Meet the Staff
Owners of InkVasion Magazine
Chris Potts has been an avid tattoo collector for over 20 yrs. He dived into the tattoo convention circuit for about 15 years and got to know many of the industry’s leading artists and convention owners by attending a mass amount of conventions nationwide. In this process, he created Pennsylvania’s Battlefield Tattoo expo in Gettysburg which has now been running successfully for 5 years. Now he has merged with other industry people to collaborate in several new ventures such as this tattoo magazine that we present to you now. InkVasion Magazine is the beginning of his new ventures as an owner. Added to that he will also be launching a tattoo Tinder-type site for tattooed people called Inked2gether. He is also a co-host of the Tattoo View Podcast. Among those projects, he will be producing an additional tattoo convention in another state aside from Pennsylvania.
Jim Miller is a seasoned professional with 25 years of experience in website design and development. Jim has a distinguished background in the field and has spent the last 12 years working as a contractor for the Food and Drug Administration, where he has honed his skills and produced unparalleled results. Jim and his partner Chris started Inked2gether in 2015. They have worked on a variety of exciting projects together, such as the well-known Battlefield Tattoo Expo. But Jim’s journey doesn’t stop there. Fuelled by his passion for all things Internet, he’s joined forces with Chris and the talented Frankie Scorpion to embark on an exciting new adventure: InkVasion Magazine.
Frankie Scorpion has been in the tattoo industry since 2005 but has been collecting tattoos since 1990. After years of “living the life” as an alternative lifestyle enthusiast, she decided to enter the tattoo convention circuit by founding the first tattoo sisterhood. Within that journey, she learned how to do productions for tattoo contests, and award ceremonies such as United Ink Awards which was the first award ceremony, and put together several conventions after parties. In addition, she also produced & emceed tattoo beauty pageants and art gallery exhibits. She has been a leading force advocating for the tattoo industry and women in the industry. She has also done several red-carpet events as well as video hosting. Now as one of the owners of InkVasion Magazine she also will be launching the Inked2gether dating site and producing an additional tv show pilot besides Tattoo Wives called The Tattoo Dating Game. She has been a publicist and tour manager for several individual artists and tattoo shops. In the avenue of marketing, she has excelled in branding lots of products and companies. In the mix of her tattoo industry career, she has also written in most of the major tattoo publications and led a writing team through her sisterhood The Gypsy Queens. At one point in her career, she also worked with Inked Magazine. Now she is not just one of the owners of the magazine but she is the lead host of the Tattoo View Podcast & a tattoo convention she is producing in 2024 with Chris Potts. She will also be managing a 40-80 city tattoo tour in 2023. She will be relaunching another sisterhood to fit today’s narrative on women’s rights and empowerment. But her biggest advocacy project to date will be the art gallery exhibit with reputable & celebrity artists that will start the national petition to implement tattoo art in the art history curriculums. She has been an art curator since 2009 with her production of the Dali Dynasty Art Exhibit with master artist Francisco Poblet who studied with Salvador Dali & tattoo artists.
Dawn Bennett – Guided by Marshall Bennett, her husband, and colleagues in the art field, you’ll find that Dawn has been a part of the tattoo community for 25 years, as both a collector and a writer and photographer. She co-owns Eternal Tattoos in Eastpointe Michigan with her husband, Marshall.
Dawn grew up in Mount Morris, a small town in western New York, and has always been drawn to art and the beauty within everything. Her true passion is to find the special in the ordinary, and she has always had her hands and mind on it. In May 2015, she picked up a camera and hasn’t looked back since. It’s worth noting that Dawn is an international award-winning photographer.
Fashion Collaborator
Fashion Editor
Jeanette McManus is originally from Los Angeles which is where her love of fashion began with the likes of the cutting-edge style LA brings to the goth and punk scene. After years of living there, she relocated to NYC which opened up new avenues and a new outlook on fashion. Having an interest in horror movies and Halloween she created an individual unique style of her own. From gothic punk to corporate goth she started promoting her style through TikTok. As she built her following she moved to Chicago. She has worked with and collaborated with brands like Etah love, Blumhouse, Sony & Amazon prime. She also participated in the Ghoul Chat podcast and is a TikTok influencer.
Music Collaborators
Megan Raygun Dillard is an Alabama native who now travels as a tattoo artist. A lifelong lover of music and film, she plays bass and creates feel-good content surrounding music and neuro divergency on TikTok. After getting a film degree in 2015, she has been moving around the country with her wife, Sarah. She started tattooing in March of 2021. A neurodivergent influencer.
Patrick Hicks (guest writer/ influencer) is a storyteller, digital creator, screenwriter, and dad based in Chicago, IL. His background playing in bands and working in the music industry, combined with his gift for storytelling and obsessive research skills make him the perfect TikTok music historian.
