No talking. No food and drinks. No tattoos.

Come break the rules and say “yes!” to new art experiences at the Carter’s Second Thursdays. Each month you’ll find something different than the last. Mingle with fellow art lovers, make art, meet visiting artists, enjoy live music, and sip themed cocktails inspired by the Carter’s collection.

In September, get inked at the Carter! Tattoo artists Joseph Ayala of Panther City Tattoo and Jake Miller of Salt Lake City, Utah, will be offering free, real flash tattoos inspired by The Statue of Liberty from Bartholdi to Warhol. Both artists specialize in American Traditional tattooing, bringing the style’s bold lines and iconic imagery to original designs created especially for the night.

Not ready to commit to permanent ink? There’s plenty more to do. Explore the symbolism of American Traditional tattooing and draw your own design, apply a temporary tattoo, hear different perspectives on liberty, and see how our community responded to the question: What does liberty mean to you?

Schedule

Enjoy drinks, custom cocktails, and mocktails. Carter members get one complimentary drink! Lite bites are available for purchase at the Carter’s Food Cart.

Activities are available from 5 to 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Explore at your own pace throughout the evening.

5–8 p.m. | Atrium

Get Inked

Choose from original flash designs inspired by The Statue of Liberty from Bartholdi to Warhol and get tattooed for free by Joseph Ayala of Panther City Tattoo or visiting artist Jake Miller.

Sign-ups open in-person at 4:30 p.m., and tattooing starts at 5 p.m. You must be onsite to sign up. When you join the list, you’ll provide your name and phone number. We’ll text you when you’re next in line, so you can enjoy Second Thursdays while you wait! Please note, tattoos are limited to one per person.

Tattoos are first-come, first-served and will be available in black and gray only on arms and legs only. Participants must be 18 or older with a valid ID and may not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Joining the list does not guarantee a tattoo, so arrive early if getting inked is at the top of your Second Thursdays agenda!

Try Some Temporary Ink

Want the look without the lifelong commitment? Choose a temporary tattoo and test-drive some new ink.

5–8 p.m. | Lounge, Second Floor

Draw Like a Tattoo Artist

Learn how tattoo artists create flash drawings while exploring how familiar symbols can communicate different ideas. Draw freehand or use a light box to trace traditional tattoo imagery, then take inspiration from the symbols found throughout The Statue of Liberty from Bartholdi to Warhol to create a flash drawing of your own with Carter Community Artist Sarah Ayala. Please note: Designs created during this activity are for fun and will not be tattooed at the event.

5–8 p.m. | Auditorium

Faces of Liberty

What does liberty look like today? Watch video responses captured at the Carter during Liberty Talks as part of Faces of Liberty, a project exploring personal perspectives on liberty through the voices of our community.

5-8 p.m. | Special Exhibition

Let’s Talk Liberty

Join Dev'n Goodman for a conversation inspired by Robert Colescott’s Miss Liberty and consider how artists can challenge, complicate, and reshape our ideas about liberty.

5–8 p.m. | Library, First Floor

Ink & Image

Explore books and prints by Karl Bodmer and discover how tattooing and body art appear in early visual records of Native American communities in the American West.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation may be provided during this event upon advance request. Please send us an email for more information.

Questions? Email or call 817.989.5032.