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Spike TV “Ink Master” Season 2 Premieres Tuesday, October 9 at 10 PM, ET/PT– Contestant Biographies

(in alphabetical order)

 

Tray “Big Daddy” Benham
Brandenburg, KY
Owner/Artist at Big Daddy’s Tattoo (www.bigdaddystattoo.com)
20 years experience

With southern charm and the gift of gab, “Big Daddy” Tray is an outgoing tattoo artist from the small town of Brandenburg, KY and he’s not afraid to say what is on his mind.  Tray prides himself on super clean lines, smooth shading and extensive use of color.  Tray is the owner of two Big Daddy’s Tattoo shops in Kentucky. His fresh and new style of tattooing was like nothing ever seen before in his home state and he has helped to inspire a new generation of artists.  Tray’s work has been featured on numerous covers of national and international magazines and  won numerous awards at tattoo conventions held across the country.

Clint Cummings
Dallas, TX
Owner/Artist at Sparrows Tattoo Company (www.sparrowstattoo.com)
16 years experience

Growing up Clint was a bit of a troublemaker.  His dad bought him his first tattoo machine at age 15 so he could keep himself out of trouble and do something constructive.  He’s been passionate about tattooing ever since.  For Clint, tattooing is the ultimate form of self-expression.   Clint describes himself as someone who is aggressive and passionate and wears his emotions on his sleeve and is not afraid to “let it be known” to anyone how he feels.  Clint’s not here to make friends, but to prove to the judges that he is the best tattoo artist on the show.   A self-taught artist, Clint’s specializes in new school and realism tattoos.

Nick D’Angelo
Buffalo, NY
Owner and Artist at The Black Pearl (www.DAngeloArt.com)
4 years experience

Nick has always had a love for drawing, and in school each year, he would always sign up for as many art classes as he could.  In high school, he worked at a local sign shop that made New Orleans replica street signs and that’s when he fell in love with both the city and its pirates lore. He loves pirates so much that his tattoo studio is pirate-themed.  Nick toyed with the idea of enrolling in art school, but when he got a tattoo apprenticeship right outside of high school, his fate was sealed and he’s been tattooing ever since.   Nick is clearly the “young gun” in this competition, but he says he doesn’t have a message for his competition; rather he’ll let his work speak for itself. Nick specializes in realism and portrait tattoos.

Jamie Davies
Redding, CA
Owner/ Artist at Tattooz Ink (www.tattoozink.com)
17 years experience

A self-described obsessive-compulsive workaholic,  Jamie says he’s too busy focusing on his clients’ tattoos rather than designing and getting one himself.  Though he may ink others for a living, Jamie himself has only one tattoo, a black light piece located on the side of his neck. Starting out as a comic book artist, Jamie quickly grew bored with its repetitiveness and transitioned into the world of tattooing, which he feels is a perfect fit for his artistic skill set.   He specializes in photo realism, featuring bold tattoo designs with lots of dimension, drama and contrast.  A married father of two young daughters, Jamie opened his own shop eight years ago and has won several awards in nearly every tattoo genre.

Katherine “Tatu Baby” Flores
Miami, FL
Self-employed tattoo artist
6 years experience

Tatu Baby isn’t shy when it comes to her looks and admits to have used her sex appeal to her advantage, but don’t judge this book by its cover, she’s got talent to back her up.  She has been tattooing professionally since she was 19 and proved herself right of the gate by taking home a “best of day” trophy at a tattoo convention.  Tatu Baby got her first ink at the age of 14 – a tribal tattoo that she got alongside with her mother.  She believes that your body is your temple and should be able to decorate it any way you want.  Tatu Baby specializes in black and grey and realism tattoos.

La Ron “Ron” Givens
Dallas, TX
Tattoo artist at Cat Tattoo’s Elite Studio (www.cattattoo.com)
7 years experience

Ron first became interested in tattooing after receiving a bad tattoo.  Inspired by art since childhood, his work is heavily influenced by Japanese Anime and features lots of color. After impressing tattoo artists at a local shop, Ron was invited to come back and learn the trade step by step.  He can always be found with a smile on his face and considers himself an eternal optimist.  Don’t let that smile fool you though, Ron is super-competitive and is often his own toughest critic who demands perfection in his work every day.  Ron specializes in new school, Japanese and color realism.

