44 AMERICANWAY
JANUARY 1 2009
Walking intoHighVoltageTattoo
is likediscovering another level of
cool. Every brightly colored pink
wall is lined with skateboards,
vintage autographed guitars,
throngs of photographs, music
memorabilia, and captivating
artwork. The shop is just over a
yearold, but it feelsas if it’sbeena
Hollywoodstaple formuch longer.
It’s easy to see whyHighVoltage,
made famous by TLC’s breakout
hit show
LA Ink
, has become the
“it” tattoo parlor of Los Angeles.
I’ve come prepared tomeet some
of themost outstanding artists in
the business, and, with luck and
hopefully just a little pain, I’ll
walkoutwithanamazingworkof
art to callmyown.
igh Voltage Tattoo
is the brainchild of
Kat Von D, one of
the most talented,
sought-after tattoo artists in the
world. The former star of TLC’s
LA Ink
sister show,
Miami Ink
,
Kat decided to return to her L.A.
roots to embrace new challenges
and to createaplaceof her own.
Anyone who walks through
these doors is free to be them-
selves, and that iswhat she’s truly
proudof.
“I want to make people smile.
When you get tattooed, it’s sup-
posed tobe aparty.…We’re not a
corporation;we’re a tattoo family,
sodifferent rules apply,”Kat says.
That tattoo family has grown
considerably due to the success
of the show. The original four —
Kat, CoreyMiller,KimSaigh, and
Hannah Aitchison — have been
joined by four other artists and a
slew of shop assistants whomake
the shop run like a well-oiled
machine.
Corey, a renowned artist in the
business, balancesdoing the show
