HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas — The annual Central Texas Lowbrow Art & Tattoo Convention took over the Harker Heights Event Center this Friday the 13th weekend. This is the 12th year in a row it brings together a community of artists and tattoo enthusiasts. According to the event's social media pages, there were more than 100 artists in attendance this year.
Ink & Memories Piercings and Tattoos, is a locally and family-owned business that showcased their work at the event for the seventh year in a row. Christopher Ramirez is the co-owner of the shop that's located in Killeen.
"It's really allowed me to meet people outside of Central Texas and also some other artists that are local. I met a few artists here from San Antonio that happened to know the same people I know," said the tattoo artist. "It's really nice to know that our community is really big, but it's small in nature."
Ramirez has been practicing the permanent art form for nearly 20 years. He says tattooing has allowed the artist to express his creativity in a variety of styles, especially realism.
"{Tattoos} are memories that last forever," explained Ramirez. "One of my favorite phrases to say is 'If you can think about it and imagine it, I can pretty much make it happen. No matter where that avenue of artistic freedom takes me. I'm going down it with no hesitation."
The Ink & Memories Piercings and Tattoos shop is located at 500 N Fort Hood Street Suite 506 in Killeen, Texas.