Soraya's Amazing Tattoos Honor Her Family History

Last summer, down by the New York Stock Exchange, I met Soraya, who was visiting the city from Porto Allegre, Brazil. She shared some amazing work dedicated to her family, starting with this stunning black and gray portrait of her mother:

The compass is part of the overall theme of her sleeve, honoring her family's rich tradition as explorers. Thus, she has this amazing ship:

And this lighthouse:

As well as this chart and compass rose:

Soraya credited the artist Verani Fontana (@veranifontanatattoo) at Verani Tattoo (@veranitattoo) in Porto Allegre.

Thanks to Soraya for sharing this amazing work with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2019 Tattoosday.

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Susan's Angel of Grief (Tattoosday Walks Into a Bar)

Earlier this month, I stopped by one of my favorite watering holes, Threes Brewing (@threesbrewing), in Brooklyn. While enjoying a Voluntary Exile Baltic Porter, I struck up a conversation with one of the bartenders, Susan, who shared this amazing tattoo on her upper arm:

Susan explained that, when she turned forty, her mother had just died and "it just felt right to get an enormous tattoo."

The piece depicts the Angel of Grief, a sculpture by William Wetmore Story, for his wife Emelyn's grave in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome. "My mother and I had seen it together," Susan told me. She thought it was an appropriate tribute and fit the bill as a big tattoo.

She credited the work to the amazingly talented Annie Lloyd from Get Fat Brooklyn (@getfatbk).

Thanks to Susan for sharing her lovely tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2018 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Mel's Tattoo and Her Mother

I thought this would be a good post for Mother's Day, as will be self-evident. It started, however, with a father-daughter outing. My eldest and I were seeing a play in Manhattan back in December. The show never went off, however, due to some staging difficulties. While we were waiting in the lobby, we were standing next to a woman with the following tattoo, and we got to talking:

This tattoo is on Mel (interestingly enough, a name my wife and mother of my children goes by) who told us how this tattoo came to be:

"My mom had been talking about getting a tattoo after my parents got divorced along time ago, but she was always kind of opposed to tattoos. So I told her if she ever wanted to get one, I'd get one with her. [She] never took me up on it for about ten years and then, two summers ago now, she just called me up one day in August, and was like, you're coming home at the end of October, right? We're getting tattoos and I know what we're getting. And I was like, okay.  Two months is not a lot of warning, and so, she had seen on Facebook people getting semi-colon tattoos as a response to dealing with depression and my mom has dealt with depression her whole life. She was like, I just don't want a semi colon I want to do something better and so we put a lot of thought into it and figured out you can make the body of a dragonfly, which is my mom's favorite animal, into a semi-colon ... it's really subtle and you would never know it's there unless I tell you that it's in there and it's got a water lily because that's her favorite flower ... she has a version of this on her wrist and I have mine on my arm."

Interestingly, a woman standing nearby had overheard Mel telling me this and chimed in that the semi-colon is  "a little more specifically related to survivors of suicide, because the semi-colon could have stopped their life but didn't."

Considering how suicide and depression are intrinsically linked, the semi-colon for depression still makes sense and Mel seemed unphased by the stranger's clarification. Tattoos mean what they mean to the possessor and, even if they mean something to others, it shouldn't detract from their power to the person who has chosen to mark themselves permanently.

Mel credited Jake Phillips (@twistedskullstudios) from Twisted Skull Tattoo Studio in La Crosse, Wisconsin with the tattoo.

Thanks to Mel for sharing her tattoo with us! Wishing Mel's mom and all mother's out there a happy Mother's Day!

This entry is ©2018 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Shirley Luke on the Tattooed Poets Project

Today's Tattooed Poet is Shirley Luke, who sent us this image of what she refers to as her "Mama Dragon Tattoo:"

Shirley tells us:

"I got inked 14 years ago when my son was born. He was a premie, born 2 months early. I got the tattoo when was was released from the hospital. It represents how anyone who messes with my son will get burned. The first letter in his name is in the heart that the dragon holds, protecting my son.

The tattoo was done at a shop in Quincy, Massachusetts by an artist whose name she has forgotten.