Billie Jean Hardwyn (video host/ writer) started as an alternative model with Gypsy Queens Sisterhood. While an active member, she participated in tattoo convention booth productions as well as fundraising and local tattoo art & music promotions. She also co-hosted Craft Colorado. She video-hosted interviews with national touring talents. She has been published in Inked Magazines Halloween edition. Currently, she assists in running a music promotional company in the Colorado area. Passions include music, tattoos & inspiring others to enjoy life to the fullest.
Tattoo History Fun Facts
Marvin Moscowitz (tattoo historian) is the Old Timer related to the late Bowery Stan.
Urban Collaborators
Chico from Marked 4 Life (writer ). My name is Chico I own Chico’s Marked 4 Life; an elite Miami tattoo shop. I also have shops in St. Louis Missouri and Alpharetta Georgia. We have award-winning artists that travel all over the United States as part of the M4L Pro Team. Chico’s Marked 4 Life Tattoo Studios is a hub where great ideas meet with wonderful artistic talent and bring to life one-of-a-kind custom designs for your tattoos that will last a lifetime. I’ve dedicated over 20 years of my life to the tattoo industry and love what I do, I’ve been given the nickname The Inkfather because my shops have given birth to so many talented artists. So come in & let us tattoo you with the excitement we had with our first tattoo and the respect and dedication as if it were our last one.
Galie – female WESTCOAST tattoo artist and video host for her ArtTalkTV Show.
Writing Team
Mindy Christianson – Asylum Tattoo Shop owner. She also has dabbled in the music industry working under the apprenticeship of Sharon Osborne on OzFest. Managing and working on other musical ventures with national and local bands. Writer for our magazine.
Taylor –Tay is a dynamic co-host of the Budtender Babe podcast, where she engages in insightful discussions about cannabis culture and lifestyle. With a passion for storytelling, she is also an influential writer and serves as the Asian ambassador for Inkvasion Magazine, a platform dedicated to celebrating artistry and culture within the tattoo community.
As Inkvasion’s 420 connoisseur, Tay combines her love for cannabis with her deep appreciation for art, providing a unique perspective on the intersection of these two worlds. Originally from New York and now based in Florida, she is preparing for an exciting journey across Asia, where she will be interviewing tattoo artists, influencers, and musicians, highlighting their stories and contributions to the creative landscape.
Tay’s multifaceted career reflects her commitment to fostering connections within the community and her desire to elevate underrepresented voices in the arts.
Main Host for The Tattoo Dating Game TV Show Pilot & Co-Host for Tattoo View Podcast
Hawk- Hawk is a former Miss Ink America as well as a former Suicide Girl & Gypsy Queen member. She has been a tattoo model since 2006 in the tattoo convention circuit. She is the host of The Tattoo Dating Game Show. She has been an H2Ocean model and is a co-host for Tattoo View Podcast. Featured in several magazines. Part of the Crown Ink Divas attending several red carpet events nationwide. She is also an artist in many mediums including tattooing.
Photography
Ernie Bustamante- My goal as a photographer has always been to capture the art of tattoos and the female
& male body. Add to the beauty of the female body the artwork of tattoos and you have a true masterpiece. More and more women are getting tattoos these days, ranging from the gothic to the house mom. I want images to range from focusing on the artwork to the personality of the women and men, from showcasing the woman in her barest form to the highest fashion while always emphasizing the beauty of the female form. In 2009 my
photography took a huge turn for the better. It marked the first year of publication for
Inked Photography. I also started traveling and shooting tattoo conventions in the US
and Central America. Costa Rica, Bolivia, Panama City, and Mexico. Companies I have shot for:InkAddict Clothing Line, Sullen Art Collective, Borg Tattoo Machines, Tattoo Doctor Aftercare, Zombiehearts Little Shop of Horrors, Steadfast Brand Clothing, Redemption Tattoo Aftercare,Waterloo Tattoo Storage Units. Formerly of Three Days Grace. The Bronx, Glass Jaw, New Found Glory, Buckcherry, Virgin
Mary's, Pop Evil, Lita Ford, The Deftone's, Wu-Tang Clan, Ice Cube, Limp Bizkit, Yelawolf,
The Offspring, Marilyn Manson, Hollywood Vampires, Slipknot, Otep, In this Moment, Sick
Puppies, Hollywood Undead, Alice in Chains, Breaking Benjamin, Five Finger Death Punch,
Bullet for my Valentine, House of Pain, and more.
Tom Ayars- I’m a North Georgia based photographer and I’ve been taking pictures for over 17 years and like most photographers, I started out shooting everything from kids to animals to waterfalls. I’d share them with friends on social media and after a few “likes” I’d be off in search of another picture.
Photography quickly became my passion and in 2022, when I started taking pictures of people something profoundly changed for me. There is no greater joy than showing someone an image of themselves, that invokes real emotion. I’m humbled to play a part in creating a magical image that tells their story. Women often hear they’re beautiful from friends and family, but showing them an amazing image that validates it, goes beyond words.
The wonderful people I meet through this journey are incredible in so many ways. I can’t think of another type of photography that would allow me to do what I love and meet and make such great friends along the way.
Video Team
D11 Films & Cyril Simone