Artists Participate in Tattoo Fan Club for Charity

At this year’s London Tattoo Convention, taking place September 27-29, attendees will have the opportunity to browse an array of special, traditional Japanese fans, all handpainted by a group of participating tattoo artists.

The original, one-of-a-kind designs will all be available for purchase online as part of The Tattoo Fan Club, a charity auction set up and orchestrated by tattoo artist Stef Bastiàn. Proceeds from the auction will benefit Operation Underground Railroad, an organization fighting child sex slavery.

This year, over 200 artists, including an array of talented female tattooers, are participating in the auction and creating original art pieces. The auction will go live on September 27 on Stef Bastiàn’s website.

Flo Nuttal
Blair Maxine McKenna

Prominent women in the tattoo industry such as Claudia De Sabe, Som Nakburin, Cassandra Frances, Blair Maxine McKenna, Lorena Morato, Flo Nuttal, and more will be contributing designs to this special project.

Participating artists were asked to design their fans as a tribute to artists who they feel have contributed to the tattoo industry and have paved the way for the modern-day art form.

Tattoo Fan Club submission by tattoo artist Lorena Morato.

In an Instagram post, Lorena Morato, who owns Golden Times Atelier in Cologne, Germany, said she was inspired by the artwork of Sutherland McDonald, a British tattooer from late 19th and early 20th centuries. “I got inspired and impressed when I saw his work when I started tattooing many years ago,” she wrote. “I hope we all can help to raise some funds to save the children. It’s good to see art helping others in a good way.”

Last year’s charity art exhibit, organized by Stef Bastiàn.

This is the second year that Stef Bastiàn is organizing a tattoo-based charity auction to coincide with the London Tattoo Convention. Last year, The March of the Matryoshkas, in which 66 tattoo artists decorated traditional matryoshkas dolls, raised over $18,000 for Save the Children.

You can see a full list of participating artists here, and get a sneak peek of the fan designs by following Stef Bastiàn’s charity work on Instagram.