The tattoo flash day in Napier raising money for the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery. Photo / Ian Cooper
The tattoo flash day in Napier raising money for the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery. Photo / Ian Cooper
Haumoana tattoo artist Adrian Jury completed his first tattoo on Saturday since Cyclone Gabrielle flooded his studio and home almost seven weeks ago.
Jury was one of 16 tattoo artists and a cosmetic artist who donated their time and skills at Napier’s ThInk Tattoos, during a tattoo flash sale on Saturday.
The event raised about $20,000 for the cyclone recovery, and the artists did more than 100 tattoos in the space of seven hours.
Such was the event’s popularity, a line of people wanting a fresh tattoo from the region’s top artists snaked out of the studio, around a large carpark and down Dickens St prior to the doors opening at 10am.
There was a big line at the start of the day, as people flocked to get a tattoo from the region's best artists. Photo / Ian Cooper
Jury, who has been a tattoo artist for more than 30 years and has been sleeping at a motor camp while he rebuilds following the floods, said he was glad he came down to be a part of the day.
“This is my first day back tattooing in two months, and this is the longest I’ve not been tattooing since I started [tattooing].”
Artists involved in the flash day will sit down over the coming week and decide where best to distribute the funds, which will go directly to flood-hit communities.
Organisers say they would also like to help Jury in his recovery.
Jury said he was reluctant to receive any help at first, given how much others had suffered, but it was a kind gesture.
Tatooist Te Kanawa Ngarotata, from Auckland and formerly from Hawke's Bay, with Kianah Collins of Napier. Photo / Ian Cooper
Ocean Beach tattoo artist Sam Carter, from El Vardo Tattoo, said it had been an incredible day.
“Everyone was super-keen [to be involved], and with all our different client bases, because we all have different client bases, you bring all of those people together, and they bring their friends and their family, and it makes for this massive event.”
Napier tattoo artist Karl Van Der Linden, aka KVL Tattooer, said for the artists: “This is the way we can do our bit to make a difference.”
