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Mostly Cloudy Bellmore’s ‘Ink Master’ scores success
A Bellmore tattoo artist who displayed his work in a TV reality series last spring has continued to rise to prominence.
Jay Blondel, who has worked at Alchemy Tattoo Arts in North Bellmore since May 2013, placed sixth on Spike TV’s popular reality competition series, “Ink Master.” After “Gentle Jay” made a name for himself as an outspoken and talented artist, he began traveling around the country and bringing in numerous awards at tattoo contests.
Most recently, Blondel took home six awards at the first-ever Providence Tattoo Arts Convention, held in Rhode Island from Oct. 17 to 19. The expo featured more than 300 artists, including Blondel’s fellow season four “Ink Master” contestants, Kyle Dunbar and Scott Marshall.
Blondel took home:
- First place: extra -large, male, color tattoo
- First place: black-and-gray portrait
- Third place: extra-large, color tattoo
- Third place: medium, black-and-gray portrait
- Third place: tattoo of the day, Oct. 18
- Third place: place best in show.
During the convention, Blondel met with members of the media and fans he gained through his television appearance. He said that being recognized has been a strange experience, but he loves how it has drawn attention to his artwork and, therefore, business.
“The only problem I have now is people think I’m booked out for the year at the shop,” he said. “I’m still a working-class dude. It’s a lot easier to get in touch with me to book a tattoo than people understand.”
Blondel was described as one of the more vocal artists on the past season of “Ink Master,” which pits a number of the nation’s top tattoo artists against one another in a contest for $100,000 in cash, an editorial feature in the pre-eminent tattoo magazine, Inked, and the title of Ink Master. Fans supporting him on social media said he “told it like it was” when criticizing the judges –– Dave Navarro (of the band Jane’s Addiction), renowned tattoo artists Chris Nunez (star of “Miami Ink”) and Oliver Peck (Elm Street Tattoo) –– and other contestants and their work. Blondel was eliminated on episode 10 of 13.
