Tattoos by Chris McAdoo @ City of Ink

One of City of Ink's founders... Chris Mcadoo has FINALLY launched his website...y'all know I'm excited about this one... Y'all always see me write about Corey, Melvin, Sophie... But Chris has been focusing mostly on his music career...we had a sitdown and told him "to use balance and treat ALL your talents equally" I think he understand the point and yesterday his new tattoo website went up. Lastnight Chris also gave me a sneak preview of his first solo album (Corey Davis been telling me it was a DOPE project but I had to listen to it myself) he did an amazing job... The music fits his lifestyle perfectly.. And he really paints pictures with his words.. They are felt... Chris music sounds pure... NOW if we can only get Chris McAdoo painting AGAIN (4th Annual COI Art show Feb.25) He was always one of my favorite painters..would love to see him attack a canvas the sameway he attacks the mic.... Y'all check out Chris's website out: ChrisMcadooTattoo.com


To book Chris McAdoo for a tattoo appointment please call: 404-525-4465 1pm-10pm or drop by for a walk-in @ 323 Walker Street, Atlanta GA 30313

Posted from my iPhone

Recess: The Recession + The Legalization of Marijuana

I had to repost this video....weed classic!!!

ATL: Tattoo Film update

We have started filming in Atlanta now...the first person we interviewed was one of the founding members of City of Ink (and 1/4 of Hollyweerd) Chris McAdoo....here are more sneak previews of me & AJ's tattoo film





We even got a few scenes of Tuki Carter tattooing...beautiful work








Shot by Artemus Jenkins

Posted from my iPhone

Tattoo Artist Blogs

My homegirl Sole, asked me to put links up of all the COI tattoo artist's blogs...I usally just blog from my iPhone since I rarely get to sit in front of a computer...I took screen shots of each of the tattoo artists sites.. And put their URL down.. I don't know the HTML codes to make the links work from my iPhone so yall will have to copy & paste the URL links....please follow these blogs, each one is very different and 2010's focus is to BRAND the names of the 4 artists me & Tuki have working at City of Ink...I introduce to you, Corey Davis, Chris McAdoo, Sophie C'est La Vie, & Melvin Todd... The Dripping Stars of COI (bookmark & follow these artists)


Corey Davis's Greedmont Park http://greedmontpark.com (also check out http://IamCoreyDavis.com to see his tattoos)



Chris McAdoo's My Brother's Inker http://mybrothersinker.com



Sophie C'est La Vie's Kungfu Dollface http://kungfudollface.com




Melvin Todd's 9 Mag http://9mag.blogspot.com



Tattoo Legend "Tuki Carter" http://tukicarter.blogspot.com

To book any of these tattoo artists, call 404-525-4465 between the hours of 1pm-10pm. Samba the shop manager will handle EVERYTHING...blessings yall

Posted from my iPhone

Who are the "4" ?

The Chosen 4.....Photos by TT Coles (thanks sis, amazing job!)






For Oct, Nov, and Dec..I will only be taking LARGE tattoo appointments..a lot of my LOYAL clients are very happy about this because I can spend more time with one client at a time those months..and some of my clients are upset because they want me to do small tattoos...I have been tattooing for 16 years and I'm at a point of my career where I want to pass the torch to younger tattoo artists I feel who will do smaller tattoos better than I can...I LOVE doing big pieces, shit I'm in LOVE with doing sleeves, backpieces, side rib pieces, and legs...I have been studying a lot if Shige's work (yellowblaze.net) and the way his work flows covering so much of the human body is PURE beauty...I'm looking for new muse, human canvas so do LARGE pieces..I will even do them for FREE..I would like my LOYAL clients to TRUST me and please let "THE 4" dripping stars of COI do the smaller work for me....they do large tattoo too..don't get it twisted..all 4 are amazing talents..but I really want to move away from small "walk-in" style tattooing...I feel I will be happier...and if you believe in my dreams you would do your research and check out Melvin Todd, Corey Davis, Sophie, and Chris McAdoo...I want to REALLY introduce the world to the "4" they ARE City of Ink...they are the ARTISTS, and they are open for walk-ins 6 days a week. Each artist have their own style of tattooing...no clones...but ALL were trained so they can add on to MY work and do MY style of tattooing when needed...we are family here so I don't mind my clients letting for of the COI artists ink them....my beef only with the ones who go to other shops after I spend YEARS with Tuki Carter training these young artist...and I PROMISE you each one is making a solid name in this tattoo business...starting low as $40 for walk-ins...they guys are trendsetters....watch out world for the "CHOSEN 4"

