Ryan Ashley

Ryan Ashley DiCristina[4] (née Malarkey, born April 29, 1987), known as Ryan Ashley, is an American tattoo artist known for her appearances on the television shows Ink Master and its spin-offs. Her signature style reflects her training and experience as a fashion designer: Ashley specializes in black-and-gray designs with beadwork, lace detail, and ornamental jewels. Ashley won Ink Master's season eight competition in 2016 and in the following years returned to host a spin-off show (Angels), judge another spin-off (Grudge Match), and judge in the main series. She also owns two oddities and antiques shops in Pennsylvania.

Ryan Ashley
Born (1987-04-29) April 29, 1987[1][2][3]
Alma materFashion Institute of Technology
OccupationTattoo artist
Spouse
Arlo DiCristina
​
(m. 2019)​
Children1

Early life and career

Ashley was raised in Dallas, a small borough in northeast Pennsylvania. Her single mother worked at a fast food restaurant while taking night school in accounting. Ashley's mother, who was also an artist, taught her how to draw.[5] She graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology in 2007[6] and spent five years as a fashion designer in New York City at a private label,[5] where she designed beadwork, lace details, embroidery, and appliqués for garments. Her intricate tattoo style would later reflect these themes.[7]

Seeking a career outside of a traditional office environment, Ashley returned to Pennsylvania to apprentice as a tattoo artist. Her experience working at a street shop (a tattoo parlor that takes walk-in requests) convinced her to only work by appointment.[5] Ashley and her companion opened a shop in Kingston, Pennsylvania, in 2013, The Strange and Unusual Oddities Parlor. Ashley tattooed from the back of the shop while the front featured their collection of taxidermy, objects, and restored antiques for sale.[8] The latter had been a hobby from her youth, when she had attended yard and estate sales with her mother and grandmother.[7] The couple opened a second shop in Philadelphia with taxidermist business partners.[8]

Ashley's signature black-and-gray[6] tattoo designs feature beadwork, lace detail, and ornamental jewels. When designing filigree, she references Victorian furniture scrollwork. She references bridal accessories and chandeliers for her beading designs, and old, illustrated wildlife books for animal and bird designs.[7] Her clients have included rock musicians Maria Brink and Ash Costello.[9]

Ink Master

In late 2016, Ashley appeared on Ink Master, a reality competition television series in which tattoo artists participate in artistic challenges to outlast other competitors and receive the season's title and monetary prize.[10] Ashley was the eighth season's champion, the first woman to win the title.[11] Mic noted the occasion as a moment for female tattoo artists, who are subject to social stigmas in a male-dominated profession.[12] Under Ashley, the women on the show formed an alliance to outlast their competitors.[13] The show's executive producer said it was the first time such an alliance had held throughout the season.[14] With only five years of tattoo experience, she won the title as a relative newcomer.[5] She entered the show to develop new areas of tattooing expertise and test herself.[7] She had been approached to participate in previous seasons of the show, but declined for scheduling conflicts.[11]

Ashley is featured in the two seasons of Ink Master: Angels, a spin-off from Ink Master in which Ashley and several co-competitors from the main series' eighth season traveled across the United States to face off against local tattoo artists.[15] Winners received spots in the next season of Ink Master.[16][17] The show appeared on Paramount Network in 2017 and 2018.[15] Angels was originally planned as a one-hour special with the same premise, but expanded into a full-season spin-off.[16] Ashley later served as a judge in another spin-off, Ink Master: Grudge Match (2019).[18] Ashley returned to Ink Master as a judge in 2022 (season 14), as part of a revamped show format.[19]

Personal life

Ashley was formerly[20] engaged to Josh Balz, former keyboardist in the metal band Motionless in White.[11][6] She married tattooer Arlo DiCristina in late 2019.[21] Their son, Atheus, was born in May 2020. She announced both her relationship with DiCristina and her pregnancy on covers of Inked magazine.[22]

She returned to New York City in 2018.[23] As of 2019, she lives and works in Grand Junction, Colorado.[21]

References
  1. Paramount Network [@paramountnet] (April 29, 2019). "Today we're sending birthday love to @inkmaster's resident girl boss, @RyanAshleyM!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. Ink Master [@inkmaster] (April 29, 2018). "Happy birthday, @ryanashleym! 🎁 🎈" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. "About". Ryan Ashley Malarkey's Portfolio. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  4. Ryan Ashley DiCristina (March 18, 2020). "Momma Malarkey". Inked Magazine.
  5. Barnes, Katie (December 6, 2016). "Meet Ryan Ashley, the first woman to be crowned 'Ink Master'". ESPNW. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  6. Vultaggio, Maria (December 7, 2016). "Who Is Ryan Ashley Malarkey? Ink Master Star Becomes First Female Tattoo Artist To Win Spike Competition". International Business Times. Archived from the original on February 16, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  7. Preston, Devon (April 2017). "The First Lady". Inked Magazine. No. 83. p. 76. ISSN 1555-8630. Archived from the original on December 24, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  8. "Interview with Motionless In White's Josh Balz, co-owner of The Strange and Unusual Oddities Parlor". Alternative Press. November 2, 2015. Archived from the original on July 9, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  9. Al-Sharif, Rabab (December 5, 2016). "Scene-loved tattoo artist Ryan Ashley Malarkey could be first woman to win Ink Master". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on December 24, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  10. Mattei, Matt (December 6, 2016). "Ryan Malarkey, of Shavertown, wins Ink Master title, $100,000 in New York". Times Leader. Archived from the original on July 13, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  11. Buckle, Amanda (December 7, 2016). "'Ink Master' winner Ryan Ashley almost appeared on another season". Mic. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  12. Buckle, Amanda (December 5, 2016). "'Ink Master' finalist Ryan Ashley reveals struggles of female tattoo artists". Mic. Archived from the original on March 27, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  13. Dreyfuss, Emily (December 6, 2016). "How 'Ink Master' Became an Unexpected Lesson in Feminist Strategy". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  14. Remling, Amanda (October 18, 2016). "'Ink Master' Showrunner Breaks Down Season 8 Female Alliance". International Business Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  15. Petski, Denise (November 21, 2017). "Ink Master: Angels Renewed For Season 2 By Paramount Network". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  16. Mattei, Matt (June 5, 2017). "Shavertown artist Ryan Ashley Malarkey to star in new Ink Master spin-off". Times Leader. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  17. Mattei, Matt (September 29, 2017). "NEPA artist and Ink Master champion Ryan Ashley Malarkey stars on new show". Times Leader. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  18. Petski, Denise (May 7, 2019). "'Ink Master' Renewed For Two More Seasons; Spinoff 'Grudge Match' Ordered By Paramount Network". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  19. Shafer, Ellise (August 5, 2022). "'Ink Master' Sets Premiere Date on Paramount+, Joel Madden to Host". Variety. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  20. Pettigrew, Jason (February 12, 2019). "Josh Balz talks life after Motionless In White". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  21. Preston, Devon (October 15, 2019). "Ryan Ashley and Arlo DiCristina Tie the Knot!". Inked Magazine. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  22. Preston, Devon (May 18, 2020). "Ryan Ashley Gives Birth to Healthy Baby Boy". Inked. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  23. Roessler, Peter (January 2019). "All My Love". Inked Magazine. No. 95. p. 53. ISSN 1555-8630.
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