vermont this year, and my first time taking part in a local show. I had a great time — met a lot of new people, caught up with familiar faces, and most importantly, got to reconnect with my own clients who came out to support and show off their work. I’m really thankful for everyone who made the trip and entered their pieces. It meant a lot to have so many of my projects come together in one place. Over the weekend I got to see some of my favorite healed tattoos walk back through the doors:
My Dungeons & Dragons vampire piece based on Strahd
The Medusa in all her glory
The Eagle piece
Odin Norse sleeve
And of course, the Predator
Seeing those pieces side by side was incredible. The healed work really stood out — people were blown away by how strong the detail and contrast still looked. That’s the kind of reaction I love, because it shows the work isn’t just about looking good on day one, it’s built to last. On top of that, the convention turned out to be a huge win for me. Literally. I took home two awards in two days: Best Large Black and Gray on day one with the Predator Best Sleeve on day two with my Odin/Norse Valkyrie sleeve.
To walk away with both of those awards my first time attending a Vermont convention was an honor, and it gave me a chance to showcase exactly the kind of large-scale black and gray work I love doing. Overall, the weekend was a reminder of why I push so hard with every design — and how important it is to create tattoos that not only look impressive fresh, but hold their impact over time. I’m already looking forward to the next convention, and I can’t wait to keep building more large-scale, award-winning projects with my clients.
