Albany>> Local tattoo shop Modern Body Art announces their five year anniversary and BBQ Block Party, slated for Saturday, October 18, 2014 from Noon to 5:00 PM at their business location, 13 Howard Street in downtown Albany. The celebration will include carnival games, refreshments, a tattoo raffle, discounts, gift certificates, and a zombie make-up booth for a local zombie bar crawl slated to occur immediately following the BBQ. Mysteios and Travel Soul are also scheduled to perform. Georgette Steffens, executive director, Downtown Albany Business Improvement District is expected to make appearance. The public is welcome to attend. Complete details can be found here https://www.facebook.com/events/806996489331361/.

“The development and investment in Downtown is dependent on small businesses being successful long-term,” says Steffens. “It is admirable to see business owners working along-side dedicated staff to ensure that true economic growth occurs.”

William Yager, who also owns several other Howard Street businesses such as Patsy’s Barber Shop and Patsy’s Pin-ups, in addition to two other tattoo shops in Albany, is pleased by the success of Modern Body Art.

“Like with any business, Modern Body Art’s success is directly related to the dedication of our clients,” explains Yager. “This celebration is really about inviting them to partake in the fruition that has made this shop thrive.”

According to Yager, much of the business achievement is due to Josh Lyons, who balks at the title Manager, having worked at Modern Body Art since it opened in 2009 in downtown Albany. A self-drive artist and a zombie aficionado, Lyons learned the tattoo trade the hardest way possible: self-taught.

“Clients are usually excited but nervous, even former clients, about getting a tattoo,” explains Lyons. “It’s permanent and therefore life changing, or least body changing. I always conduct a fairly in-depth consultation considering the design, ink color(s) the placement, estimate cost and anticipated pain thresholds. And then there is, of course, the aging conversation that most clients don’t like to hear but it is a reality I want them to know about before we start.”

Modern Body Art is sought out not only for their talented pool of artists, but also for artists who can creatively alter problem tattoos, whether due to aging, wanting a change or the misguided work of another artist.

“Your typical heart, butterflies, infinity symbols, bird silhouettes, quotes and pop art are all still popular, but I think the most noticeable change has been the placement of the tattoo,” says Yager, adding that the cultural acceptance of tattoos has grown exponentially over the past decade. “We’re seeing more professionals coming in for tattoos, something you wouldn’t have seen even 10 years ago.”

To learn more about Body Modern Art, please visit albanymodernbodyart.com or call518.426.8282.