Steven “Kay Kutta” Givens
Fayetteville, NC
Owner/Artist at Kutthouse Tattoos (www.kaykutta.com)
3 years experience

Kay Kutta did his first tattoo on himself at the age of 12 with a sewing needle wrapped in thread and Indian Ink. To say that he’s come a long way is an understatement.  After an eight-year stint in prison, Kay Kutta chose not to return to a life of crime, and credits tattooing with being able to re-invent himself and lead a life on the straight and narrow.  Kay Kutta says that people either love him or hate him because he’s not afraid to speak his mind and stand up for what he believes in.   He specializes in photo realism tattoos and his shop has been voted the best place to get tattooed in his hometown.

Thomas “TJ Hal” Halvorsen
St. Petersburg, FL
Co-Owner/Artist at Foolish Pride Tattoo Co (www.foolishpridetattoos.com & www.tjhal.com)   
7 years experience

TJ is a no-nonsense kind of guy and requires those around him to “fall in line” because he believes he knows best.  Serving in the US Army as a sniper for five years instilled in TJ a strong sense of leadership which he says has helped him in running and owning his own tattoo shop.  Before he started tattooing, TJ began his career as a professional comic book artist for both Marvel and DC Comics and his love of comics definitely comes through in both his tattoo style and designs.  TJ says that tattooing is the hardest art form out there since the canvas moves, screams, bleeds and sometimes even cries.   He specializes in both color and realism tattoos.

Cee Jay “Inky” Jones
Detroit, MI
Tattoo artist at Suicide Kings Tattoo Parlor (www.artbyceejay.com)
15 years experience

From the time she was a little girl, Cee Jay wanted to be an artist.  She began tattooing at the age of 24, not long after getting her first tattoo.  To Cee Jay, having a good foundation as a tattoo artist is the key to success.  She knows that fact all too well since she repairs many bad tattoos and considers herself an expert in cover-up tattoos.  Cee Jay has a passion for using color in her work and says she can never get enough of tattooing pin up girls.   This badass mom’s passions outside of tattooing include her family (she has seven kids) and roller derby, a sport she’s been involved with for the past four years.

Mark Matthews
San Francisco, CA
Self-employed tattoo a (www.manifestmark.com)
14 years experience

Mark has had a passion for art ever since he was a child.  He channeled that passion into the world of tattooing when he was introduced to the medium when he was seventeen.   Mark learned tattooing the hard way.  A self-taught artist, he considers himself lucky to have had the opportunity to work alongside a number of great artists who have motivated, inspired and taught him how to become a better artist.  Aside from tattooing, Mark is also a professional mixed martial arts fighter, who competes several times a year.  He’s a true family man who counts his wife and two kids as his biggest supporters both in and out of the ring.   Mark specializes in black and gray and is also experienced in traditional Japanese and Americana styles.

Sarah Miller
Pittsburgh, PA
Owner/Tattoo Artist at Wyld Chyld Tattoo (www.sarahjmiller.com)
6 years experience

Sarah has a background in and a passion for classical art.  Before tattooing took over her life in 2009, she had a thriving career in graphic design and illustration, working with numerous design firms on product branding campaigns.  Sarah considers herself to be very competitive and says she definitely has what it takes to win this competition.  Not a fan of traditional styles because to her they don’t look realistic enough, Sarah specializes in portraits and pin-ups.  She says that what she enjoys more than anything is illustrating through her tattoo work, expanding the medium and pushing the boundaries of what is considered tattoo art.

