New England’s tattoo scene is vibrant, vast and diverse. Here’s our ten artists to follow on Instagram right now.
Since Instagram’s inception over six years ago, the photo sharing app has operated as a unique digital space for artists to connect with followers and share their work with a new audience. Tattooers in general, and New England tattooers in particular, can cultivate an entire career via a sizable Instagram following. A casual Instagram search of the hashtag “blackworker” yields nearly one million photo results, and that’s just one style. For a long time, Instagram was one of the few digital spaces where you could hear the familiar buzz of the tattoo gun in a 15-second video, then immediately see the shiny, sometimes bloody, always high-def result.
New England is home to many tattoo artists inking in all styles across the region. With so many artists and shop accounts featuring a wide range of styles and varying levels of quality, it can be very hard to navigate this world of Insta-tattooers. So we decided to do the work for you. We’re sure you already follow Noel’le Longhaul on Instagram. Here are a few other accounts of people doing similar work, spookier pieces and other tats that are just way out there.
Massachusetts Tattoo Artists
Hannah Medeiros
Brilliance Tattoo
Boston, Massachusetts
For someone who claims to be a “first year tattoo maker,” Medeiros has an exceedingly detailed and diverse set of tattoos in her feed, featuring all sorts of styles and subjects. In addition, she’s posted nearly 1,300 times (mostly tattoos) and has earned over 3,700 followers. Like a lot of artists on this list, her tats are mostly comprised of black linework and shading, though some pieces on her feed feature a skillful dash of color.
Ryan & Matthew Murray
Black Veil Tattoo
Salem, Massachusetts
Certainly the spookiest accounts on the list, identical twins Ryan and Matthew Murray’s tattoo aesthetic truly reflects the haunting history of the town they call home. The brothers’ similar styles range from photorealistic to neo-traditional, with tattoos that include everything from a horrifyingly detailed portrait of Stephen King’s “It” clown, to three-eyed, dot-worked cat heads adorning broomsticks.
Emi Lynn Holler
Charon Art Visionary Tattoo
Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Working with their pal Noel’le Longhaul, Holler offers clients blackwork flash tats and one-of-a-kind pieces that are usually the product of a collaborative process. Holler works closely with clients to dream up a design based on extensive conversation, naturalistic images and other motifs from their portfolio. Head to Holler for one of her unique disembodied hands or your own version of an overgrown New England swamp.
Maine Tattoo Artists
Watsun Atkinsun
Portland, Maine
Abandoning a stationary position at a tattoo shop for “an organic new era of guest spots, traveling, conventions, and private events,” Watsun Atkinsun creates blackwork pieces featuring mystical geometric patterns, cuneiform, and the occasional animal/insect illustration. Follow Atkinsun’s feed for world travel updates and only contact him for a tattoo appointment if you’re truly “in need of an illuminated transformation.”
Vermont Tattoo Artists
Hilary Glass
Aartistic Inc.
Montpelier, Vermont
Instagram provides followers the unique opportunity to track an artist as they move from up-and-coming, to fully established. Glass is a great example of that phenomena in motion. Though she has the smallest number of posts on the list, she touts a strong feed full of detailed animal portraits, linework renderings of natural forms, and amazing doggo portraits. You’ll want to follow her now and book while you can!
Rhode Island Tattoo Artists
Ron Wells
The Torchbearer
Providence, Rhode Island
This self-proclaimed “regret applicator” (personally, I only regret three of my tattoos) is the most Insta Famous of the group and rightfully so: his style is wily and varied while still remaining precise and clean. Sad skulls, neo-traditional wolf heads, ominous medieval weaponry, and familiar pop culture icons like Darth Vader litter his feed and truly showcase the artist’s range and depth.
Amanda Kryla
Black Heart Mysticism Tattoo
Coventry, Rhode Island
Krya is another artist on the list whose feed showcases a broad range of styles and subjects; Megaman done in 16-bit style, a realistic portrait of Severus Snape, and a simple depiction of a palm tree are just a few examples of her breadth.
New Hampshire Tattoo Artists
TJ Schunemann
Underworld Tattoo Co.
Salem, New Hampshire
Schunemann has the most consistently realistic style of the bunch and comes in with the second-most followers on the list (25,600 followers ain’t so bad, right?). If photo-perfect flowers and deep woods scenescapes aren’t inspiration enough, Schunemann also posts pictures of his gorgeous hairless & Persian kitties.
Lauren Sleeper
Five Sirens Tattoo and Gallery
Dover, New Hampshire
This Rhode Island School of Design grad-turned-New Hampshire tattooer and gallerist crafts some of the tiniest and most colorful pieces of all the artists on this list. She will tattoo everything from a Jason Mask to a tea cup.
Connecticut Tattoo Artists
Brandon Stolicny
Flying Tiger Tattoos
New Britain, Connecticut
Stolicny rounds out our list as the straight-up trad tattooer. Need a rose with a dagger through it? How about a scowling panther or a perched Bald Eagle? Stolicny feed will satisfy your craving for those traditional deep reds and other dark tones.
