BROWNSBURG Tattoos were once considered taboo, but according to the Pew Research Center, more than 30% of U.S. adults now have at least one. For some, the process of getting a tattoo can serve as therapy. One local artist is wo rking to eliminate the stigma surrounding both tattoos and mental health.Joshua Short has been a tattoo artist for nearly two decades. He started his nonprofit,Tattoos Saved My Life, after discovering how often people turn to tattoos as a form of emotional healing. On a day-to-day basis, I am able to help turn peoples stories into art. I help celebrate I help commemorate, and I help memorialize, Short said.Short has also noticed changes in who is seeking his work.I find myself tattooing more doctors, law enforcement. I find myself tattooing nurses, you know, the list goes on, he said.Because of that shift, Short is planning the first-ever Tattoos Saved My Life Convention in 2027 to highlight artists in the industry. He is inviting tattooists to share stories about how the profession has helped them and their clients. I felt it would be a really awesome way to be able to broadcast to the community what tattoo artists are all about, Short said.While artwork can speak volumes, some artists believe spoken words can offer vital support.I have people that I know that dont even have a whole bunch of people in their life that have struggled with mental health, where I will call them on Christmas and be like, Hey, how you doing? you know, said Ryan Dearringer, a tattoo artist who works with Short. Tickets for the convention go on sale March 14. It will be held Jan. 13, 2027. For more information on the convention and about the nonprofit, click here. ____ ...read more read less