Sebastian Murphy
Detroit, MI
Tattoo Artist at Detroit Ink
15 years experience

Sebastian is a self-made man.  Growing up with very little, Sebastian knew at a young age that he would be responsible for his own future. Always artistic, he became an airbrush artist as a teenager to earn his keep.  As the airbrush fad faded, he began hanging out at a friend’s tattoo shop drawing designs and selling them to customers who would get them tattooed.  His designs became so popular that the shop offered him an apprenticeship, which Sebastian parlayed into a career. Though Sebastian prefers working in black, gray and photo realism, he describes himself as a “ninja duplicator,” meaning he can duplicate any style of tattooing.

Jesse Smith
Richmond, VA
Owner/Artist at Loose Screw Tattoo (www.jessesmithtattoos.com & www.loosescrewtattoo.com)
15 years experience

Jesse discovered his love of art while living in Germany as an “army brat” teen.  He quickly became interested in urban culture and graffiti art.  After returning to the States, he enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University to help round out his own artistic style.  One of his first jobs was drawing caricatures at Busch Gardens in VA and found himself among a circle of artists who introduced him to the world of tattooing, eventually learning how to make his own homemade tattoo gun.  Jesse developed his signature style of quirky cartoon style designs and use of color working in numerous tattoo shops in the US as well as overseas in Europe and China before opening up his own shop last year.

“Little Mike”
White Plains, NY
Co-Owner/Artist at Addicted to Ink (www.addictedtoinktattoos.com)
14 years experience

Despite his physical size, everything about “Little Mike” is big.  He’s funny and sarcastic and his friends affectionately refer to him as BLB (Belligerent Little Bastard).   After watching the artwork he specially designed get tattooed on his friends, Mike knew that being a tattoo artist would someday be his career.  Mike prefers working on big and bold tattoo designs, where he can utilize thick sculpted lines, color, exaggerated highlights so his art seems to “pop off” the skin. People’s underestimation of him in the tattoo world, because of his size, has stoked a fire in him professionally.  Mike is ready to show viewers that a person’s size is in no way an indicator of one’s talent.

Steve Tefft
Groton, CT
Owner/Artist at 12 Tattoos (www.12tattoos.com)
17 years experience

A self-confessed “party guy,” Steve is renowned for his personal sense of style including a wardrobe of designer shirts.   Interested in both art and tattoos since he was a teenager, Steve began his career “scratching” out of his house before getting an apprenticeship and has worked hard ever since to perfect his craft.  He believes his confidence, working well under pressure and the ability to quickly adapt to any situation gives him an edge versus the competition on the show.  Steve specializes in black and grey tattoos and is best known for his realistic portraits and horror imagery and prides himself on being able to complete his work extremely fast.

Lalo Yunda
Brooklyn, NY
Tattoo Artist at Sacred Tattoo (www.lalotattoos.com)
20 years experience

Lalo grew up in Colombia, South America and instead of focusing on his schoolwork in class, he would mischievously cut his skin and fill the open wounds with ink.  It wasn’t until an Italian tattoo artist showed him how to make his own homemade tattoo machine with the motor of a tape recorder, a spoon and pen that he was officially in business.  Entirely self-taught, he is one of the first generation of tattoo artists in his native country. Lalo believes that communication is the cornerstone of being a great tattoo artist.  He works closely with his clients in creating his designs and specializes in what he calls “magical realism,” a specific style of tattooing which blends magical elements with the real world.

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Contact:

Debra Fazio                    Spike                      212-767-8649                    debra.fazio@spike.com

 

 

 

 

“Ink Master”

Host, Judges & Contestant Biographies

 

Dave Navarro – Series Host

With his six-string skills best described as a merger between heavy metal, psychedelia, and modern rock, Navarro is one of alternative rock’s first true guitar heroes.  Best known as the guitarist for Jane’s Addiction, the band recently released the new single “Irresistible Force” off their highly anticipated album The Great Escape Artist that debuted in Fall 2011.  Website:  6767.com

 

