34 MAY 2 0 1 8
GMCoffey Studios
Artist Gene Coffey uses his Long
Island City art studio to tattoo clients,
yes, but also to paint and host
events. In order to get a highly
coveted tattoo from him, you must
first fill out an application, during
which you tell Coffey what you’d
like to get and a bit about you. He
charges a flat fee of $250 an hour,
and his average tattoo takes two to
three hours. His style is technically
watercolor, although Coffey points
out that he doesn’t actually use
watercolor in his tattoos. But each
piece on his Instagram has a similar
theme: an imaginative, colorful, and
in many cases abstract illustration
with paint splashes squirting out
the sides, and sometimes dripping
down the subject’s ribcage or arm.
“My goal as an artist right now is
that each tattoo … I like better than
the last,” he said. “So, the one I did
yesterday? I love it! My favorite tattoo
I've done.” As for the atmosphere of
the studio, Coffey said he wants to curate
a calm, relaxed ambience. It not
your typical tattoo experience, and
that’s not what he’s aiming for. Coffey
recommends looking at his website or
Instagram first to check out his style.
“I'm not trying to have a party, I'm trying
to be cool,” he said. “I'm trying to
make a beautiful object, you know,
and a beautiful thing for you.”
38-12 32ND ST., LONG
ISLAND CITY
GMCOFFEY.COM
Photos courtesy of Gene Coffey
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