For the next several weeks Nico will be sharing tips and advice from local professionals on topics that might not be covered in high school. This program is for teens and if you've outgrown your teenage years or just aren't able to make it to the program, there will be a recap on Wednesdays on the RPL blog, Shelf Respect.

Today our guests will be multiple artists from a local tattoo shop, Unkindness Art. They will be here to answer your questions on the art of the tattoos and piercings.

Shop: Founded in 2015 and located in Richmond, Virginia, Unkindness Art is a purveyor of high quality, custom tattoos and fine art, apparel & merchandise. Owned by world-renowned artist Teresa Sharpe, Unkindness Art is currently home to seven resident artists, all of whom specialize in their own unique art style and subject matter, ranging from illustrative blackwork, romantic art nouveau, pop culture-inspired new school, and everything in between! We strive to provide a safe, positive, and fun tattooing experience for our clients, and firmly believe that tattooing is for ALL bodies. 

Teresa Sharpe: Born and raised in Indiana, Teresa tattooed for 8 years at Studio 13 in Ft Wayne before moving to Richmond, Virginia and opening her own studio. Winner of tattoo competition show Best Ink in 2013, Teresa has gone on to worldwide acclaim, tattooing at conventions both domestic and overseas, and presenting at conferences for her fellow tattooers. She specializes in large-scale custom color illustrative work. 

Faith Broache: Faithanne Broache, also known as vitriol, may or may not have been raised by feral opossums in an abandoned barn. While details of her background are murky at best, most sources seem to agree that she has been drawing and illustrating since she could hold a pencil, and has been a licensed tattooer since 2014. She specializes in Southern Gothic naturalism.

Lindsay Hall (@lindsay.stardust): High class trash and purveyor of all things retro nostalgic, Lindsay loves tattooing super fun and colorful things that bring joy and make people smile! 

Betsy Ebsen (@betsy.ebsen.tattoos): Betsy is generally known far and wide as an art nouveau tattoo wizard. Her favorite part of tattooing is the collaborative process of hearing a client's ideas and building on them to create the image of their dreams. 

Kingsley Van Zandt (@alekivz): Kingsley mostly works in illustrative stuff, both when making tattoos and when illustrating in his free time. He is heavily influenced by the natural world around him, especially things like weird bugs, fish, carnivorous plants, fun looking rocks, and generally anything in the sea (except starfish, they freak him out!). 

Sara Stigmata (@sarastigmata): Sara loves stipple shading, pulling absolutely perfect lines, and all things purple. She has three cats and 60 tamagotchis, and roller skates in her free time.