Tattoosday (A Tattoo Blog): October 2017

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Alex's Scary Elbow Spider

I met Alex a couple weeks ago at the Union Square farmer's market and he shared this tattoo, which seems appropriate for Halloween:

Alex credited this to Joe Chatt (@joe_chatt), who did the tattoo last summer while guesting at a NYC shop, but has since moved to Rose Tattoo Parlour (@RoseTattooParlour) in Brooklyn.

Alex explained:

"I just really wanted to get my elbow done ... normally people get like spider webs, or roses, mandalas, like round things ... I knew I really needed to get something round ... [Joe] was trying to push for a spider web, but I was going through his book and I was like, maybe something else. And he really wanted to do this design and he was like, oh that would fit well, with the claws and stuff..."

The rest, as they say, is history.

Thanks to Alex for sharing his spooky cool spider with us here on Tattoosday!

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Monday, October 30, 2017

Calla's Astonishing Floral Half-Sleeve

Last month on Wall Street, I stopped a woman named Calla to ask about her tattoo. It was truly breath-taking:

Calla was on her way to a job interview, so we didn't talk long. She did tell me the flower above the sunflower is a protea.

Unfortunately, she did not have any information regarding the artist, other than that they were from Cape Town in South Africa.

Nonetheless, it's spectacular work and I thank Calla for sharing her beautiful half-sleeve with us here on Tattoosday!

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Blair Shares Some Amazing Art (at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade)

On this rainy Sunday, we're heading back to the summer and looking for a little sunshine. It seems appropriate to share some work from the Coney Island Mermaid Parade (@mermaidparade), from a participant named Blair, who had some phenomenal tattoos, including this on her thigh:

Blair told me this is a Bert Grimm design called "Sundance" that was tattooed by Becca Genné-Bacon (@beccagennebacon) from Kings Avenue Tattoo (@kingsavetattoo) on the Bowery.

Here's the Bert Grimm artwork that is an iconic piece of tattoo history:

She also shared this piece called "Prisoner of Love," which was done by Benjamin Haft (@benjaminhaft) from Allied Tattoo (@allied_tattoo) in Brooklyn:

I also snapped a photo of this tattoo, of a stunning gypsy with her hair in rollers:

All amazing tattoos!

Thanks to Blair for sharing her awesome work with us here on Tattoosday!

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Molly's Tattoo Rocks (Tattoosday Goes to Baltimore)

Earlier this month I met Molly at a thrift shop in Baltimore County.

She shared this rocking tattoo on the back of her arm:

That's a skeleton hand throwing the "sign of the horns" that has come to symbolize rock and roll, in general.

Molly credited Jen at Ink Wizard Tattoo in California, Maryland.

This seemed like an appropriate tattoo to post as we celebrate Halloween over the next few days.

Thanks to Molly for sharing her cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Friday, October 27, 2017

Kristine's Roses on the Platform

I recently met Kristine on a subway platform in Brooklyn. She shared this tattoo on her arm:

Kristine told me she loves roses and that she just liked the artwork for this tattoo.

She credited the work to Amy Shapiro (@amy_shapiro) from Three Kings Tattoo (@threekingstattoo) in Brooklyn. Amy is currently working at Lifetime Tattoo (@lifetimetattoodeniver) in Denver. We currently featured work by Amy back in 2015 here.

Thanks to Kristine for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The Elusive Union Square Lobster by Jason June

Last Friday, I met a woman at the Union Square farmer's market who was in a hurry. I stopped her because she had an amazingly vibrant tattoo that I just had to ask about. She told me her name and I thought I wrote it down, but I can't find it anywhere. I never got the story, but I did get the photo. Behold:

I remembered the artist's name, however. This forearm lobster is by Jason June (@JasonJuneTattoos). I first met Jason years ago when he tattooed my wife, Melanie, at a Friday the 13th event. He is now working at Kings Avenue Tattoo (@KingsAveTattoo) on the Bowery.

The photo really doesn't do the piece justice - I normally avoid tattoos that wrap around limbs like this, but I was so impressed I just couldn't help myself. Here's a collage of the tattoo that I found on Jason's instagram before the piece was fully completed:

Via @JasnonJuneTattoos on Instagram

Thanks to the host of this lobster (sorry I lost your name) for sharing this incredible tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

UPDATE: This tattoo is gracing the arm of Jenn. Apologies for forgetting and thanks to Jason June for filling in the gap in my brain!

