design Tattoos are an experience shared with loved ones.
Just ask husband and wife Kathy, 51, and Mike Rea, 54, who got their first tattoos together, matching birds."Back in 1990, we got our tattoos at the same time," she said. "When we were starting out, we were real amateurs. We just picked something off the wall."
Over the next 18 years, the Tucson couple picked up more body art, resulting in collages.
"With most of my tattoos, I remember where I was and what was going on in my life," Kathy Rea said.
For Daniel Jungenberg, one tattoo means the most to him.
It's of his grandfather Ernest Nelson and lies over his heart.
"He basically raised me. He's my hero," Jungenberg said, holding a framed portrait of his grandfather that was replicated on his chest.
Jungenberg's body represents a living, breathing, personal encyclopedia.
"Memories," he said. "Every (tattoo) has to do with memories."
Jungenberg, 37, from Tucson was first inked at age 13, and he's "working on one big one." It will be created out of many smaller tattoos.
Travis Shipley, 27, got into tattoos because he liked it.
"I've always just been into it. I like the art," Shipley said.
Shipley entered a tattoo of a "bioskull" that covers his back in the "best of the weekend tattoo" category of a contest on Sunday. The tattoo, by artist Jon Lewis, took first place.
The tattoo took two days to complete, with an hour and a half dedicated to outlining and 12 hours to detail and color it, Shipley said.
Another Lewis work, covering Shipley's left arm, took second place on Saturday in the sleeve category of a contest, Shipley said.
"I've been tattooing off and on for 10 years, full time for eight years," Lewis said.
Lewis, 44, of 4Forty4 Tattoo, 517 N. Fourth Ave., enjoys meeting many people through the world of tattoo.
Lewis said, "Through this industry I've met people from all walks of life. I get to work with my art.
"It allows me to do things I couldn't do with other jobs."
From bankers to teachers, lawyers to police, Lewis has seen them all.
"I tattoo everyone from white collar to blue collar," Lewis said.
Those who missed the show will get another chance. "They (The Hotel Arizona) already asked us to do it again next year," Rodriguez said.
"People really liked it," he said. "As long as people want it, we'll do it."
"We just do a local show for local artists and invite the public," Rodriguez said.
The show is entirely local and no major corporations have a hand in the operations, he said. The show started 17 years ago and moved with Rodriguez when he moved to Tucson two years ago to be closer to his family.
"Tucson has treated me well," said Rodriguez, who owns Bert's Classic Tattoo, 73 E. Pennington St.