Chris Nunez – Series Judge

Nunez, 38, is of Cuban descent and grew up in Miami, FL.  He entered into the realm of tattooing after beginning his career as a graffiti artist.  At 21, Nunez packed his bags for a short trip to Brazil and ended up staying for five years.  He then traveled through Europe for three years, which enabled him to work with his favorite tattoo artists.  The experience expanded both his artistic sense and his knowledge of tattooing.  He was a star and fan favorite on the popular tattoo-reality series, “Miami Ink.”  Nunez is a partner in Ridgeline Empire, a strategic multiplatform content and media corporation, which operates the subsidiaries Ink Skins and Upset Gentlemen and an animation studio with two animated series in development, “Hoodbrats” and “Toothians.”  He is also getting ready to open a new tattoo venture to be based in his hometown of Miami.  Website:  www.handcraftedmiami.com

 

Oliver Peck – Series Judge

Peck is an artist whose whole life revolves around tattooing.  He began tattooing when he was just 19 years old in his hometown of Dallas, TX and has perfected his precise and traditional tattooing style making him one of the best and well-known ‘old school’ American style artists.  In 2008, Peck inked his way into the Guinness Book of World Records when he completed 415 tattoos of the number 13 in a consecutive 24-hour period.  He is one of the most traveled tattoo artists on the circuit, tattooing all over Europe including England, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Norway and in the Far East, including Japan and Thailand. Peck is co-owner of Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas, TX and the owner of True Tattoo located in Hollywood, CA.  Website:  www.elmstreettattoo.com

 

CONTESTANTS

Al Fliction

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Al Fliction has been an artist his entire life.  Fliction was an integral part of the graffiti movement in NYC that saw urban youth leaving their artistic imprint all over the Big Apple’s subways and landscapes.  Now an entrepreneur in the exploding urban tattoo market, Fliction owns and operates two boutiques, hosts tattoo parties in his custom-made RV, and co-founded the first and only urban tattoo convention in the world.  Website:  www.alfliction.com

 

Jeremy Miller

Jeremy Miller learned the art of tattooing while stationed in Abilene, TX, serving in the United States Air Force.  Miller is known for his new school realism that has the precision and contour of a high-density photograph.   A perfectionist by nature, he often has trouble looking at his own work because all he sees are the countless ways that he could have done better.  It’s the competitive fire that burns in him that motivated him to open his own shop, Pigment Dermographics and Fine Art, a high-end custom tattoo studio located in Austin, TX.  Website: www.pigmentatx.com

 

Tommy Helm

Tommy Helm has been living a life of art since he was a child.  As a teen, he created murals, painted jackets and worked with oil paints, which translated into him pursing art as a career.  He graduated from FIT and decided that the corporate world was not for him.  Helm was inspired to enter the world of tattooing by an artist, an old biker named Florida Frank, the man behind his own first taste of ink – a tribal tattoo.  Helm has more than 16 years experience under his belt and is the owner of Empire State Studio located in Oceanside, NY.  His favorite style of tattooing involves solid and bold colors with lots of detail and it has proved to be very popular with clients, who often wait up to a year and half to get inked by Helm.  Website:  www.empirestudios.com

 

Shane O’Neill

Shane O’Neill is a self-taught and extremely confident tattoo artist.  A graduate of the University of Arts in Philadelphia, O’Neill began his career first as a professional illustrator before making what he called the “natural transition into tattooing.”  He is recognized as one of the best portrait and realism tattoo artists currently out there.  He also specializes in wildlife and horror artwork.  He currently owns Shane O’Neill’s Infamous Tattoo with two locations,  one in Middletown, DE and the other in Willow Grove, PA and is also is launching his own line of tattoo products via a new company, System One Tattoo Products . When not working at his own shops , O’Neill travels the country and internationally to tattoo conventions .  He has been featured in many magazines and won has over a hundred awards for his work. Website: www.shaneo’neilltattoos.com

 

Brian Robinson B-TAT

Brian Robinson is a street-savvy, competitive, fast-talking and no-nonsense tattoo artist.  Robinson originally aspired to become an art teacher after graduating from the State University of Delaware and a graphic design internship at Disney.  However, his life and plans changed.  This married father of two credits a close friend of his for inspiring him to enter the world of tattooing.  Robinson has been tattooing professionally for close to ten years and owns his own shop, Moving Ink, based in Essex County, NJ.  His urban style of realism and love for black and grey portraits has attracted numerous clients including many rap and hip hop artists.  Website: www.b-tat.com

