LA Ink

Amber “Pixie" Acia is the shop manager at Kat Von D's tattoo shop High Voltage Tattoos featured on the TLC series LA Ink. Along with her whimsical nickname, Pixie's cheerfully-themed tattoos have been featured both on that show and on Kat's first reality excursion, Miami Ink.

Pixie says her selection of tattoo themes reflects her underlying philosophy to take a more positive perspective in what she commemorates on her body. Rather than using it as a memorial to lost loved ones, she wants her ink to be a tribute to the good times.

"I... think that a huge part of tattooing that sometimes we kind of miss is that you just get a tattoo sometimes because you're happy," Pixie said. "You just want a tattoo. It doesn't have to be a sad story."

One thing she's happy about? Working at the LA Ink tattoo shop with the artists who make up Kat's almost all-female crew. "They are all amazing people, but they are even more amazing tattooers, and they have been in the industry for a long time so they are all kind of veterans," she said.

She thinks the make-up of the shop does contribute to a different feeling in the shop. "It is pretty rare…I've been in shops my whole life basically and they've always been male-dominated."

The atmosphere created by the tattoo crew and Pixie herself help the clients feel comfortable as they make a life-long commitment to their ink. "It can be an emotional experience for them…They can be nervous." The nurturing environment can help put them at ease.

Pixie needed to be put a little at ease herself at the idea of being on LA Ink in the first place. "I've never been an aspiring actress or anything, so I'm green as far as the TV world is concerned…I was really concerned with how my friends and family were going to take it and if people would be like 'You've changed. You're on TV now.'" It seems so far that the experience is working out well for the High Voltage shop manager.


- Leslie Seaton, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Oregon Daily Emerald
(Image courtesy of TLC)