Katherine Drachenberg, born March 8, 1982, known professionally as Kat Von D and who has given her name as Katherine von Drachenberg in two German interviews is an American tattoo artist and television personality. She is best known for her work as a tattoo artist on the TLC reality television show LA Ink, which premiered August 7, 2007 in the United States and November 11, 2007 in the UK.
Early life
Kat Von D was born in Nuevo Leon, Mexico,. Her parents are Argentinean-Mexican. Her father, René Drachenberg, is of German descent and her mother, Sylvia Galeano, is of Italian and Spanish descent. Von D has a sister named Karoline and a brother named Michael. She moved with her family to the Los Angeles area at age 4 and grew up in Colton, California. Von D was classically trained in piano beginning at age 6. She particularly appreciates Ludwig van Beethoven.
She credits the prominent Black culture of New York City as being a major influence drawing tattoos in her art and style. She began listening to the Ramones, Misfits and other punk rock bands at the age of 12. She got her first tattoo at 14 and quit school at 16 to become a tattoo artist.
Personal life
Von D was married to fellow tattoo artist Oliver Peck, but they were separated and preparing for divorce by August 2007. She dated Nikki Sixx from 2008 to Jan 2010. She later began dating motorcycle customizer, West Coast Choppers CEO and reality-show star Jesse James. On August 19, 2010, Von D confirmed media reports that she and James were dating, tweeting "I think it's pretty obvious that we're dating. Von D and James announced their engagement on January 20, 2011. Kat announced their split via Twitter on July 26th, 2011.
Von D has tattooed herself with the emblems of the bands Misfits, HIM, Turbonegro, ZZ Top, Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, Slayer, Mike Got Spiked and "Slutallica", a modified Metallica logo. She appeared in the music video of Alkaline Trio's "Help Me", as well as HIM's Killing Loneliness. Other musical artists that Von D lists among her favorites include The Mars Volta and Selena.
Career
Von D was asked to work at Miami Ink when Darren Brass broke his elbow, preventing him from tattooing. She appeared in the first four seasons of the same-name reality TV show taped there. She had a falling out with Ami James which led to her being asked to leave the shop. Kat has said she has not spoken with members of Miami Ink since her departure.
She later acquired her own series, LA Ink, following her work at her tattoo shop, High Voltage Tattoo, in Hollywood, California. On the show, she gained the Guinness World Record of most tattoos given by a single person in 24 hours, with a total of 400. This was broken shortly after by her ex-husband Oliver Peck with 415, then Robbie "Coon" Koch with 577, then Derek Kastning with 726.
Her first book High Voltage Tattoo, compiling her artworks and tattoos, with a foreword by Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx, was released in January 2009 and reached #6 on The New York Times Best Seller list. The book traces Von D's career as an artist, from early childhood influences to recent work, along with examples of inspirations, information about the show and her shop, sketches, and personal tattoos. Von D described the book as "not an autobiography, you know, 'cause I'm too young to do that. But this is just kind of like a picture-driven outline of my career as an artist. So, you see everything from my drawings when I was six to tattoos that have never before been seen. Her second book, The Tattoo Chronicles, an illustrated diary following a year in her life, was released October 26, 2010, and reached #3 on The New York Times "Hardcover Advice & Misc." best-seller list.
In 2008, Von D created and launched a make-up line for Sephora. She has released new collections every year and has expanded her line to include fragrances. She is the creator of the MusInk Tattoo Convention and Music Festival, which began in 2008.
On September 2, 2010, Von D opened the art gallery and boutique Wonderland Gallery in the space next door to High Voltage Tattoo.
In other media
Von D was referred to in the Eagles of Death Metal song "High Voltage", which was named after her shop and is featured on their third album, Heart On. In an interview, Eagles of Death Metal's Jesse Hughes said, "I wrote that for Kat Von D, because that girl's bad ass.
Television
As well as cameos and various chat show appearances, TV, film, and video game appearances include:
Miami Ink, 2005–2006
LA Ink, 2007–present
MADtv, April 5, 2008
The Bleeding as Vanya
Tony Hawk: Ride (video game) unlockable skater, November 17, 2009
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