Tattoo artist in Rhode Island: Chris Valencia

Where in Rhode Island is Chris Valencia?

In Cranston, at Powerline Tattoo, 706 Reservoir Avenue, a few minutes south of the Providence line. Reservoir Avenue is Route 2, Route 10 ends on it, and I-95 and Route 37 pass close by, which makes the shop easy to reach from every corner of the state and simple to find on a first visit.

Rhode Island is small enough that an artist’s location matters less than it would anywhere else. The whole state is shorter than some commutes. What matters is whether the artist draws the thing you want, and that’s what the rest of this page is about.

How far is the drive from your part of the state?

Call it under an hour from almost anywhere, and much less from the Providence metro. The cities closest to the shop each have their own page with routes and parking notes: Cranston, Providence, Warwick, Johnston, West Warwick, East Providence and Pawtucket. From further out, I-95 handles north and south, I-195 the East Bay, I-295 and Route 37 the west.

• Providence metro: Cranston, Providence, Johnston, East Providence and Pawtucket are the shortest drives, and each page has the turn-by-turn.
• Kent County: Warwick and West Warwick ride Route 2 or I-95 straight up; Coventry and East Greenwich are a few minutes behind them.
• Blackstone Valley: Woonsocket, Cumberland, Lincoln and North Providence come down Route 146 or I-295 to I-95, then Route 10.
• East Bay and Aquidneck Island: Barrington, Warren and Bristol take Route 114 to I-195; Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth either come up through Bristol or cross the Pell Bridge and take Route 4 to I-95.
• South County: Narragansett, South Kingstown, Westerly and everything along Route 1 come up Route 4 to I-95 north. Westerly is the far end, and still under an hour most days.
• Western towns: Scituate, Foster, Glocester and Coventry come in on Route 6 or Route 14 to Route 10, or along Route 117 to Route 2.
• Block Island: ferry to Point Judith first, then the South County route.

From over the line, Attleboro, Seekonk and Fall River are closer than Westerly is, and eastern Connecticut comes in on Route 6 or I-95 to the same exits.

Why travel for a specific tattoo artist?

Because a tattoo is a drawing you keep, and drawing is the thing that varies most from one artist to the next. Chris draws fun, surreal images with an animated, whimsical feel and works custom from your idea in illustrative, neo-traditional and new-school styles. Crossing the state for that is a small ask, and Rhode Island keeps it small.

He came to Rhode Island after years tattooing in West Texas and around Atlanta, and now works here full time. The portfolio is the proof: a ship sailing out of a teacup, a cardinal with filigree feathers, a raven in a plague doctor’s hat, a Christmas tree with too many lights. See the style pages for illustrative, neo-traditional, new-school and cover-ups, or the full portfolio.

How do I book a tattoo with Chris from anywhere in Rhode Island?

Send a booking request with your idea, placement, rough size, budget range, timing and reference images. Powerline Tattoo is appointment-only, Monday through Saturday, so that’s the door; you’ll hear back by email, settle the design, and a deposit holds the date, with the amount confirmed when you book. Traveling far? Say so in the timing field.

Parking is street and lot; ask when you book. Request a booking, read how pricing works, or call Powerline at (401) 369-7771.