Ryan Ashley Malarkey

Ryan Ashley DiCristina, professionally known as Ryan Ashley, is an American tattoo artist and television personality. Born on April 29, 1987, she gained widespread public recognition for competing in and winning the reality television series Ink Master, as well as for her subsequent roles across its spin-off shows. Her distinct artistic approach features black-and-gray tattooing accented with detailed beadwork, ornamental jewels, and fine lace patterns.

Raised by a single mother in the borough of Dallas, Pennsylvania, Ashley learned to draw from her mother, who was also an artist. She attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, graduating in 2007, and subsequently worked for five years as a fashion designer in New York City. During her time in fashion, she specialized in designing garment details such as embroidery, appliqués, lace, and beadwork, elements that later heavily influenced her tattoo aesthetic.

Seeking a shift from traditional office work, Ashley moved back to Pennsylvania to undertake an apprenticeship in tattooing. After gaining experience at a street shop, she transitioned to working exclusively by appointment. In 2013, she opened The Strange and Unusual Oddities Parlor in Kingston, Pennsylvania, with her then-partner Josh Balz. The shop combined a private tattoo workspace with a retail space selling taxidermy, restored antiques, and unusual objects, drawing on an interest she developed attending estate sales in her youth. The business later expanded with a second location in Philadelphia.

Ashley entered national prominence in late 2016 when she competed on the eighth season of Ink Master. Despite having only five years of tattooing experience at the time, she won the competition, making her the first woman to earn the title. Her victory was notable for an enduring alliance formed among the female contestants throughout the season. Following her win, she starred in the spin-off series Ink Master: Angels from 2017 to 2018, traveling across the country to challenge local artists. She subsequently served as a judge on Ink Master: Grudge Match in 2019 and joined the main Ink Master series as a judge starting with its 14th season in 2022 and continuing into its 15th season.

Her signature black-and-gray tattoo work incorporates imagery drawn from Victorian scrollwork, chandeliers, bridal accessories, and vintage wildlife illustrations. Over the course of her career, she has tattooed notable clients, including rock musicians Ash Costello and Maria Brink. She has also appeared on the cover of Inked magazine to announce key personal milestones.

Ashley resides in Grand Junction, Colorado, where she co-owns Elysium Studios, a tattoo parlor situated inside a converted church. The studio hosts both resident artists and visiting tattooers connected through her network from Ink Master. She was previously engaged to musician Josh Balz and married tattoo artist Arlo DiCristina in late 2019, with whom she has a son born in May 2020. In May 2024, she publicly shared that she was going through a divorce.