Harry J Ake;
Member: National Tattoo Association
Background:
Began tattooing in 1989. "Although mainly self-taught,I studied art and drawing
at University Of Pennsylvania from 1992-1993. Traveled to tattoo conventions
around the country for many years, and studied in seminars given by many
prominent tattoo artists including Deano Cook, Jack Rudy, Kari Barba, Dave
Gibson, Mike Malone, Rand Johnson, Sid Stankovic, Brian Everett, Bob Tyrell,
Lyle Tuttle, Bill Funk, Bud Yates, Dave Long, the APT instructors Sister Bear,
Dennis Dwyer , Bill Hannong, Peggy Sucher, and Mary Skiver to name a few. I've been
tattooed by over 50 artists including Steve Potton, Shawn Anderson, Deano Cook, Dave Gibson, Bob
Montagna, Sailor Eddie Evans and his Wife Ester ( yeah, nobody ever gives her
credit and she was awesome), Sailor Eddie Denny, Eric Perfect, Jack Rudy,
Stephane Chaudesaigues, Eric Stewart, Jimbo from Naples, Tin Tin, Tom Strohm,
Patty Kelly, My Wife, Kids, and neighbor Irish Kevin ( I wouldn't recommend
doing that), Sailor Moses, Judy Parker ,Michael Culley, Jason Goldberg, Marcus Kuhn, Tony
Olivas, all my Headlight Tattoo peoples including Candi, Sophi, Gerry, Eliz'bef,
Holly, Doc, Chris and Lee Cramer. A kid that worked for Judy Parker, whos name I never knew (shame on me), did my "mom" tattoo. George Archer, a gentleman named Eric from Full Color Coverage in Maryland did an awesome sacred Heart on my back, and a cool dude in Nebraska did some phat CORN on me, one in LA, a courteousGentleman tattoo guy from Ft. Lauderdale did a nice reaper for $40, and another one in LA did my
not so jacked up wolf for $20, a kid named Red that worked for Cherokee Chuck, a guy
named Paul that traded me a JD crow angel for a not so good tattoo of Eddie that
I did on his leg. A kid in Canada did a cool angel on my chest but I had to
cover it because I put a girl's name in it because she was watching my dog
while I was on vacation...... I've had most of my upper left arm lasered by Dr.
Steven Snyder from Maryland, and had it re tattooed...cause I'm a freak like
that." My armpit was tattooed with the Bounty paper towel logo, which won an award for Chris James at the Nationals in North Carolina in 2009 for most Unique Tattoo
God has chosen to bless me and Headlight Tattoo with a lot of great
press. Feature Articles in Tattoo Magazine( September 2001) for personal
collection of tattoo work. Other featured articles include Savage Magazine
(September 2001), and Outlaw Biker Tattoo Review (#98) Tattoos done by Harry
have also been featured in Tattoo magazine, Tattoo Flash Magazine, International
Tattoo Magazine, National Tattoo Association Periodicals, Tattoos for Women,
Tattoos for Men, Skin and Ink, Skin Art, Tabu , Tattoo Revue, and various
convention publications as well as multiple feature articles in Motorcycle
Monthly Magazine. The opening of Headlight shop #3 in Woodstown was blessed with a front page article on us in Salem County's Today's Sunbeam Newspaper. My clients have received many trophies at various events
for the quality of tattoo work. On an International level, I've received
the following awards:
July, 2000 - Knoxville TN.; Tattoo Convention First Place Trophy: BEST COVER UP
Sept. 2002 - Palm Beach International Tattoo Expo: TATTOO OF THE DAY
Sept. 2002 - Palm Beach International Tattoo Expo: BEST COVER UP
Tampa Tattoofest BEST SLEEVE
Rock of Ages Tattoo Convention
Orange, California, 2003 :
Best Cover Up 1st Place Award
Best Cover Up 2nd Place Award
Best Black and Grey Flash 2nd Place Award
Philadelphia Eddies 2006 third place medium black and gray
Atlanta 2003 Tattoo Arts FestivalBest Cover Up 1st Place Award
Philadelphia Eddies 2004
!st Place Best Full Back BLACK AND GREY
2nd Place Best Use of TRIBAL
2005 Atlantic City Tattoo Extravaganza 3rd place awards for Black and grey,
Cover up and Full Back
2005 Bayreuth Germany Tattoo Convention
3rd Place for tattoo of the Day
Harry traveled to Paris, France to tattoo at the European de Salons
Convention in 1999, and Puerto Rico's Tattoo Conventions on 3 occasions.
2005's Trip to Germany yielded a tophy, a new tattoo, and a 3rd place
trophy for a portrait of "Harry in Agony" tattooed on his own back side.
Other conventions include Knoxville, Maryland ,Meadowlands, Tampa Bay,
Richmond Tattoo Arts Festivals, Philadelphia Eddie's Tattoo Conventions,
Atlanta, Orange, CA, The Texas Tattoo Jam in El Paso; Tattoo Magazine's
Artistry in Ink in Miami, West Palm Beach, National Tattoo Association
conventions in Cincinatti and Reno,as well as conventions in Derby England
& Atlantic City. Harry has been a presenter at the National Tattoo Association
the last three years with a Cover-Ups 101 seminar.
Philosophy:
"I'm often amazed and impressed by the talents of certain artists and their
accomplishments. I'm even more amazed and impressed by the dedication
of their customers. They're great artists because they have great customers.
One of the things that makes an artists' tattoos come out so good, is the client's
willingness and ability to sit for enough time to give the artist the flexibility to
work in a way they need, to achieve a desired creation. Sometimes that means
paying them enough so that they can devote enough time, energy, and
creativity to a custom tattoo.
I don't like to cause people physical discomfort, especially when it isn't
necessary. Although there is a certain amount of discomfort involved in the
tattoo process, I think it's really important to tattoo gently. That means being
familiar with proper machine set up, and constantly in touch with a client's
pain threshold. There are ways to withhold before pain limits are crossed,
and we practice various methods for minimizing our client's discomfort. Our
customers are comfortable, cared for, and respected while being tattooed.
Email The Studio: Headtattoo@aol.com
1086 Delsea Dr.
Deptford, NJ 08093
856-848-8223
Material Copyright 2005, Headlight Tattoo
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