Hollyweerd "I wanna Meet her" produced by Spree Wilson

Yesterday was a cool day. I was on my way to a business meeting when Demyane (the manager) hit me up saying there were some film makers at the shop waiting for me. Demanye FORGET to tell me I was doing an interview for a doc film called "I am A Dream Chaser" about 10 people who followed their dreams in life...I will get back on that the film on the next blog...when I got to the shop Tuki, Chris and Dreamer had to leave for sound check...by the looks of the cameras and the crew I knew I would miss both my business meeting and the Hollyweerd show...I did the interview (they asked some of the BEST questions any writers have asked me) so it went very well...they will be back on saturday to finish the filming..so if your in ATL drop by and be apart of this...I hate I missed ANOTHER Hollyweerd show...but Tuki just showed me this youtube video someone taped lastnight...I love this song props to Spree for producing a hit..hope NY treating you good bruh you deserve it...time for me to hit the barber shop..I will hit yall later...blessings, Miya Bailey

PS...enjoy the Hollyweerd video...if your in LA...they will be performing at a few places follow them on twitter: http://twitter.com/hollyweerd and on faceback under "Hollyweerd"

Searching Google...

I was doing my morning google search...when I wake up I google search, Miya Bailey, City of Ink and Tuki Carter just to keep up with new videos, blogs, and articles on COI...and I just found this one...I rememeber seeing these young ladies watch in the shop yesterday...they stopped me in the streets and showed me the work Chris McAdoo did on them...they were all excited...thanks for making this video ladies...be blessed...Miya Bailey

Hollyweerd: Automatic Classic @ Lenny's Bar

Hollyweerd TONIGHT @ The Starbar in Little 5 Points!

Hollyweerd will be performing tonight in Little 5 Points at the Starbar (across from the Vortex) They hit the stage @ 9:30pm....be there!!! Support the NEW Atlanta music scene....I will be there after my last tattoo appointments...so I will see yall there, blessings yall!...Miya Bailey

2009 April issue of INKED Magazine (on sale now!)

http://www.inkedmag.com/inked_spots/37/city-of-ink/

By: by Adam Bernard, photos by Michael Blackwell
Date: 03-20-09

City of Ink
323 Walker Street
Atlanta, GA
404-525-4465
http://www.thecityofink.com

Established: 2000
Artists: Miya Bailey, Tuki Carter, Corey Davis, Chris McAdoo, Melvin Todd, Ant, Sophie


When City of Ink cofounders Miya Bailey and Tuki Carter moved their tattoo shop Prophet Art from Asheville, NC, to Atlanta in 2000, they wanted a new start, both for the shop and their art. According to Bailey, the plan was "to break that boundary of what black people and Hispanic people should be getting as tattoos and reflect more of the lifestyle of the people we were doing." The simple rule: no more "gangster-type stuff."

They christened the new shop City of Ink and designed the interior to feel more like an art gallery than a tattoo parlor. "You won't walk into City of Ink and think it's a tattoo shop," explains Bailey. "The layout is an art gallery, and it's built like a loft, so the tattoo studios are upstairs." According to Carter, there's a reason they set up their shop this way. "It shows people that we're not just tattoo artists, that we can actually come up with something that's not quote-unquote tattoo-oriented."

Looking to attract more of the artistic community, Bailey began tailoring his work to be "a reflection of free-form soul and creativity." They hired artists Corey Davis, Chris McAdoo, Melvin Todd, Ant, and Sophie, and stressed the importance of flow to their new crew. "Everything moves with the contour of the body," Bailey explains. "If you draw a tattoo on paper and stick it on like a stencil, it looks like a tattoo—it looks like it's floating in the air, it doesn't look like it's contoured with the body. Our artists do everything contoured to the body, and it's shaped out, and it flows, and it looks like fine art."