Shirley also shared the following poem:

She Wears the Mark

I am the true mother of dragons
red skin dynasty,  rising claws
striking down the dangers
from an unjust society.
A tongue from Africa,
protecting her child,
the next generation
to cross the skies,
burn the mountains
and travel through
forests, following their elders'
path forged by their sacrifice,
so these children of the scaled
flesh will not become beasts
of no nation & blaze
a path of their own.

~ ~ ~

Shirley Jones Luke is a poet and a writer. Ms. Luke lives in Boston, Mass. She has an MFA from Emerson College. Her work merges poetry with memoir. Shirley was a 2017 Poetry Fellow at the Watering Hole Poetry Retreat.

Thanks to Shirley for sharing her tattoo and poem with us here on the Tattooed Poets Project on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2018 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoo are reprinted with the poet's permission.

If you are reading this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.net and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Lost Sheep from the 2016 NY Empire State Tattoo Expo

This post almost never made it to Tattoosday. It's a long complicated story that involves lost recordings of my interview with a New Jersey-based artist, who I met at the 2016 Empire State Tattoo Convention (@nyempirestatetattooexpo). You read that right, this is from a year-and-a-half ago, and I unfortunately lost the name of the woman who shared this with me, but I do have some details salvaged.

First off, these amazing sheep totally caught my attention:

The woman who shared this explained that her adoptive mom was born in the year of the sheep. And the black sheep represents natural mother, whose name was "Ping." She joked that getting the sheep was a better tribute than just getting "Mom." Just below the sheep is a goose:

The tattoos were done by a couple of amazing artists - Paul Booth (@paulbooth) did the sheep and Nick Baxter (@burningxhope) did the goose and the rest of the arm.

Thanks to my unnamed contributor, who I will hopefully run into one day again, so I can properly thank her for sharing these amazing tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2018 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Alyssa Helps Us Celebrate Día de Muertos

The annual Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, holiday has begun and what better way to mark the occasion on Tattoosday than with a sugar skull?

This beauty belongs to Alyssa, who I met near Bowling Green in lower Manhattan back in September.

Alyssa told me she got this tattoo to mark the ten-year anniversary of her mother's passing.

The tattoo was done by Eddy Ospina (@eddyospina) at the former Wooster Street Social Club. Eddy is currently calling Scharf & Sons Tattoo home, in Merrick, Long Island.

Thanks to Alyssa for sharing her awesome sugar skull with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2017 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Repost for Mother's Day! Sean's Tattoo

On this Mother's Day, we're celebrating with a beauty of a "Mom" tattoo from our archives, this post from 2011:

~ ~ ~

When I met Sean last month, he had several tattoos to choose from. We ended up selecting this piece, on his left wrist:

Granted, there's two tattoos in this photo, but I was fascinated by the pineapple and cherry tattoo. That's not something you see every day. Sean, who is a hairdresser from the Boston area, explained:

"My best friend Sandrine Schaefer is a performance artist ... she did work where she would use pineapples and cherries on her body, because they're also used as common meat garnishes. And her artwork is a lot about feminism and veganism."

Ms. Schaefer, whose website is here, is a prolific artist worth checking out.

The tattoo was inked by Lucky Matthews at Fat Ram's Pumpkin Tattoo in the Jamaica Plain section of the greater Boston area.

As for the "Mom" tattoo, above it on the forearm, there is really no explanation needed, but I did want to credit the artist, Edwin Marquez at Regeneration Tattoo in Allston, Massachusetts.

Thanks to Sean for sharing his ink with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2011, 2017 Tattoosday.

If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Bobby's Memorial for His Mother

Earlier this month, I went for a bike ride out to Coney Island and, while on the boardwalk, I stopped to introduce myself to a much-tattooed gentleman named Bobby (@thisfellow), who was out taking photos.

He offered up the following tattoo of his mother:

This is a memorial portrait of his mother. Simply put, Bobby told me, "I love the piece ... it is a classic photo of my mom when she was in her twenties."

Bobby credited the artist Legion Avegno (@legion_avegno) at Fallen Sparrow Tattoo Company (@fallensparrowtattoos) in Kissimmee, Florida.

Bobby's website, This Fellow, offers a glimpse into some of his other tattoos, as well.

