CLEVELAND — Tattoo artists from across Ohio and around the world celebrated their craft this past weekend in Cleveland. 

Crowds showed up to get inked by some of the top talents in the industry during the Tattoo Arts Convention, including artists like Candy Dunbar, who’s been inking skin for about 20 years and said she still feels the pressure from the pen when she’s working on a client. 

“Nervous every time,” she said. 

She entered the industry at the urging of her husband, Kyle. 

“I’m conniving,” he said. “She was studying to be a paramedic. She’s very talented.”

Candy added a tattoo to the arm of Dr. Carl Blasphemy Friday, the host of the event. He tried to explain the significance of adding to the collection of drawings on his body. 

“I’ve heard people explain it as the poor man’s art,” he said. “Because of wearing it on your body instead of hanging it in your home. There’s also kind of the argument about desecrating the holy temple. I’m kind of decorating the temple.”

He had his arm decorated with the numbers “12 12,” in honor of his wedding anniversary. He said the process wasn’t as painful as it sounds. 

“Cutting yourself shaving probably hurts more than this,” Dr. Blasphemy said. “Some areas are more sensitive than others, but where I’m getting it, not really.”

Each of the artists’ booths received health inspections, and all use gloves and single-use tools to help stop the spread of diseases, he said. 

“We have doctors and nurses that come here to get tattoos and marvel at the amount of precautions that we take here,” said Dr. Blasphemy. “It’s not what you see in the movies.”

The family-friendly event also had a full schedule of entertainment and sideshow acts lined up, all to celebrate an art form that’s more than skin deep.

“It’s the way I reach out to people,” said Kyle Dunbar. “And it’s the only way I can understand them. I don’t get none of y’all, I got to be honest. Y’all freak me out. But, thankfully, I think the feeling’s mutual.”

Dunbar’s ability to bring clients' ideas into reality brought the artist a larger following through the reality show “Ink Master.”

“When we get together, we come up with something beautiful,” he said. “And it’s called art. It’s the creation between two people. And I think it’s a higher form, I like to think it’s a higher form, than anybody’s ever had. Even say, Leonardo [DaVinci].”

Each tattoo artist at the event is unique, specializing in their own techniques. 

“Portraits,” said Al Fliction, of his specialties in black and white realism. “Lot of animal, lot of animal life. Love doing stuff like that. Not a color artist, because I’m actually color blind.”

Fliction is another “Ink Master,” also participating in a season of the reality program. 

He said he learned his craft while in prison and creates each piece with confidence. 

“I know my capabilities, so I’m not going to jump out the window without a parachute,” he said. “I definitely only do what I know I can do.”

The 200 socially-distanced booths and hundreds of artists drew a crowd of attendees, like Autumn Williams, who was there for her first time. 

“See who I kind of vibe with, see what their art is, and basically if they’re in my price range,” she said. 

Williams was at the event with her family to receive her first tattoo. 

“I designed it my own and I can’t really wait,” she said. 

She walked through the aisles of vendors armed with artwork that was a nod to her name and star sign, Aquarius. 

“There’s a little anxiety going on, but I’m really confident that I’m going to get it,” she said. “Plus, I’m going to look real cool.”

The “look” is something that drew Troy Timpel, the owner of Villian Arts, to tattoos. 

“Tattoos make uncool people cooler,” he said. 

Adding that the one-of-a-kind nature of the body art also contributes to the appeal. 

“The permanence of it is kind of the magic of tattooing,” he said. “It’s something that nobody can ever take away from you.”

Williams is now a member of that club. She’s wearing her art on her arm as a permanent souvenir. 

“You only get one chance in life, so basically you get the opportunity you can, and take it,” she said. 

The Cleveland Tattoo Arts Convention was June 11-13.