Tattoo artist near Providence, RI: Chris Valencia

How far is Powerline Tattoo from Providence?

About ten minutes by car, and it’s the same ten from most of the city. Route 10 leaves I-95 near the Cranston line and ends on Reservoir Avenue, which is Route 2; the shop is a short way down. No car? A rideshare from downtown is a short ride, and RIPTA’s map is worth a look.

Starting from	Take	About
Downcity, Kennedy Plaza	I-95 south to Route 10 south, all the way to the end	10 minutes
College Hill, Brown, RISD	I-195 west to I-95 south, then Route 10	10 minutes, more at rush hour
Federal Hill, West End	Route 10 south from the 6/10 interchange	10 minutes
Elmwood, South Side	Reservoir Avenue from Elmwood Avenue, straight down	Under 10 minutes
Olneyville	Route 10 south, its whole length	10 minutes

Why leave Providence for a tattoo artist in Cranston?

Nobody leaves Providence for Cranston. They leave for a specific artist, and the city line happens to be in the way. Chris draws fun, surreal images with an animated, whimsical feel, works fully custom, and specializes in illustrative, neo-traditional and new-school. If that’s the drawing you want, the ten minutes are the easy part.

Providence is a drawing town. Between RISD, the murals downtown and the flash on every second forearm on Thayer Street, people here know the difference between a template and a hand. Chris’s portfolio reads like a sketchbook that got loose: a cardinal whose feathers dissolve into filigree, a plague-doctor raven, an orange with one wedge cut out and drawn so carefully you can count the seeds.

What kind of tattoos does Chris do?

Custom illustrative, neo-traditional and new-school work, in color or black-and-grey, with a habit of combining things that shouldn’t go together and making them look inevitable. Birds, animals, botanicals, pets, cartoon characters, objects with a story. He works all styles if you ask, but those three are where the portfolio is deepest.

See the style pages for the long version: illustrative, neo-traditional, new-school, and cover-ups if you’re fixing an old one. The portfolio filters by style.

How do I book from Providence?

Use the booking form: idea, placement, rough size, a budget range, timing, and any reference images. Powerline Tattoo is appointment-only, Monday through Saturday, so there’s no dropping in on a whim; the reply comes by email and a deposit holds the date, with the amount confirmed when you book. Parking is street and lot; confirm when booking.

If you can only do certain days, say so in the timing field and the reply will work around it. Request a booking, or read how pricing works and the FAQ first.