Berlin Convention 2013

When we first attended the Berlin Convention back in 2010 it was held in December and they had the worst snowfall in many years. For 2013 after 22 years they decided to try something different and hold the convention in the Summer. It was a mixed blessing as the plus 30 degree weather was almost umbearable during the early hours indoors :-) 

It was a real pleasure to spend time with Travelling Mick & Sana, Derek Baker, my Polynesian brother Roonui as well as Dmitry Babakhn and the "Russian Mafia" from Bang Bang Tattoo in St Petersburg

I was suppose to be working all weekend on an entire calf  by hand. Unfortunately my client had to cancel at the last moment which left me pretty much free for the weekend. That however didn't last too long as I finally got a chance to tattoo alot of friends and tattooists with smaller souvenir pieces, that they've been wanting for years as well as relax and socialize, which I haven't done for years :-)

 First tattoo of the convention... an Assa rune on another tattooist who is otherwise pretty much covered. At first I said no... but after coming back several times I finally relented

 Fritz & Karen from England are two of tattooings biggest fans. Here I place a Glimfaxi tattoo alongside a Thor's hammer and under a Russian Prison tattoo by other artists on Fritz.

 Karen received a bound rune to aid healing

My good client Alex from Romania travelled to Berlin so that I could tattoo him on the neck with two Borneo rosed behind each ear.

I really like this photo :-)

Fellow tattooist and guest artist at Skin&Bone Mike Amanita from Russia was so enchanted by Nanna's Ohma sign on her finger that he had to have a version of his own.

 Russian Tribal Master Sergei Pavlov from Moscow was so enthralled by Mike's tattoo that he also had to get a version :-)

 I looped it around a mole on his stomach... Sergei called me a Sniper

 A small bound rune on a German girl

 And a Valknud on her friend... nailed another beautyspot :-)

 A new addition to the family in the form of a mummified calf..I thought of naming her "Goa", while Loki insisted on "Stella"... however we both lost to Lars' suggestion of "Jerky" :-)

 Good friend Derek Baker from South Africa who I worked alongside and socialized with all weekend

I tattooed Derek at our previous convention together with a Petroglyph ship behind his ear to give him safe journeys :-)

I was very happy to have received a prize for Best Ornamental Tattoo, 2nd place

Thanks to Alex for showing his back :-)

On Monday  I had a few hours to kill before flying out so I headed from Kretzburg over to West Berlin... had a beer and my passport stamped at Checkpoint Charlie in the midst of dozens of Berlin Wall tourist shops.
 I think this picture says it all :-)