Lubbock’s Oldest Tattoo Shop To Celebrate With Art Show Case

Lubbock's oldest and most awarded tattoo shop Inkfluence (1408 Avenue Q) has shown off its team's incredible art skills on the bodies of countless Lubbockites, myself included. Now, you'll be able to see their skills up close and personal, without grabbing my arm at the grocery store (please don't do that).

Inkfluence's Art Showcase will open tonight (Friday, June 2nd) at the Buddy Holly Center (1801 Crickets Avenue) as part of this month's First Friday Art Trail. It will feature art in different mediums, like ink and paint, created by Lubbock's favorite tattoo team including Mike Tweed, Tim Kohtz, Annie Seifer Lawrence, Lacey Leser, Lance Staggs, and Chris Johnson. Artists will be in attendance, so be sure to tell them if you admire their work (but again, please do not grab arms).

Admission to Buddy Holly Center's gallery is free during the First Friday Art Trail, but if you cannot make it tonight to the reception, you can view the works during open hours until July 23rd. However, according to the City of Lubbock's website, "refreshments will be available" so it would be foolish to turn this opportunity down.

On a personal note, I have known a couple of these artists for many years. It has been incredible to see their styles evolve and blossom into unique, expressive, and beautiful observations about nature, humans, and the world we live in.

It is a remarkable skill to take the idea of another person and shape it into something beyond their expectations- something the team at Inkfluence does daily. A tattoo quite literally changes a person irrevocably, so it can and should be an act of reverence. Inkfluence has always taken itself seriously in this matter and has consistently delivered its best to our community.

It's worth celebrating, and now we have our chance, tonight.