Thanks to Bobby for sharing this lovely tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2016 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Tattoosday in Baltimore - Steven's Tributes to His Mom (and Dad)

Last weekend I was in Baltimore and ran with the family into a Planet Aid thrift shop near my daughter's college. I met a guy named Steven who had two tributes to his parents on his arms.

Seeing as it's Mother's Day today, let's start with the tattoo for his mom:

That's for his mom, Rosemary, with a stethoscope wrapped around a red rose.

And, rather than wait until next month for Father's Day, let's see his tribute to his dad, as well:

Steven had both tattoos incorporate elements of his parents' hobbies and vocations, and was quick to point out that these are not memorial tattoos, as both his folks are alive and well.

He credited the work to Infinite Art Studio in Toledo, Ohio.

Thanks to Steven for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday and Happy Mothers Day to all!

This entry is ©2016 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Vito's Back in Memory of Mom

I met Vito at the NYC Tattoo Convention last month.

He shared this amazing back piece:

This was done in memory of Vito's mother by Megan Jean Morris from Painted Soul Tattoos in Wallingford, Connecticut, although he noted she did this while doing a guest spot at Paul Booth's Last Rites Gallery.

Thanks to Vito for sharing this with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2015 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Mara's Flower for Her Mother

Yesterday I met, Mara, from Argentina, outside of the New York Stock Exchange at the corner of Wall Street and Broad. She shared this lovely tattoo from her upper back:

Mara hails from Argentina, and she explained that the rose bears her mother's initials in the center of the flower.

She got this done at home from an artist named Luciana who is currently tattooing in France.

Thanks to Mara for sharing her flower with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2015 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Laura and Her Heart that Doesn't Stop Beating

Sometimes tattoos can be powerful in the simplicity of their design. For example, my friend Laura recently got this new tattoo:

Laura explains how this tattoo on her wrist is a poignant memorial:

"On a day where I would typically be celebrating my mom’s life [May 18], this year I am remembering her death. My mom passed away on November 13, 2014.

The days leading up to her death was filled with constant noise. There were heart rate monitors and breathing monitors and the IV drips. I remember constantly staring at the heart rate monitor scared that it would go flat. When I walked into the room after she died, there was peace.

So not only does my tattoo mean 'love never dies.' it’s also a reminder that there is no more suffering, she is at peace."

Laura got this done at Studio Enigma in Brooklyn, by Adriano.

Thanks to Laura for sharing this very personal tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2015 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Happy Mother's Day! (A Tina Tassels Repost)

In honor of Mother's Day, I'm recycling a lovely post from October 2012, featuring the lovely Tina Tassels. This was originally posted on Tina's birthday, but it's worth revisiting, in a slightly revised form, today.

~ ~ ~

One of the perks of randomly going up to people with interesting tattoos is that I have, over the years, met several burlesque performers. Whether it be Annie Cherry from Kansas City, or NY-based performers Legs Malone and Miss Clams Casino, I occasionally find myself in the presence of some very talented artists.

Case in point, this summer [2012] I ran into a woman on the subway with a diamond tattooed on one of her knuckles. Although I didn't photograph it, we stayed in touch and I learned that she was none other than Tina Tassels.

Photo Courtesy of Molto Burlesque (via Facebook)

When I first met Tina in the spring, her arms were covered, so I didn't get to initially see the three pieces on her arm, but I subconsciously registered them. A few months later, in the middle of the summer, when I sat down on the train next to a pink-haired lady on the subway, I recognized the work, but couldn't remember where I'd seen it. After five years of inkblogging, such things are hard to instantly recall.

However, when I saw her diamond knuckle, it all came back to me, and Tina and I got to chatting again. In the glare of the R train's fluorescent lights, I snapped this photo from the back part of Tina's arm:

This may not be the best of Tina's tattoos, but it was her first, and it is near and dear to her heart.

She pointed out that it says Mommy instead of Mom, because she was concerned with how her mother would react to her getting her first tattoo. "Basically," Tina told me, "it was my first tattoo to butter her up."

The scissors and comb represent the fact that her mom is a salon owner and as Tina explained, "that's what I associate with her before anything ... she's a hard worker."

Tina had this done in 2009 by Derik Snell when he was at Hand of Glory Tattoo in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Derik now tattoos out of Flying Tiger Tattoo in New Britain, Connecticut. I have a Derek Snell design (inked by Brian Faulk) as well (documented here) and his work has also appeared on Tattoosday here.

