The Commerce Building at the Fresno Fair grounds was packed with multiple vendors Saturday Feb. 17, and Sunday Feb. 18 for the 14th Annual World Famous Tattoo Expo.

Music was heard before you reached the Chance entrance. Many vendors were in attendance lining the walls with an array of people who displayed their decorated bodies in a vast range of colors and pieces that represent expression and art to them.

“There were more people on Saturday last year, and this year there were more on Sunday,” said Samara Sucley piercer for Electric Body Mod, a piercing only shop based in Visalia.

“We do feel like the expo boosts our sales,” Sucley said.

Desiree Raydeen, a model for Electric Body Mod, explains, “We do a lot of advertising. Then on the first day of the expo we get ready to do live piercings,” said Raydeen.

The model goes around with their fresh piercings and it draws the crowd in. People also watch the piercers insert the hoops into the model’s back. This takes two piercers working simultaneously and it usually takes about 10 – 20 minutes per ring.

“People see the rings and get excited,” Raydeen said. “We are an all-female shop and I think that helps too.”

On the other side of the building, Amanda G., a tattoo artist for True Love Tattoo, based in Berkeley, CA, inked a taco on the right ankle of client Monica Madrigal as Madrigal’s wife, Jackelyn, looked on.

“People come in wanting to get all kinds of things tatted. My job is to make it look good,” said Amanda G.

“I like her new tattoo,” Jackelyn said. Madrigal didn’t wince as Amanda moved her pen very gracefully across her skin.

Many people were there well after closing on Sunday, still getting ink work and just vibing with one another.