I jammed my way into some very crowded Metro cars to make my way down to M Street where Paul Roe [Fez #30], the owner of British Ink was taking part in an art exhibition called Artomatic. Paul was doing pre-session consultations while his colleague, Cynthia, hummed away on a guy’s right bicep. He squeezed me in for a chat and I even got to sit in the tattoo chair. The interview ran just under 12 minutes.
smays.com
A place where you publish what you notice.
The website for British Ink (often spelled Britishink) is gone because Paul Roe closed his Washington, D.C. shop a decade ago. He relocated to Upstate New York, where he continues to work as a tattoo artist.
In May 2016, Roe moved to Syracuse, New York, and opened a new shop. You can find his current portfolio, background, and contact details through his studio:
The James Street Parlour, Syracuse, NY
jamesstreetparlour.com
Roe operated British Ink in Washington, D.C. for 14 years. During his time there, he was appointed chair of the Body Arts Committee for the DC Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists in 2013, where he helped structure the city’s first formal tattoo regulations. His current work in Syracuse continues to focus on highly customized, bespoke designs spanning a wide range of historical and contemporary style