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RANDY HERRING'S
SKIN ART TATTOO IN GASTONIA, NC
by Clint Liquor
Photos courtesy of Skin Art Tattoo
From the October 2004 issue of Prick Magazine.
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 Skin Art Tattoo. |
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Just outside of Charlotte, NC off of Interstate 85, is the town of Gastonia. It's not a very glamorous town. There is not really a whole lot
going on there. While delivering magazines there on my way to or from Charlotte, I noticed the only thing really to do there at night is
hang out in the parking lots along the main drag with your closest bros and girlfriends with your suped up cars, shouting out to passerbys
in cool cars or whistling at a hottie. Big fun in a small town. But the one thing that Gastonia does have is a killer tattoo shop called Skin Art.
Owner Randy Herring is a 18 year veteran of tattooing. He grew up in Gastonia and has been tattooing generations of locals and passersby.
There are four or five shops within a mile or two of Randy. He was one of the first, though, and his shop is still buzzing. Randy and his one
time partner Jeff Mooney opened the first legit shop in Gastonia on Main Street.
"The city had to come up with a whole new set of codes and regulations in order for us to open." Randy recalls. "There weren't any shops
in this part of the country back then." Jeff and Randy went their separate ways and Randy opened Skin Art at his current location 10 years ago.
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Randy fell into the biz by accident. He was getting tattooed regularly by a guy named Eddie Brooks.
"Eddie couldn't draw, we're talking old school tattooer. If you wanted something custom it was tough luck. One day one of his customers
wanted something drawn up. Eddie said no. I knew I could draw what they wanted. I considered myself an artist so I offered to draw it up. Eddie
liked the drawing I did and said he would teach me to tattoo if I would draw up custom designs for people. That's how it all began. Eighteen
years later I still love tattooing," Randy explains.
Randy's studio is a small street shop. With two other tattoo artists and a piercer, "it's a cozy shop where we can all work together and cut
up with each other. I'd rather be in one divided up room with other artists than stuck by myself in a private room," he says. Curtains are available
for privacy when necessary and the piercing room is separate. Awards and trophies fill the
walls of the shop as much as the flash racks. Randy has not really been to all that many conventions,
but his tattoos have. Proud customers enter contests and have won him acclaim in the region.
He has also been in most of the major tattoo publications, including International Tattoo. He has led
an amazing career in the industry working out of the small town he grew up in.
Randy and his shop have attracted quite a roster of tattoo artists. Big Joe, owner of Big Stick
Specialties in Ft. Myers Beach, Fla. was one of the first to learn from and work with Randy. Rodney
Raines and Chris Stewart of Ace Custom Tattoo (Charlotte, NC), Rex Barnes and Ray Alexander
of Blue Flame Tattoo (Raleigh, NC), Rob Hunt of Forever Tattoo (Asheville, NC) and Chris Powers
have all worked for Randy at some point in their careers.
"I didn't teach them all how to tattoo, but we all learned from each other. That's what has kept
the biz from getting stale. All
those guys were great and they
really have kept me from burning
out," says Randy.
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His current line up consists
of piercer and shop manager
Milissa - a real spitfire
who won’t take no bull. She's as
cool as they come and has
been working off and on with
Randy for nine years. Her
piercing portfolio is very impressive and she
loves piercing. It's not her only love, though.
She is currently going to school for medical
science and civil justice, a double major! Randy
doesn't hire slouches.
Piotr Kopytek adds an
international flavor to the shop. A native of
Poland with a cool accent and great attitude is
always busy. His love and enthusiasm for tattooing
is evident. He has been in the States for
13 years and has been tattooing for six. He still
proudly represents his native land, though, by
writing for the
bad ass Polish
tattoo magazine,
Tatuaz. It
would really be
bad ass if I could
speak and read
Polish, but the
photos and look
of the mag is great. Piotr can crank out various
styles of tattoos, but is currently obsessed with
Polynesian / Borneo styles of tribal tattoos and
Maori styles of New Zealand. Deric Cox rounds
out the Skin Art crew. He has been with Randy
for two years now.
The shop is definitely worth stopping by. The crew is awesome. I always look forward to hanging
out there during my travels and so should you. No attitudes and super friendly.
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Skin Art Tattoo is located at:
702 E. Franklin Blvd.
Gastonia, NC
704.868.9198
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