It’s Time to Get Inked.. At the 3rd Annual Fountain City Tattoo Expo

Multifaceted tattoo artist Thomas Randall was born with ink in his blood. Even from a young age, he was fascinated with tattoos. “My grandpa was a World War II veteran and as a POW received a prisoner number tattoo while captured. I thought he was the greatest man, and I had a lot of respect for what that tattoo meant.”

Now the owner of his own shop and the leader behind the fist and only major tattoo art exposition in the region, The Fountain City Tattoo Expo is in its third year at the beautiful Columbus (Iron Works) Convention and Trade Center. It’s part of the legacy he’s building for himself while elevating the community as a hub for expressive body art.

The expo, scheduled for mid September, is open to the public, and visitors can expect to see hundreds of artists show off their designs and skill – plus a few surprises.

Randall strives to scaffold the local tattoo industry through the annual show. The Expo has become an opportunity for our local talent to showcase their skill among peers, as well as grow Columbus’ reputation in the national body art industry.

This year’s attendees can look forward to live music, side shows – including sword swallowing – and a raffle for Willie Nelson tickets, along with various competitions including Best Small Black and Gray, Best Asian Style, and Most Patriotic.

This expo provides opportunities for local and traveling artists to showcase their skills and have their work recognized and appreciated. Attendees can walk in and get tattoos, while some will be participating in artist competitions as a willing canvas.

Local artists including our own James Gannon (J Bird) and four members of his team – J Bird, Tony, Martinez and Savannah – from Electric Panda, will be competing for the prestigious awards. “It’s always a great show,” says Gannon. “The owner is really awesome, and there’s a lot of talent there. It’s good for the local scene for sure – it brings a lot of people out, and it’s always a good time.”

Born of what Randall saw as necessity, the expo answered a need he identified during the pandemic. “In January of 2020,” Randall says, “my wife and I were invited to a show in Columbus. It was my 40th birthday and it was supposed to be awesome.” Unfortunately, the expo never happened; the organizer canceled the show at the last minute, leaving dozens of artists high and dry.

“It put a bad taste in traveling tattoo artist’s mouths,” Randall explains, “and it made me upset. I figured the only way to fix it was to have an expo to fix Columbus’ reputation in the industry.” It was a responsibility he chose to shoulder himself. “It’s the hardest thing we’ve ever done, but every year we grow it a bit.”

This “we” refers to the two-person marketing, HR, accounting, and creative team, composed of Randall and his wife Rachel. “She’s my partner in crime,” says Randall. “If I didn’t have her, there wouldn’t be a show.” With four kids, a full time tattoo schedule, and Rachel’s glass studio, “We stay busy,” he laughs.

His shop Against All Odds in Auburn, Randall started, as many do, “tattooing my little thug friends when I was 15 years old.” One day, he says, his mama told him he should start charging for it. “I met an artist back in ‘98 or ‘99 at a festival, he decided to give me an apprenticeship, and it just sparked from there. I’ve worked all over the US, New Hampshire to Florida and all down to the West Coast.”

Randall originally started Against All Odds on Broadway in Columbus, in the space that now houses Veri Best Donuts. “That shop only lasted about six months, which is when I moved back to Memphis – where I’m from – and then to Atlanta.” He chose Auburn as his final destination in 2008, due to its family friendly nature as a college town. “The community is really awesome about education,” he explains. “Where I’m from it’s not really like that – you just go to high school and then you get a job.”

With a legacy spanning decades, Thomas’s prowess as a tattoo artist is undeniable. “I’ve just been here forever, so I just do mostly large-scale work now,” he says. Auburn’s eclectic mix of clientele – college students, military personnel, and blue-collar workers – allows Thomas to explore a diverse range of styles. “It’s a mix of college kids and military guys from Ft. Moore and blue-collar guys from around here. Professors, students.”

The 150 artists attending this year’s event will include the members of Randall’s own team at Against All Odds.

“My buddy Look is from LA” says Randall. “He does a lot of graffiti and black and gray work. David Carter does traditional stuff – he’s been with me the longest. We have Richie – he’s been tattooing for maybe 35 years, I want to say. I used to work for him in Marietta in Atlanta. I met him back in 2007. We have Ellen who does the fine line, minimalist black and gray work. We have 2 apprentices, Hannah and Garrett that are almost ready to start tattooing, and a piercer named Madelyn. We have Mallory and Grace who work the floor for us.

Randall adds, “We love our shop family and are grateful to be able to work with so many incredible people. We look forward to many years to come.”

To learn more and get your tickets for the Fountain City Tattoo Expo you can visit their website at fountaincitytattooexpo.com and follow them for the most up to date artist info on their Instagram and Facebook (@fountaincitytattooexpo).

To echo Randall, “See y’all down at the Hooch!”

By Sarah Algoe