Drawn together

If there was a hall of fame for tattoo artists, you might hear some of these names.
From Jan. 21 to 29, (Sailor) Jerry Swallow of Sailor Jerry's tattoo parlor in New Glasgow will host some of the biggest names in the industry for a kind of mini tattoo convention. His four guests - Krooked Ken of Denton, M.D., Eddie P. Senzala of Puerto Rico, Timmy Tats of Pennsylvania and Nick Males of Brooklyn, N.Y. - have made names for themselves for their unique styles.
Krooked Ken of Black Anchor Tattoo is known for tattooing in the traditional Coleman style. "Ken tattoos the way people used to sixty, seventy years ago," Swallow says. "His are dark, bold tattoos."
Fans of Eddie P. like his Spanish-American-style script tattoos, while Timmy Tats - not unlike Sailor Jerry - prefers to tattoo more traditional, older designs. Males, meanwhile, is a kind of jack-of-all trades, Swallow says.
Swallow met them at various tattoo conventions across North America, and they've kept in touch over the years. In fact, Ken filled in at Sailor Jerry's four years ago for 10 days. He made quite an impact in a short period, says Swallow. "We still have people calling here asking for him."
Swallow became a name in the industry by perfecting the old, traditional style. He continued to make traditional tattoos long after it was no longer in fashion. But lately he's noticed that's starting to change.
"Traditional tattoos totally disappeared in the late 1980s," he says, "but they're coming back hard."
Getting together is a chance to talk about their tattooing styles, to exchange ideas and tips in a constantly evolving industry, Swallow says. Of course, it's also a chance to party, and Swallow says these guys can do that with the best of them.
Those hoping to get a tattoo from either Ken, Eddie, Timmy or Nick are encouraged to call 755-3911 to make an appointment but drop-ins will also be accepted.