I want to wish Tina a happy birthday and encourage people to check out her blog, Big Hips, Big Dreams.

Thanks again to Tina for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

~ ~ ~

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

This entry is ©2012, 2015 Tattoosday.

If you are reading this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Taylor's New Tattoo Bridges Time and Oceans

We're returning from a hiatus with a visit from an old friend, Taylor.

Taylor first shared her work with us here back in 2010. We saw more work from her last year when she shared this incredible back piece inspired by Banksy:

Recently, Taylor shared her latest tattoo with me and I'm passing it along to you:

As you may have guessed, these are actually a pair of tattoos of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. Taylor elaborates:

"My mom and I got matching tattoos. It was also her first. For some [people] the Verrazano Bridge is just a pretty bridge connecting Staten Island and Bay Ridge [Brpoklyn]. For me and my mom its where it all began. She moved to Shore Road [which runs along the Verrazano Narrows] from Germany when my parents got married.

Every childhood memory I had was by that bridge. Unfortunately my parents got divorced and I moved with my mom back to Germany.

I've been living in the neighborhood for almost 10 years again without my mom, but the Verrazano is somehow a piece of her."

Here's another, healed perspective:

I love how, not only do these tattoos, bridge the past with her mom, but they also bridge the ocean that currently separates them, bringing them closer together.

Taylor credits local tattoo artist Angel Bauta, from Puncture Tattoo here in South Brooklyn with this work.

Thanks again to Taylor for sharing her tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Gina Shares Two Amazing Tattoos by Bugs! (NYC Tattoo Convention)

Every year I attend, one of the highlights for the NYC Tattoo Convention is seeing the artist Bugs in action. He has taken tattoo art in a new direction, and his style is not only unique, but positively mind-blowing.

That said, it was a wonderful moment when, while wandering about Roseland, I chanced upon one of his clients, in the form of Gina.

Gina initially selected this piece from her inner arm to share with us:

I mean, really, how amazing is that?

Gina is a huge fan of Bugs' work and has, in her words, "donated my body to him."

This piece is in honor of her mom. She told Bugs the concept and she "let him take it any direction he wanted to go."

I was so happy to be able to meet one of Bugs' clients, that I asked if I could take a picture of the piece on Gina's upper arm as well, and she happily complied:

When I asked Gina about this piece, she elaborated, "

It's actually for me ... it's my interpretation of myself ... a Rubenesque woman ... and that's what he came up with."

Bugs works out of Los Angeles, but he frequents many conventions, and is a regular at Roseland. Gina makes a point of seeing him every year he is here.

Thanks to Gina for sharing her amazing work by Bugs here on Tattoosday!

Be sure to visit Bugs' website here to appreciate more from this amazing artist!!

This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Tattoosday Goes to L.A. - Max's First Tattoo for Mom

On my way back to the airport last week, my father and I had lunch at La Sirena Grill in El Segundo.

The meal was delicious, and I'll certainly be raving about their spicy BBQ duck tamale for quite some time.

As an added bonus, our waiter, Max, had plenty of visible tattoos and, even better, he shared one with me to post here on Tattoosday:

Max explained that this was his first tattoo and he went big in honor of his mother, who is a cancer survivor. BCB in the banner are her initials, and the word "Láidir" is Gaelic for "strong".

This tattoo was done by Baby Ray at Bob & Charlie Roberts' Spotlight Tattoo on Melrose in Los Angeles.

Thanks to Max for sharing his tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday.

If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Happy Birthday, Tina Tassels!

One of the perks of randomly going up to people with interesting tattoos is that I have, over the years, met several burlesque performers. Whether it be Annie Cherry from Kansas City, or NY-based performers Legs Malone and Miss Clams Casino, I occasionally find myself in the presence of some very talented artists.

Case in point, this summer I ran into a woman on the subway with a diamond tattooed on one of her knuckles. Although I didn't photograph it, we stayed in touch and I learned that she was none other than Tina Tassels.

