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Nov 06, 2023

WV Tattoo Expo leaves its mark on Morgantown

Culture Editor This past weekend the Morgantown Event Center at the Morgantown

Culture Editor

This past weekend the Morgantown Event Center at the Morgantown Marriott was buzzing with the return of the annual West Virginia Tattoo Expo.

Rows of tattoo artists stretched from one end to the other and the whirring sounds of tattoo machines filled the room.

At a table in the very front of the room, Rocco Cunningham was seated in front of dozens of plaques soon to be awarded to winning artists.

Rocco Cunningham, owner of Pike Street Studios, a tattoo shop in Bridgeport, West Virginia and founder of the WV Tattoo Expo sat in front of a table of awards at the convention on Aug. 20, 2022.

Born in 2013, the West Virginia Tattoo Expo is Cunningham's brainchild. Cunningham started the annual event to represent not only the best of the tattoo industry but also the best of West Virginia.

"I really wanted to showcase and represent West Virginia the best that I could and also represent the tattoo world the best I could," Cunningham said in an interview with the Daily Athenaeum earlier this month.

But while the tattoo expo was a showcase of incredible artwork, it was also a family reunion.

"When everybody was checking in like on Thursday and Friday it was nothing but smiles and hugs everywhere. Everyone was so happy to be back and that just kind of set the pace for the weekend," Cunningham said.

After a two-year pandemic postponement, many of the event's regular vendors were excited to be back at the expo.

"This convention is a family reunion. Now this is the eighth year for this convention. 95% of all these people here have been here for the full eight years. Nobody gives up a booth here. We know each other. Everybody gets along. It's just a great convention," said Rick Cherry, a tattoo artist from Northern Virginia who Cunningham calls his "tattoo dad."

Rick Cherry sits in front of his booth at the West Virginia Tattoo Expo on Aug. 20, 2022.

Cherry has been tattooing since 1970 and he owns the oldest tattoo shop in Northern Virginia established in 1980.

He met Cunningham over 10 years ago during an elevator ride at a similar tattoo convention in Washington D.C. The two connected instantly.

"I started talking to him and we just made an instant connection and we've just been the best of buddies, father, son and everything ever since," Cherry said.

The opportunity to make relationships like these is what keeps many tattooers returning to the convention each year.

"I like that we get to see people that we haven't seen for a year but mostly I mean it's like the one place that you get to see other tattoo artists from around the world," Patty Colebank, owner of PattysArtspot, a Morgantown tattoo shop, said about why she comes back to the expo each year.

Patty Colebank, owner of Morgantown tattoo shop PattysArtspot, tattooed a woman's leg at the WV Tattoo Expo on Aug. 20, 2022.

In addition to being an opportunity for tattoo artists to gather, the tattoo expo also provided the chance for Morgantown community members and West Virginia University students to meet with artists from across the country.

Two WVU students who attended the expo were Iven Lonergan, a senior parks and recreation student and Matthew Mangoni, a senior graphic design student.

Lonergan said they came to the expo to find an artist that would fit their style.

"I was really in the market to get a tattoo and I figured I could find an artist here that would fit the style that I want because I have such a variety from different places," they said.

Mangoni said that he also came to the expo looking to get tattooed as well as for the opportunity to see the artwork.

"As an artist myself I love seeing where people go with things and getting inspiration from them," he said.

At the end of the weekend the tattoo expo drew to a close marking another successful convention.

"It's just been an amazing weekend of family, tattoos and fun," Cunningham said.

Culture Editor

Lara Bonatesta is the culture editor for The Daily Athenaeum. She is a senior journalism student minoring in electronic media, marketing and trumpet performance from Branchburg, New Jersey.