Slinging Ink
by Sarah Sumler
Issue date: 5/4/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
In 2003, Maggie Pabon walked into Asylum Tattoos on Tremont Avenue in the Bronx and asked for an apprenticeship. The owner told her that since she had just graduated from high school, she should explore her options and come back later if she was still interested. Four years later, Pabon returned to the shop with a degree in Graphic Design from SUNY New Paltz, and a burning desire to learn the art of tattooing. "As soon as I graduated I went back and said I still want to do this," she says.
Despite the mainstreaming of tattoo culture in the 1990s, tattooing is still a relatively male dominated field. Although there are no formal statistics about the number of female tattoo artists in the United States, in the past few years women have become a more visible presence in the industry.
For 25 year old artist Maggie Pabon, tattooing is a natural extension of her love of art. As a child growing up in the Eastchester neighborhood of the Bronx, Pabon was often sent to the principal's office for drawing "tattoos" such as hearts, flowers and panthers on other kids in her class. In Middle School, Pabon enrolled in after school art classes and designed set pieces for school plays. The classes gave her the opportunity to work with different media such as paper mache and enable her to learn new techniques. Throughout high school she honed her drawing skills and decided to pursue a degree in Graphic Design.
After graduating from college, Pabon started a six month apprenticeship at Asylum Tattoos. For the first few months, Pabon learnt health and safety requirements and watched other artists in the shop in the process learning how to set up and break down equipment. She subsequently received her license and received certification in blood borne pathogens and cross contamination. Once she completed her first tattoo, Pabon began taking regular clients.
After about a year and a half at Asylum, Pabon transferred to the shop's branch in Westchester and in October of last year, she decided that it was time to move on. Now the young artist is building her portfolio working at Red Dragon Tattoos in the Bronx, a small shop tucked into the second story of a building on Fordham Road. At the shop, with its bright red walls covered with Asian inspired art work, Pabon picks up a machine and turns it over in her hand.
Despite the mainstreaming of tattoo culture in the 1990s, tattooing is still a relatively male dominated field. Although there are no formal statistics about the number of female tattoo artists in the United States, in the past few years women have become a more visible presence in the industry.
For 25 year old artist Maggie Pabon, tattooing is a natural extension of her love of art. As a child growing up in the Eastchester neighborhood of the Bronx, Pabon was often sent to the principal's office for drawing "tattoos" such as hearts, flowers and panthers on other kids in her class. In Middle School, Pabon enrolled in after school art classes and designed set pieces for school plays. The classes gave her the opportunity to work with different media such as paper mache and enable her to learn new techniques. Throughout high school she honed her drawing skills and decided to pursue a degree in Graphic Design.
After graduating from college, Pabon started a six month apprenticeship at Asylum Tattoos. For the first few months, Pabon learnt health and safety requirements and watched other artists in the shop in the process learning how to set up and break down equipment. She subsequently received her license and received certification in blood borne pathogens and cross contamination. Once she completed her first tattoo, Pabon began taking regular clients.
After about a year and a half at Asylum, Pabon transferred to the shop's branch in Westchester and in October of last year, she decided that it was time to move on. Now the young artist is building her portfolio working at Red Dragon Tattoos in the Bronx, a small shop tucked into the second story of a building on Fordham Road. At the shop, with its bright red walls covered with Asian inspired art work, Pabon picks up a machine and turns it over in her hand.
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