Alisha Gory Shares Stigmas Around Tattooed Women and the Artists She Wears

Grit N Glory’s Alisha Gory started her tattoo collection with a tribal tattoo on her lower back when she was 16-years old. Born in Seoul Korea, Gory summarizes her current tattoo work as a “good and bad collection of black and greys.”

While she likes tattoos, she doesn’t enjoy getting them. Gory selects her artists by their work, as well as their ability to inspire her and her work as a tattoo artist. “It’s good to be inspired and to learn from someone who is more experienced than you. Also a lot of my tattoos are friend tattoos,” she said. “You just sometime tattoo each other.”

Gory’s spider webs on her armpits is her favorite piece, saying, “It’s so delicate and pretty.” These webs, as well as her lower back, were tattooed by artist Zac Scheinbaum, of New York City’s Kings Avenue Tattoo.

The downsides to tattoos, as Gory explains, alongside the pain (Gory says her torso hurt the most, “hands down”) is the way some people thrust their unwanted comments towards her. “Coming from a different culture, it isn’t easy for people to accept something they are not accustomed to. Also, as a woman, I think it gives men a reason to holler at me,” Gory said. “Perhaps during the summer time this seems to be more of a factor. The amount of ‘nice tattoos’ sure does make feel like a walking billboard.” However, at the end of the day, to those actually curious about her work, Gory is more than happy to give out names of her artists, in the hope of possible new clients for them.

Her octopus on her leg, as well as the ram on her left hip were tattooed by Jon Mesa. Her right hip, of Black Sabbath’s Ronnie James Dio riding a tiger, was tattooed by Tim Lehi. Her right sleeve, upper left arm, upper back, and the mandala tattoo on her right hand was done by John Sultana. The skull on her left hand, as well as her king diamond on her leg, was done by Matt Buck, with her left leg illustrated and tattooed by Anderson Luna. Her Slayer piece on her leg, along with her metal pickle, was done by Jessica Veprovsky Gory’s stomach cover-up of a skull with moth was done by Camila Rocha, with her chest being done by Peter Madsen, owner and tattoo artist of Meatshop Tattoo in Barcelona.