Because of the difficulty of working with skin of color, the City of Ink team also worked on developing their method and fine-tuning their machines. "A lot of the old artists told us to run the machine high and get the ink in," Bailey explains, "but that's how you create scarification. Our style is a relaxed tattooing. There's no traumatizing the skin and barely any blood."

With everything they do, it should come as no surprise that City of Ink has become, in Sophie's words, "a creative oasis for all genres of artists." Bailey is extremely proud of this fact. "We're in a situation right now where we are the central point of the arts scene in Atlanta," he beams. "Not just the tattoo scene, but the whole art and music scene. This is like the mecca. Everybody who is an artist or a musician, they come to City of Ink just for inspiration because it's open for everybody. You don't have to get a tattoo just to be here."

The inspiration generated at the shop has attracted plenty of prominent musicians, including everyone from R&B superstar Usher, who was in Carter's chair earlier this year, to legendary battle rapper Canibus, whose iconic "4,3,2,1" microphone on his arm was done by Carter. Skateboarders, such as Stevie Williams, who was inked by Sophie, are also known to frequent the shop.

Fame, however, isn't limited to the clientele. Carter and McAdoo are musicians in the group Holly Weerd, and Davis is a part of the group Mark 5. Many of the artists have art hanging on the walls of the gallery. In addition, Bailey has two books planned for 2009: City of Ink, which will be a photographic trip through the scene they've created, and The Art of Miya Bailey, which will cover Bailey's entire artistic career. The City of Ink crew is also readying a reality television show based on the shop.

But no matter what they're busy doing, there's always one overarching goal behind it all. It's in the City of Ink motto, "Inspire your City," and their logo, a dripping star. "It represents that we believe everybody's a star," Bailey says. "but only a few drip down on other stars and inspire them." —Adam Bernard

http://www.inkedmag.com/inked_spots/37/city-of-ink/

http://thecityofink.com

I'm so proud of my brothers, Hollyweerd. Reppin' for the music side of the City of Ink and ATL Music movement. Support Tuki, Chris, The Dreamer, and Staggo Lee they are the other side of ATL. Also pick up the lastest Creative Loafing, they got a nice write on the last page "Year of the Weerdo!"

VIMBY - Holly Weerd

Me, Tuki, Chris, and Demayne @ Pinz-N-Needlez "DC"

It's cold ass hell up here in DC, but the vibe is real cool. Demayne just walked in Pinz-N-Needlez with a big bag of food for me and Tuki. Chris Mcadoo is tattooing so he will eat after he finish...I have one more tattoo to do tonight so I'm about to eat this food, jump back on this appointment and log in later once I get back to my hotel room to finish this blog...blessings yall, Miya Bailey!

YUP we still doing the $40 WALK-IN Special....

Tuki, Chris McAdoo,Demayne, and myself will be leaving for Bmore & DC tomorrow. I'm excited mainly because it's Demayne's FIRST time ever flying on an airplane so this will be fun just watching his face..LOL We will land in Bmore and stop by the Baltimore Tattoo Convention to show support to Jaz (Black Star Tattoo from NY) and Chris & Pinz-N-Needlez (from DC) after we pick up the rental car...we will chill out for a few hours and meet our fans and supporters up there maybe buy some tattoo stuff from the expo then head to DC to get settled in our hotel rooms and get ready for our saturday appointments in DC at Pinz-N-Needlez. Ant, Sophie, Corey, and Melvin will hold City of Ink down and will be doing the $40 WALK-IN specials, so go support our shop while we are in DC.

PS...Happy BDAY Samba!!!! enjoy your trip!

From Mitchell St. to Walker St....Prophet Art to City of Ink

Do yall remember this???

PART 2 of Chris McAdoo Tattooing my leg

Getting my new TATTOO by Chris McAdoo

Check out the new piece by Chris McAdoo of City of Ink...



I will be posting Part 2 later....tonight or in the morning I'm tired ass hell I been tattoo straight allday, JUST got home and it's 3:10am!