tonyciavarro.com | stinkymonkeytattoos.com | stinkymonkeybrand.com
781-585-9393, ext. 114

Stinky Monkey Tattoos
70C Summer Street
Kingston, MA 02364

FRESHLY INKED: What year did you start tattooing?

CIAVARRO: I started tattooing in 1998.

FRESHLY INKED: How did you get into tattooing?

CIAVARRO: I drew a few designs for friends of mine and that led to drawing flash for a few years, and tattooing was just the next step.

FRESHLY INKED: Where did you apprentice?

CIAVARRO: At Green Man Studio in West Hartford, CT.

FRESHLY INKED: Do you have any special training?

CIAVARRO: Not really. Just a lot of time and practice.

FRESHLY INKED: What conventions have you worked at?

CIAVARRO: I have worked at a lot of conventions—Evian, Hell City, London, Boston, Tampa, just to name a few. Most of my best convention memories include Jared Driscoll from Next Generation and Fusion Ink—we always have fun wherever we go. Also traveling to different countries with my wife, Christine. We are pretty lucky to get to see the world because of what we do for work.

FRESHLY INKED: How do you describe your style?

CIAVARRO: Bold, bright, and colorful.

FRESHLY INKED: What inspires you as an artist?

CIAVARRO: For the most part it is other artists, like Lars Uwe from Berlin, and Cory Kruger—their tattoos are perfect. I also look a lot to art outside the tattoo industry. Artists like Joe Chiodo and Elias Chatzoudis—they are incredible pinup artists with cartoon style.

FRESHLY INKED: What sets you apart from other artists?

CIAVARRO: My long, shiny hair, and I guess the time I take.

FRESHLY INKED: What other mediums do you work in?

CIAVARRO: Mostly Prismacolor pencils, and I do a lot of stuff digitally with Photoshop.

FRESHLY INKED: How have you branched out from tattooing?

CIAVARRO: I have been working on an energy shot with a friend of mine. It is called Eternal Energy. I designed all the packaging and bottles. I also have a clothing line called Slowdown Clothing; it is my latest project and I am putting a ton of time into it. It should be pretty cool. I have a friend in France who is going to help push it in the European market.

FRESHLY INKED: What tattoo artists do you admire most?

CIAVARRO: Lars Uwe, Cory Kruger, James Tex, Tim Biedron, Jerry Issel, and Amanda Orcutt.

FRESHLY INKED: What kind of tattoos do you look forward to doing?

CIAVARRO: I really like doing tattoos with a sense of humor. I like fun, uplifting tattoos. I’m not really a big fan of super serious tattoos.

FRESHLY INKED: Before someone gets a tattoo what advice do you give them?

CIAVARRO: I tell them it’s going to hurt, take a long time, and label you a freak for the rest of your life. No, it’s more about the design than anything. I just tell them to go bigger with less detail so it will age better.

FRESHLY INKED: Is there a tattoo that you haven’t done yet that you are dying to do?

CIAVARRO: I would like to do more large-scale tattoos without coverups involved.