The 15th annual Inked Hearts Tattoo Expo: Heart of the Dragon Resurrection 2025 got underway for three days from Feb. 14-16 at Blue Lake Casino and featured 43 tattoo artists and piercers. Large crowds took advantage of the opportunity to look over the art designs and make on-the-spot appointments for “ink” and piercing. See the slideshow below for highlights of the weekend.
“Ted and I have fully taken over Inked Hearts and the venue in the Sapphire Palace inside the Blue Lake Casino remains,” said Amy Marks. “After considering moving it, we worked it out to keep Inked Hearts at the casino as we enjoy having lodging, food and entertainment in one location.”
A diverse crowd seemed to enjoy the event’s activities in a mellow and quieter atmosphere, including the usual daily tattoo contests, a photo booth and live music with Safety Orange, a surf rock group from Southern California, each night in the casino’s Wave Lounge.
The winner of the Expo’s Best of Show trophy was Doug Skanes, of Ellensburg, Washington, with his tattoo by artist Liz Venom, of Edmonton, Alberta. In a new reveal of his many talents, Ted Marks added his personally created tattoo-shop chairs to the prize pool.
Many of the artists were fully booked for the three-day event but snow conditions for travel blocked a few artists and vendors from attending. Humboldt County’s Ohana Organics, with its locally produced tattoo butter, was among the vendors selling tattoo supplies, gear, artwork and clothing.
This article appears in Step Aside Prop. 47, Proposition 36 Has Arrived.