Photo Courtesy of Molto Burlesque (via Facebook)

When I first met Tina in the spring, her arms were covered, so I didn't get to initially see the three pieces on her arm, but I subconsciously registered them. A few months later, in the middle of the summer, when I sat down on the train next to a pink-haired lady on the subway, I recognized the work, but couldn't remember where I'd seen it. After five years of inkblogging, such things are hard to instantly recall.

However, when I saw her diamond knuckle, it all came back to me, and Tina and I got to chatting again. In the glare of the R train's fluorescent lights, I snapped this photo from the back part of Tina's arm:

This may not be the best of Tina's tattoos, but it was her first, and it is near and dear to her heart.

She pointed out that it says Mommy instead of Mom, because she was concerned with how her mother would react to her getting her first tattoo. "Basically," Tina told me, "it was my first tattoo to butter her up."

The scissors and comb represent the fact that her mom is a salon owner and as Tina explained, "that's what I associate with her before anything ... she's a hard worker."

Tina had this done in 2009 by Derik Snell when he was at Hand of Glory Tattoo in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Derik now tattoos out of Flying Tiger Tattoo in New Britain, Connecticut. I have a Derek Snell design (inked by Brian Faulk) as well (documented here) and his work has also appeared on Tattoosday here.

I want to wish Tina a happy birthday and encourage people to check out her blog, Big Hips, Big Dreams. She's also performing in honor of her birthday tomorrow on Staten Island at the Full Cup!

Thanks again to Tina for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday! Have a Happy Birthday Tina!

This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.

If you are reading this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Ryan Shares an Amazing Portrait of His Mom

I know we've been a little sparse with our posting of late, but we're coming back with a bang.

Last February, I met Ryan in my local laundromat and he shared some of his old school ink here.

I've seen him around since, but today when he walked into the laundromat, he had a stunning new piece.

A couple months ago I had run into my friend John (who shared new ink, which is also forthcoming) who tattoos out of Brooklyn Made Tattoo and he had told me that the legendary Freddy Negrete was going to be in the neighborhood doing guest spots at Brooklyn Made.

A few weeks later I was walking down 93rd Street in Bay Ridge and spotted Mr. Kaves outside of his shop. I stopped to say hello and he pointed out that Freddy and his son Isaiah were hard at work inside. They are both based out of Mark Mahoney's Shamrock Social Club in Los Angeles. I was meeting family for dinner so I couldn't hang around, but it was cool to get a glimpse of a legendary artist at work.

Which brings us back to Ryan this morning in the laundromat. I knew it almost as he told me, he got this sweet portrait of his mother from Freddy Negrete himself that week:

Ryan explained that this portrait is based on a photo of his mother from when she was in her early twenties, when he was around two years old. He elaborated:

"My mother died ... about an hour before her fortieth birthday, so this tattoo means a lot to me. It's the most beautiful work I have on me and I wouldn't have let anyone else do it. Freddy Negrete is a great guy ... he's a humbling guy and he's very humble himself and I am grateful to have met him and his son."

It really is an astonishingly beautiful piece of portrait work, and done by one of the true masters of the art here in our own little slice of Brooklyn.

Thanks again to Ryan for sharing this amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.

If you are reading this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Alfredo Shares a Sugar Skull with a Family Twist

I ran into Alfredo last month in Penn Station and he shared this tattoo:

He credited this to an artist named Sy at Sunset Park Tattoo.

Alfredo, who has "over 23" tattoos, told me that this traditional sugar skull is embellished with a hairstyle modeled after the way his mother wore her hair on her wedding day. The rose at the edge of the tattoo is in tribute to his grandmother.

Thanks to Alfredo for sharing his ink with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.

If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Danielle's Mother Walks with Her

Last week I met Danielle in Penn Station and spotted this tattoo on her left foot:

She explained that November 7, 1958 was her mother's birth date. Danielle was just a little girl of eight years old when her mother passed, and she got this, her only tattoo, to memorialize her mom.

The reason she got it on her foot was because her mother's funeral card had the famous "Footprints" prayer:

“Footprints:
One night a man had a dream. In it he was walking along a beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the final scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints and realized that they came at the hardest and saddest times of his life.

Bothered about this, he questioned the Lord, saying "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most burdensome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." 

She had this done at a tattoo convention by an artist from Long Island's DaVinci Tattoo Studio.

Thanks to Danielle for sharing this very personal tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.

If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.