 

Heather Sinn

As a child, Heather Sinn had a passion for art and could often be found painting and drawing. She believes her love of tattooing is a just a grown up version of that passion.  As one of the few females in a mostly male-dominated profession, Heather was often discouraged from pursing her craft.  However, her persistence and dedication to the art of tattooing has won her several awards.  Tattooing for close to 14 years, she is best-know known as a traditional old school artist, but her work in photo realism and tattoos that look like actual artwork/paintings has made her an in demand artist in Southern California.  She currently is co-owner of The Tattoo Room in Simi Valley.  Websites:  www.thetattooroom.com and www.theartofheathersinn.com

 

James Vaughn

With talent and a wicked sense of humor coupled with southern charm, James Vaughn is the ultimate triple threat.  Vaughn got his first tattoo when he was 12.  It was a cross that he still has on his hand.  From that moment, he was hooked on tattoos and the art of tattooing.  Vaughn specializes in neo Japanese and old school traditional tattooing styles. He’s won 300+ awards and has been published more than 20 times for his work.  In the tattoo world, he is a rare breed because he still draws all his designs “free hand” on his client’s skin with a black Sharpie.   Vaughn has been tattooing for more than 20 years and owns his own shop, Straight A Tattoo, located in Asheboro, NC. Website: www.mrjamesvaughn.com

 

 

Bili Vegas

Bili Vegas has been passionate about art since he had the dexterity to hold a crayon in his hands and cover himself in finger paint.  As a child living in New York, he experienced the many museums and galleries the city had to offer.  He also spent lots of time at his brother-in-law’s tattoo shop, which exposed and introduced him to many of the biggest names in tattooing, igniting his passion for the art. Vegas’ work requires a three-hour minimum because of the detail he creates in his hyper-realism, biomechanical and portraiture styles.  He is the owner of Sacred Tattoo, located in New York City. Websites:  www.bilivegas.com and www.sacredtattoo.com

 

Lea Vendetta

Lea Vendetta was born in Paris, France and is an accomplished tattoo artist who has worked all over the world.  Vendetta has been painting professionally for more than 15 years and has been tattooing since 1996. Her work often pays tribute to Paris and her love of the art deco style.   Her paintings have been exhibited in France, New York, Los Angeles and Florida and her tattoo work has been featured in tattoo magazines both nationally and internationally.  Vendetta’s incredible personal tattoo artwork has won her the cover of at least twelve tattoo magazines.  After owning her own successful tattoo shop, she now works at A Stroke Of Genius Tattoos in Boca Raton, FL where she balances appointments with her modeling work and painting for upcoming art exhibitions.  Website: www.leaslounge.com

 

Josh Woods

Josh Woods’ early career as a musician led him to a fascination with tattoos.  After achieving moderate success with his band, Woods chose to follow his true passion – to become a tattoo artist.  With apprenticeships at shops with artists in Buffalo, NY and Atlanta, GA, Woods has worked hard to make a name for himself and is known for his use of bold, bright colors and a “cartoony,” illustrated style of tattooing.  He’s been featured in numerous tattoo magazines and is also featured in Mike DeVries’ bestselling book, Tattoo Prodigies.  After hitting the international tour circuit, he took the big leap and opened his own shop.   For the second year in a row, Woods’ shop Black 13 Tattoo was named the #1 Tattoo Parlor in Nashville by Nashville Scene magazine.  Website:  www.Black13tattoo.com

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Contact:

Debra Fazio                 Spike TV                                 212-767-8649      debra.fazio@spiketv.com

Kelly Mullens              42West (Original Media)        310-477-4442      kkmullens@42west.net

Sarah Rothman           42West (Original Media)        646-254-6030      sarah.rothman@42west.net