Tattooers Rep Regions in ‘Ink Master: Turf War’

By Deidre Grieves

Last season, Ink Master pitted men against women in a Battle of the Sexes. Now, the reality tattoo competition is bringing artists in from all over the country to represent their regional pride in Ink Master: Turf War.

Ink Master Season 13 will debut on Paramount Network on Tuesday, January 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Artists were recruited from four parts of the country to form teams—the East, West, Midwest, and South.

Host Dave Navarro will return as a judge on the season alongside tattoo artists Chris Núñez and Oliver Peck.

“Pride is a primal instinct,” says Núñez in a YouTube clip introducing the cast. “Since the beginning of time, people have always battled to keep their space safe and sacred, and this is going to be no different.”

Ink Master Turf War Contestants

Season 13 of Ink Master will break contestants into four teams, comprised of five tattoo artists to start.

Each team will have one contestant from a previous Ink Master Season. Here is a breakout of the Ink Master Turf War contestants:

East Coast Contestants

West Coast Contestants

Midwest Contestants

South Contestants

Meet the Ink Master Turf War contestants.

Ink Master Turf War: Female Artists Show Hometown Pride

When it comes to contestants, Ink Master Turf War definitely skews in favor of male contestants, with just six women competing out of 20 total artists.

But the female tattoo artists chosen to participate in Season 13 are ready to represent their home towns.

Arlene Salinas, who works out of Three Kings Tattoo in Los Angeles, says that the tattoo culture in the state of California and on the West Coast is rich. “Everybody wants to be in LA, which is why it’s so damn packed full of people and traffic,” she says in a YouTube clip. “They hate us because they ain’t us.”

Returning Ink Master contestant, Angel Rose Fergerstorm, who also appeared on the current season of Ink Master Grudge Match, is also ready to represent Los Angeles. She opened her tattoo shop, Dark Moon Studio, in early 2019.

Arlene Salinas tattoo artist — Arlene Salinas

Tattoo artist Angel Rose Fergerstrom — Arlene Salinas

Over on the East Coast, Jessa Bigelow, who owns Gallery of Ink in Harrison, New Jersey, says that she’s tired of the Garden State being undermined by bigger tattoo cities. “I think New Jersey has a whole lot of talented artists,” she says. “I think we have so much to offer, and not enough people see that because we’re so close to New York.”

K Lenore Siner is also hoping to take home the win for the East Coast, representing Salem, Massachusetts (home to other killer female artists including Kelly Doty). “Salem, as a place, represents something to a lot of people,” she says. “A lot of people are looking for a tattoo that has a little bit of magic as part of it.”

Nychelle Elise, who is from Dallas, Texas, and a regular on the Ladies of Ink tour, is not about to let more experienced artists walk all over her. She’s ready to throw down with some southern attitude. “I might be the least experienced,” she says, “but I’m a fighter and a survivor, and I make things work.”

Jordan Allred, who works out of Born Weird Tattoo in Boise, Idaho, says that she regularly does hometown tattoos and is happy to be representing the Midwest. And she’s okay with the state being recognized for its famous potato crops. “If people hear Idaho and don’t say ‘potato,’ I’m kind of shocked.”

Watch the Trailer for Ink Master: Turf War

Even though Season 13 of Ink Master doesn’t air until January, you can watch the trailer for Ink Master: Turf War right here.

Ink Master Turf War trailer.