After Hours
(L–R) Participating artist Renato Marino and exhibition organizer Josh Hill
Group Tattoo Artist Exhibition and Auction
By Sidney Ulakovic
Over thirty of Thunder Bay’s tattoo artists will be getting together to work After Hours, a group exhibition occurring this July at Co. Lab Gallery + Arts Centre. Organized by tattoo artist Josh Hill after being inspired by a similar event in southern Ontario, the show and sale will run in support of after-school programming at the local Boys & Girls Club, with a percentage of funds raised through the purchase of artwork being donated, alongside the full proceeds from the auction of an original work by Hill. In addition to fundraising for a good cause, the exhibition will explore how this alternative artistic practice and culture translates to a traditional gallery setting.
“It’s different because I can’t show [my work] off outside of a picture on my phone,” says Hill, explaining that After Hours will provide an opportunity for the participants to showcase their artistic pursuits outside of tattooing, or how their art style translates to other mediums of expression. “All the artists are going to be making an original piece,” Hill says, adding that After Hours will display work across mediums.
….HIDE by participating artist boy Roland
“I think all of us as artists in general have more to share than just our tattoos,” says participating artist Renato Marino, who has been tattooing for 11 years. “When you go to a museum or you go to an art show, [people think] ‘Oh, these are artists,’ but then they look at us and they’re like, ‘These are degenerates who draw things,’” Marino laughs. “All of us come from different backgrounds, artistically or otherwise. There are artists who have art school behind them. [...] They know how to do all the technical things, and now they’ve brought that into tattooing.”
As mainstream as tattooing and having tattoos has become, the art form has existed as a subculture for much of its existence, and its exploding popularity has caused some contention in the community. Marino explains that historically, apprenticeships for new tattoo artists have been approached with an attitude of learning through trial and error, with knowledge of the trade being something to earn. “These old-school guys are like ‘Oh, there’s so many new artists, we’re oversaturating the environment of tattooing,’ and it’s like, I don’t think so. I think we’re elevating it by having all of these new artists.”
Details of a piece by Madison Abelson
That changing landscape in tattooing is evident here in Thunder Bay, with the number of studios and practicing independent artists seeing significant growth in the last decade. “I just wanted to build community within the artists—the tattoo artists specifically, as well as the overall culture that kind of surrounds us,” Hill says. “The main goal of it, for me, is to bring all these artists together because we don’t get together all that often, and I think it would be nice.”
Featuring Work By:
Josh Hill
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Renato Marino
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Nikk Pettigrew
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Vern Allan
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Remy Chunick
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Madison Ableson
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Guttercrust
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Teemu Tuomisalo
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Fenton Gilbert
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Amy Mckerracher
〰️
Hanna Koester
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Tyler M.
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boy Roland
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Noah Tuomisto
〰️
Hope Heart
〰️
Dave Mancuso
〰️
Mike Gresham
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Sonya Lacroix
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Kaisa Eila
〰️
Tessa Toneguzzi
〰️
Amaris Hietamies
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Lauren Harper
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Taylor Facca
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Kate Mckerracher
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Annie Normand
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Kaite Crepitus
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Steph Duchesne
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Meg Niittynen
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Rebekah Kushnier
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Cass Armenti
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Melissa Wright
〰️
Ray Atwood
Featuring Work By: Josh Hill 〰️ Renato Marino 〰️ Nikk Pettigrew 〰️ Vern Allan 〰️ Remy Chunick 〰️ Madison Ableson 〰️ Guttercrust 〰️ Teemu Tuomisalo 〰️ Fenton Gilbert 〰️ Amy Mckerracher 〰️ Hanna Koester 〰️ Tyler M. 〰️ boy Roland 〰️ Noah Tuomisto 〰️ Hope Heart 〰️ Dave Mancuso 〰️ Mike Gresham 〰️ Sonya Lacroix 〰️ Kaisa Eila 〰️ Tessa Toneguzzi 〰️ Amaris Hietamies 〰️ Lauren Harper 〰️ Taylor Facca 〰️ Kate Mckerracher 〰️ Annie Normand 〰️ Kaite Crepitus 〰️ Steph Duchesne 〰️ Meg Niittynen 〰️ Rebekah Kushnier 〰️ Cass Armenti 〰️ Melissa Wright 〰️ Ray Atwood
After Hours will open on July 26 at 6 pm and remain on display until August 7. More information and updates on After Hours can be found on Hill’s instagram @jhill_artboi.