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Kat Von D (born Katherine Von Drachenberg on March 8, 1982) is an American tattoo artist and television personality. She is best known for her work as a featured tattoo artist on the TLC reality television show Miami Ink. A subsequent TLC series starring Von D, LA Ink, premiered August 7, 2007 in the United States and November 11, 2007 in the UK.
Kat Von D | |
|---|---|
 Kat Von D outside Miami Ink | |
| Born | Katherine von Drachenberg March 8, 1982 |
| Other names | Katherine Drachenberg |
| Occupation | Tattoo artist |
| Spouse | Oliver Peck (2004-2007) |
Biography
Born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Von D moved to the United States when she was four, settling in Colton, California. Her father René von Drachenberg and mother Sylvia Galeano were both born in Argentina. She speaks fluent Spanish and English.
Growing up in the Inland Empire, she got her first tattoo at age 14, a Gothic script "J" on her ankle, a memento of a past love. In early 1996, her friends asked her to pick up the machine and work on them (her first effort was a Misfits skull with a homemade rig). In 1998, she began working in her first professional shop, Sin City Tattoo. This was a great period of growth in her work and led to her eventually moving to True Tattoo for a chance to work with Clay Decker and Chris Garver. This afforded her the opportunity to live and work in Hollywood, Los Angeles.[1]
Developing career
In 2006, Von D joined the Miami Ink shop in Miami, Florida during the shop's first season of their reality television show of the same name on TLC. The premise of her entering the cast was to help the shop out when Darren Brass was out of action with a broken arm. She brought such a good dynamic to the shop that the producers asked her to stay on for more seasons. However, in 2007, at the end of season two, she was fired from the Miami shop after a series of escalating personal differences with fellow tattoo artist and shop owner Ami James. This happened to fit in with a plan by the show's producer to create a spin off show in her home town, Los Angeles. Von D opened up her own tattoo shop in Hollywood, High Voltage Tattoo, where her spin off show LA Ink is filmed and, as of 2008, is in its second season.
Von D is known for portraits and realistic art with an emphasis on black-and-gray. She has tattooed celebrities including A. B. Quintanilla, Matt Skiba, Eric Balfour, Mike Vallely, Bam Margera, Ville Valo, Steve-O, Frank Iero, Jeffree Star, Scott Ian, Sebastian Bach, Margaret Cho, Eve, Bleeding Through, The Misfits, Brody Dalle, Kerry King, Anthrax, The Mars Volta, Jenna Jameson, Jared Leto and the members of Emerson Drive.
On December 14, 2007, she set a world record of creating 400 tattoos in a 24 hour period and is the current record holder.[2][3]
Outside tattooing
Besides her tattoo career, Von D has also appeared in a version of HIM's music video for "Killing Loneliness".[4] She has appeared on such shows as Tom Green Home Show, Late Night with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Attack of the Show!, and The Ellen Degeneres Show.
She is also sponsored by the soda company Jones Soda [5] and has worked with Vitamin Angels, a non-profit organization that fights child blindness caused by vitamin deficiencies.
Kat Von D has collaborated with professional skaters Bam Margera, Chad Muska, and Mike Vallely on their new skateboard deck graphics.
Personal life
Von split with tattoo artist husband Oliver Peck in April 2007 after accusations of her cheating on him.
She is currently dating Alex "Orbi" Orbison of Whitestarr, the son of musician Roy Orbison.
Controversy
In February 2008, Von D was accused of sending an anti-semitic message to her ex-boss Ami James. Von D allegedly autographed a photo of herself addressed to James, which stated: "Burn in hell Jewbag xoxo Kat Von D". The photo also had a drawing of a burning Star of David and a swastika. Von D denied the accusations and stated through her publicist that:
"The recent accusation of a publicity photo of me with offensive and anti-semitic comments and graphics allegedly written by me is completely false and unfounded, and clearly a forgery. This was already proven many months ago to be 100 percent untrue. I always have been, and will continue to be an advocate for tolerance of all races, religions and ways of life."[6]
The TLC network stated that a full investigation was conducted and insufficient evidence existed to conclude that Von D authored the text.[6]
References
- ^ http://www.katvond.net/
- ^ Kat Von D on The Late Show With David Letterman in Kat Von D video
- ^ Kaufman, Amy (January 8, 2008), "More tattoos on 'LA Ink'", Los Angeles Times
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ YouTube - H.I.M - Killing Loneliness (Version 2)
- ^ Kat Von D: with Jones Soda Co
- ^ a b "Kat Von D -- Next Mel Gibson?". 2008-02-08.