Shop: Sticks & Stones, Chinatown
Fine lines, exquisite details, beautiful precision are some of the words that come to mind when look the tattoos of Nina Chewelos. To say that I love her work is an understatement. She has done one piece on me so far that not only healed really well, but was also done pretty quickly. I love how she has her own lane and artistic voice that is powerful and visually stunning! Will I be getting more tattoos by Nina? Hell fucking yes, which why she is one our favorite tattooists in Vancouver BC. Plus Sticks & Stones has a fucking good vibe!
Co-owner: Black Rider
Alison Lilly is an album art legend here in Vancouver, having done artwork for many of our most well-known local bands such as Black Wizard, Anciients and Bison. She was one of the first artists we covered here at CVLT Nation seven years ago, and her heavy metal fantasy twist on traditional styles makes her work memorable. A few years ago she took her experienced artistic hand to tattooing, apprenticing at one of Vancouver’s top shops, Next, under expereinced tattooist Paul Gardiner. Sean was lucky to get a couple of her traditional pieces while she was still apprenticing, and we knew she was a natural at skin art. In 2015, she and Paul opened Black Rider Tattoo in Hastings-Sunrise, and 3 years later this shop is going strong with amazing resident and traveling artists. If you’re looking for something NWOBHM influenced, look no further than Alison Lilly!
– Meghan
Shop: Black Medicine, Chinatown
So what happens when a Hardcore Punk human is also a killer artist, and then decides to take up tattooing? The end result is the work of Antiquity.thief, whose pieces looks like no one else because of his distinct artistic vision. He is the prime example of someone who has come into the game with art skills and is pushing his work to the next level (he flips the script of the classic blackwork style). His work is bold and totally on point. If you are in town you can now find him at Black Medicine.
Shop: Sticks & Stones, Chinatown
Here’s another Vancouver artist that has a very distinct style! April started out as a killer illustrator that has moved into the tattoo realm and has her own voice for sure. She has done work on both Meghan and I, so I can say that her work heals well and it’s stunning! Her positive energy and passion comes through every line she puts into your skin. Her creepy hand tattoos are off the chain, plus her moths are sublime. I feel honored to have her work on my body, because I know she is a tattooist that is going to be known around the world soon. Like Nina, she works out of the rad shop Sticks & Stones. We also featured April in our article about musicians who are also tattooists, as she plays drums in PASSIVE and played in Want.
Shop: Tattoo Union, Mt Pleasant
I feel high just looking at the work of Weed Wizard, because he takes the classics and flips them with his surreal aesthetic. I am amazed by the way he morphs his compositions into his own visual language, but it never seems contrived! With or without color, his pieces are striking as fuck and draw you in. Weed Wizard is the only artist in this feature that we don’t have work done by, but I have a feeling it will not be that way for long…He’s another artist that will soon be recognized by tattoo lovers from all over the world. Why am I a fan of his? Because to say his stuff is special would be a gross understatement. If you come to this awesome city you can find him doing his thing at Tattoo Union.
