The first tattoo expo to hit the island is being called a “huge success” by organizer Dynette Smith. More than 1,000 attended the event over the two days it was held at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.

Rachelle Gammon, left, works on a custom-designed fox tattoo for Tammy Power of New Waterford. Power said she found about Gammon on the Maiden Cape Breton Tattoo Expo Facebook page and wanted to book an appointment with her because she loved her work and vibrant colours.

The picture of the woman on the shark, with a dagger in her hand, was sent to Halifax-based tattoo artist Becky Matheson by longtime client, Victoria Walsh. Walsh, who lives in Sydney, has just become a vegan and wanted to switch the dagger for a carrot. Matheson, who owns Wanderlust Tattoos, thought she meant change the shark for a carrot and did the design that way. “We both died laughing… then we stuck with the carrot,” said Matheson.

Becky Matheson, left, a Halifax-based tattoo artist, takes a pause from cleaning up the tattoo she just finished on Victoria Walsh, from Sydney, during the Maiden Cape Breton Tattoo Expo in North Sydney on Sunday. The two went to school together and Walsh said she often travels to Halifax to get work done by Walsh.

Nick Mastropietro, from Montreal, works on a chest tattoo for a man during the Maiden Tattoo Expo on Sunday.

Tyler Wolfe cleans up the skin on Ash Herbert’s back, where hooks went through and she was suspended from the ceiling of the Emera Centre at the Maiden Cape Breton Tattoo Expo on Sunday. The duo is part of Moncton-based Transcending Ground Suspension Crew, founded by Wolfe six years ago. Wolfe is applying pressure to the area around Herbert’s skin, pushing out air that gets in during the suspension act. It sounds and feels like popping bubble wrap when pushing it out and isn’t painful, although Wolfe said it can cause stiffness if it is left there.

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NORTH SYDNEY — Dynette Smith says she was nervous and stressed just before the doors opened for the Maiden Cape Breton Tattoo Expo she had spent the last year organizing.

But as soon as the doors opened and “people started pouring in,” the owner of Armed Maiden Tattoo Parlour in Sydney Mines knew her hard work had paid off.

“The community has really come through. Everything has been really positive… it’s a huge success,” the 35-year-old told the Post on Sunday, the second day of the event.

“For a lot of people, they’ve never been to a tattoo expo before and people are saying it’s nice to have something different for Cape Breton.”

More than 1,000 people attended the two-day expo, the first held in Cape Breton. Tattoo artists from across North America were featured at the event, along with an airbrush artist and a body suspension crew from Moncton.

“For the artists, it’s been the best show they’ve been too. Every artist has been flat out all weekend,” said Smith, who opened her tattoo shop six years ago.

Becky Matheson, owner of Wanderlust Tattoos in Halifax, was one of 35 artists doing work on walk-in clients, as well as pre-booked ones during the event.

“It saves my clients the drive,” said the 36-year-old, who is originally from Sydney.

“It was really good, especially for the first year. Good attendance and I really like what Dynette’s been doing. She’s been to a lot of expos and conventions and she’s drawn from them.”

Dartmouth-based artist Rachelle Gammon won tattoo of the day on Saturday for her Cape Breton version of a My Little Pony Character. Gammon said she booked only one custom piece a day so she could accommodate as many walk-in-clients as possible.

“It’s great, a good thing for the area. I think it’s good to catch up to the rest of the world,” Gammon said while working on Tammy Power, her one pre-booked client for Sunday.

Power saw Gammon’s work on the Maiden Cape Breton Tattoo Expo’s Facebook page and knew she wanted an appointment with her.

“I was really excited (when I heard about the expo),” the New Waterford resident said.

“There’s always been rumours of people trying to start one. Now it’s here and it’s like, ‘Yes, we don’t have to travel for one.’”

For those who only wanted temporary tattoos, Angela Whitely and her company, Angie’s Breathing Canvas, was there with her airbrush tattoos, face and body painting.

“The organizers are fantastic. The facility is really nice too. Not too crowded, not too hot, really comfortable,” she said.

Another highlight for expo attendees were the live performances by Moncton-based Transcending Ground Suspension Crew, founded by Tyler Wolfe six years ago.

During the shows, the performance artists put hooks through their skin then hung from the ceiling of the Emera Centre Northside, where the expo was held. The group also had nothing but praise for Smith, the expo and the people who attended.

“The crowd we’ve had here this weekend has been the best we’ve ever had,” said Di Lewis, one of the members who hung by the skin on her forearms on Saturday.

“They were the most open-minded, welcoming people we have ever performed for.”

Smith said there is no doubt she will be bringing the Maiden Cape Breton Tattoo Expo back next year.

“It is a yearly event, so yes, we will be back next year. And it will be for three days instead of two.”

nicole.sullivan@cbpost.com