If you have searched for “Ryan Ashley husband,” you are probably curious about the person who stood beside one of the most recognizable tattoo artists on television. The short answer is that Ryan Ashley’s husband is Arlo DiCristina, a fellow tattoo artist known for his surreal and highly detailed work. The full story is more interesting than that one name, because it includes a magazine cover announcement, a private wedding, a converted church, a young son, and, more recently, news that the marriage has come to an end. This article walks through all of it in a clear, organized way so you can find every answer in one place.
Who Is Ryan Ashley?
Ryan Ashley, whose birth name is Ryan Ashley Malarkey, was born on April 29, 1987, and grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania. Her mother was an artist and taught her how to draw, and Ryan later studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She began her working life in the fashion industry, but she wanted a career outside a traditional office, so she returned to Pennsylvania and apprenticed as a tattoo artist.
Her fashion background still shows in her tattoos. She is known for black-and-gray ornamental work that looks like lace, beadwork, and fine jewelry resting on the skin. In 2016, she won the eighth season of Ink Master, which was titled Peck vs Nuñez, and she became the first woman ever to win the competition. After that win she appeared in the spin-off Ink Master: Angels, served as a judge on Ink Master: Grudge Match, and later joined the main show as a judge, where she also coached a team in season 15.
Who Is Ryan Ashley’s Husband?
Ryan Ashley’s husband is Arlo DiCristina, a tattoo artist who built his reputation on color surrealism and face-morph designs. These are tattoos in which a portrait seems to melt or shift into abstract shapes, textures, or mechanical details. His work is often described as realistic and dreamlike at the same time, and it has earned him a large following online and a loyal client list that includes people from outside the tattoo world.
Arlo started tattooing at a young age. By his own account, he was around seventeen when he asked an older friend to buy his first tattoo machine because he was too young to buy one himself. He began by tattooing close friends and did not expect it to become a full career. He has said that art was the only school subject he was truly good at, and that he gradually realized tattooing could be a real way to make a living.
One well-known admirer is Daymond John, the entrepreneur and investor from Shark Tank. John has said he flew to Grand Junction, Colorado, specifically to be tattooed by Arlo, and he praised him as one of the best in the world. The two reportedly became friends along the way.
How Ryan Ashley and Arlo DiCristina Met
Ryan and Arlo first connected at a Club Tattoo event in Las Vegas, an event that also featured other well-known artists from the Ink Master world, including Nikko Hurtado and Roman Abrego. Their relationship developed from there, and they made it public in a stylish way. They appeared together on the January 2019 cover of Inked magazine, in a photo spread inspired by Calvin Klein advertising. Ryan wrote at the time that she was proud to share the cover with such a hardworking and influential artist.
Not long after that announcement, Ryan moved to Colorado to live and work with Arlo. Before this relationship, she had been engaged to Josh Balz, a former keyboard player for the band Motionless in White. That earlier relationship included wedding plans, but the two eventually separated, with busy careers and constant travel often mentioned as part of the reason.
The Private Wedding in 2019
In late 2019, Ryan announced on Instagram that she and Arlo were married. The ceremony was small and private, and by her own description it was meant to be just for the two of them. She shared that Arlo had proposed with a Roman-style ring that he carved by hand from a block of marble, and that they married quietly at home soon afterward. Her caption described him as the light of her life. Because the ceremony had no guests and no public event, there are very few details beyond what Ryan chose to share, which fits the way the couple has generally handled their personal lives.
Their Son, Atheus
Ryan announced her pregnancy on another Inked cover in early 2020, in a photo shoot inspired by Demi Moore’s famous 1991 Vanity Fair cover. Their son, Atheus DiCristina, was born on May 16, 2020, at a hospital in Grand Junction, a few weeks earlier than expected. Ryan wrote that watching Arlo become a father showed her it was a role he had been meant for. The couple has shared some parenting moments online, though they have kept their son’s daily life fairly protected.
