Fire Burns LA Ink : Noda Luka

Fire Burns LA Ink

at Oct, 30 2014

LA Ink, High Voltage Tattoo has gone up in flames.

Other than the fire itself there is little to report about the sorrowful incident that occurred in the early morning hours on Thursday, October 23rd. The blaze ignited at 4AM (exact cause unknown) at the back of the shop where famed artist and High Voltage Tattoo owner Kat Von D’s office is located. The fire burned through the ceiling leaving charred remains in its wake. Expensive artwork and personalized memorabilia blanketed in soot. The building has been ‘red flagged’ meaning it isn’t safe to go inside. Thankfully no one was harmed in the fire. Wonderland Kat Von D’s adjacent art gallery was also damaged as well as a barbershop in the same strip mall.

If you don’t recognize the name you’ve probably heard of LA Ink “that tattoo show on TLC.” Tattoos on TV are what really catapulted ink into mainstream, giving everybody a look inside a real shop. Miami Ink (starring Nodaluka’s very own Ami James) started it all. LA Ink was a spinoff of Miami Ink that aired for seven seasons before being canceled in 2011. In the very first episode Kat’s now legendary, bright pink, art extravaganza, tattoo empire isn’t even fully built yet. The Latina portrait specialist came to Los Angeles with a grand vision for a tattoo shop and a passion for body art that she’s been perfecting since her teens. All the way from the photo booth to the center floor seven-foot lighting bolt, Kat put every bit of herself into every detail, from each piece of art on the loudly painted walls to every pro artist at each station.

Viewers watched as the shop came together, the creative process blazed, and famous clients came to visit. How bizarre it is to think that creativity won’t be happening at the corner of Fountain and N. La Brea anymore, at least not right now. High Voltage crew member G blogged about his first hand experience the day after writing: “I absolutely have to look for positive things to grab onto like a giant bouquet of helium balloons that will lift me outta the charred remains of so much love and labour lost.” Kat did post a picture supporting the family unity atmosphere she’s promoted since day one captioning it with: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

High Voltage Tattoo on fire.

High Voltage has more than just a talented tattooer as their leader. They have a woman who does it all and then some. Someone involved in several simultaneous projects (three books and a make up line at Sephora.) Kat Von D is so many things but most of all she’s driven. She walks with unquenched confidence leaving her mark on everything she touches-much like a fire. From what’s happened it’s clear to see not a thing has burnt out but instead a path has been cleared for something better than what was. It’s safe to say High Voltage is destined to rise from the ashes.