How did you get involved in organizing the Montreal convention?
Pierre : Of course, I’ve always loved conventions, my first being in 1988 when my father took me to the first French convention, then 1990 Amsterdam ,92 Geneva, then finally 1993, I took part not as a visitor but as an artist at the one in Montreal.
Short story: in early 1993, my father and I were working in his store when Keith Stewart, who would later become my boss, walked in to personally invite us to the very first Montreal convention.
In 1994, my father and I repeated the experience, and it was on this trip that I met Val and fell in love, so it’s certainly because life is well done that we now organize this convention with as much love as it brought us.
After returning to France for a few months, Val and I came back here in 1995 and decided to set up tattooing in Montreal, where I worked at Tatouage Artistique, the studio of Keith Stewart, co-organizer with Dan Allaston of the Montreal convention. Another unsuccessful convention followed in 1995, organized by another shop, which I obviously didn’t attend out of respect for Keith and Dan.
We had to wait until 2002 for a new version of the Montreal convention, the Art Tattoo Show Montreal, organized by the great Pascal and his wife, Geneviève, to which Val and I were invited, having had our own shop in Montreal since February 1997.
Great organization and atmosphere. After the 2002 edition, Pascal asked me to make the poster for 2003, and Val and I pitched in with all the help we could, because we were so proud to be able to contribute.
Val: Indeed, the first year, 2002, Pascal and Geneviève asked Don Design to do the poster and present the event with them. When we had the opportunity the second year to be involved, the magic was there, and we loved the experience from start to finish. Pascal asked us to stay on board and help organize the event, which we gladly accepted.
As I was in charge of the store, but I’m not a tattoo artist, I had the time to work on organization, logistics and communicating with the artists, and this became my job. I don’t come from a tattoo background like Pierre, I didn’t even know that tattoo conventions existed, especially not that they took place all over the world! When I met Pierre, I entered this world and immediately felt at home. I like the convivial side of tattooing, and conventions are the best places to meet people in the business and see how it’s evolving.
Pascal and Geneviève will hand over the entire organization to us in 2014. Thanks to them, we learned a great deal and were able to continue the adventure.
MAX: I think everyone knows you’re enthusiasts!
Pierre: We don’t do anything if we’re not. For me, tattooing is my life, and showing a positive side of it to the public at our events is really important to me.
Val: Organizing an event is stressful, it’s a lot of work, but we still enjoy doing it every year. We love the feedback. We’re happy to spend time with people we like and to see visitors come to the convention. If we didn’t get that feeling every year and have so much fun, we wouldn’t do it.
MAX: How much longer do you think you’ll be doing this?
Pierre: That’s for sure, and so is the Quebec City Convention. We’ve been organizing Art tattoo Québec for 8 years now, with the same enthusiasm and passion as in Montreal.
Val: Yes, and we love it when tattoo artists come back year after year! Some have been here since the beginning (or almost), new ones are added every year, beautiful friendships are made and I love seeing new talents, seeing the progression of each one from year to year.
MAX: Would you like to add anything?
Pierre: Thank you to all the participants and helpers, including my daughter, who has been involved in the organization from the outset. Our colleagues in the shop who help out every year. Our parents and all the artists who have also pitched in over the years, sometimes to set up the stands – I’m thinking of Simon Lam, Casey James, Emil, Tony, Sam. Some even drove the truck, like Sylvain C. Well, those who made artist bags, like Gordon Claus or Penny. All those like Shinji, Masa, BBR, Sacha, Romain and Norm who gave us a hand in the morning. The incredible artists who have made our posters over the years (….) All those who always promote our events: Filip, Henning, Mike, Chad …
Val: I would like to thank my husband and my daughter Audrey Lune, as well as my parents and my sister who have always helped and supported us from the beginning by working with us at conventions. Pascal & Geneviève for the opportunity and all the artists and exhibitors who participate in our events. Our ATSM team (Frank, Mathieu, Vanessa, Christine, Phil and Joe and the Under Pressure gang). Our sponsors and partners, in particular Isabella de Pabst and above all the visitors, because without them there would be no convention!
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