Elysium Studios: Where They Worked Together
The place most closely tied to the couple is Elysium Studios in Grand Junction, Colorado. Arlo bought a former church building in 2017 with the goal of turning it into a tattoo studio, and he had been running the business before he and Ryan became a couple. Once they were together, Ryan joined him, and the two spent roughly five years renovating and restoring the century-old building at 535 N. Seventh Street. The finished space featured gold and white interiors, ornate furniture, and a gallery feel that made it look very different from a typical tattoo shop.
The studio became a destination. Because of Ryan’s Ink Master connections, it hosted resident artists and a steady stream of guest tattooists, and Ryan once said that nine guest artists visited in a single summer. Elysium also became known for a community project that offered free removal of racist, hateful, or gang-related tattoos. Ryan and Arlo each had a clear artistic lane inside the shop, with her focused on ornamental beadwork and him on color surrealism, so they complemented each other rather than competed.
The 2024 Divorce News
For several years, the answer to the question of who Ryan Ashley’s husband was stayed simple. That changed in May 2024, when Ryan mentioned in an Instagram post that she was going through a divorce. Neither Ryan nor Arlo has publicly explained the reasons, and both have kept the details private. Since a divorce being underway does not always mean it has been finalized, the most accurate way to put it is that Ryan announced a divorce in 2024, and no official public confirmation of the final legal date has been widely reported.
This is also why you will find mixed information online. Many older articles still describe the two as a happy married couple, while newer ones mention the split. If a page talks about them as a couple without mentioning the divorce, it was most likely written before May 2024.
What Happened to Elysium Studios?
A local news report in August 2026 stated that Elysium Studios appeared to be closed and that the church building was listed for sale. The newspaper said it had tried several times to reach Arlo or a business representative and had not received a response, so the reasons and details have not been confirmed by the owners. Readers should treat the closure as a reported situation rather than a fully explained one, and it is best to wait for statements from Ryan or Arlo themselves.
Where Is Ryan Ashley Now?
Ryan Ashley remains active in the tattoo world and on television. She returned as a judge for the fourteenth and fifteenth seasons of Ink Master, alongside Nikko Hurtado and DJ Tambe, and she has continued to share her art and her experience as a mother online. Her career shows no sign of slowing down, and her reputation rests on her own talent rather than on any relationship.
If you enjoy reading about the private lives of well-known creative people, you can find more stories like this on YBR Magazine.
Quick Facts About Ryan Ashley’s Husband
Arlo DiCristina is a tattoo artist known for surreal and face-morph tattoos. He married Ryan Ashley in a private ceremony in late 2019, and they welcomed their son, Atheus, on May 16, 2020. The couple co-owned Elysium Studios in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Ryan shared in May 2024 that she was going through a divorce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ryan Ashley’s husband?
Her husband is Arlo DiCristina, a tattoo artist from Grand Junction, Colorado. Ryan announced in May 2024 that they were going through a divorce.
When did Ryan Ashley get married?
She announced her marriage to Arlo in late 2019 after a small and private ceremony.
Do Ryan Ashley and Arlo DiCristina have children?
Yes, they have one son named Atheus, born in May 2020.
Is Ryan Ashley still married?
She said in 2024 that she was going through a divorce. A final legal date has not been widely reported.
Was Ryan Ashley married before?
She was previously engaged to Josh Balz, but there are no widely reported records of an earlier marriage.
Final Thoughts
Ryan Ashley’s husband, Arlo DiCristina, is a talented artist with a story that deserves attention on its own, from a teenage start with a borrowed tattoo machine to a restored church that drew visitors from around the world. Their relationship began at a tattoo event, grew into a private marriage and a family, and later moved into a difficult chapter that both have handled quietly. Whatever comes next, Ryan and Arlo have each left a strong mark on modern tattooing.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is based on publicly available reports and the public statements of the people mentioned. Details about personal relationships, legal status, and business matters can change, and some of them have not been publicly confirmed. Please treat this article as a general overview rather than official confirmation, and refer to Ryan Ashley’s and Arlo DiCristina’s official social media accounts for their most current updates.
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I’m Muhammad Ubaid, founder of YBR Magazine. I research and write detailed guides on America’s National Parks — covering entry fees, permits, best times to visit, and planning tips — using official NPS sources and up-to-date information.