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Jennie's Pear Tree Blossom

Over the summer, when my older daughter and her friends were back home from college, they occasionally joined us for our weekly trivia nights at the local beer garden. Two of them got new tattoos recently and Jennie shared this lovely piece on her inner arm:

Jennie explained that this is a pear tree blossom, noting that when her parents moved into the house where she grew up, they planted a pear tree in the back yard. When she left for her first year of school in Chicago, the tree fell down. She wanted to commemorate the pear tree, which entered and exited her life at very significant points in her journey.

She credited this beautiful tattoo to Jason Hoodrich (@JasonHoodrich) at Family Tattoo (@FamilyTattoo) in Chicago.

Thanks to Jennie for sharing her awesome tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Sunday, October 22, 2017

A New York Cate of Mind

I met Cate by Bowling Green park over the summer and she shared this cool tattoo:

Cate explained that she was born and raised in western New York and that she wanted a scene that was a tribute to the Empire State. Thus, we have a tattoo with a variety of species found in the state.

The animal is a red fox, standing with birch trees, red clover and purple oxalis, or purple woodsorrel.

Cate credited the work to Brian Faulk at Hand of Glory Tattoo (@handofglorytattoo) in Brooklyn. I'm familiar with Brian, as he has tattooed me as well (recounted here and here).

Thanks to Cate for sharing her cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Friday, October 20, 2017

Nigel's Lighthouse, Shining Steadfast

Late last month, I met Nigel, who was visiting from New Zealand, across from the New York Stock Exchange on Broad Street.

He shared this cool tattoo on the back of his calf:

I love the artistic take on this structure, almost as if it is half-hidden by fog. A really cool concept.

Nigel credited Craigy Lee (@Craigy_Lee) at Union Tattoo (@Union.Tattoo) in Wellington, New Zealand for the work.

"A lighthouse doesn't go around saving boats," Nigel told me, "it just stands there shining steadfast."

Indeed, it does.

Thanks to Nigel for sharing this great tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Thursday, October 19, 2017

James and the Joker (Tattoosday Goes to Towson)

Earlier this month, while visiting Maryland, I ran into James at a store in Towson. He had this cool tattoo of the Joker on his forearm:

He credited the work to Allison at Gemini Tattoo in Odenton, Maryland.

Thanks to James for sharing this fun tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Veronique And Miranda and Jasmine

I discovered a whole host of tattooed Occidental alumni this week, so we're spilling over into the new week.

Veronique's new ink appeared in a thread on Darin's social media post, so I reached out and asked if she minded sharing.

You are not seeing double, there are two tattoos. Veronique and her daughter, Miranda, got matching ink, Veronique on her back and her daughter on her hip.

She elaborated:

"My daughter Miranda designed it to remind her of home when she goes back to school. Those jasmine flowers are in our yard ... It was the first tattoo for both of us, so it was definitely a mother-daughter bonding experience. And if I’m going to put something permanent on my body, what better than one of my daughter’s designs? And for her, it’s hard for her to be so far away from home all year, so it was her way of staying connected to home and family."

The tattoos were done by Justin Brophy (@finkface) at Empire Tattoo in Upland, California.

The flowers, Veronique told me, are "pink jasmine to remind [Miranda] of home." She is studying in Seattle and "designed the tattoo, then Justin brought it to life with the detail color and shading."

Thanks to Veronique and Miranda for sharing their tattoos with us here on Tattoosday's Occidental Week!

Friday, October 13, 2017

Darin and Max, Together Forever

Our next Occidental tattooed alumnus is Darren, who was a senior in Pauley Hall when I entered as a freshman in 1985. Darren and I reconnected on Facebook and when he recently posted this tattoo, I quickly asked him for permission to share:

Darin got this cool piece from Brian (@bolder_brian_tattoo) at Bolder Ink (@BolderInk) in Boulder, Colorado.

Darin explained:

"Brian did a fantastic job capturing Max's character. The idea came from my friend Volkan Soylu whom I met in Mexico in August, and Max provided the inspiration. This is something I feel good about wearing for life."

This is Max, who is an Akita (and the reference for the tattoo):

When I asked Darin if Max was still around, he explained:

"Max is still with us, but it is a memorial in a sense, just the same. Divorce after 17 years - we lost the house and I was not able to provide a good home for him. So it's a very transitional time, hence that duality of the two sides of his face, and a memorial to him in the sense that he represents loss of my previous life. That being said, I'm on to bigger and better things now and couldn't be happier. Except of course for the fact that I don't have Max, but I do have visiting rights and that's good."

This is Darin checking out the stencil after Brian put it on:

And the finished product:

Note how much it lightened up after it healed.

Thanks so much to Darin for sharing his cool tattoo with us this week on Tattoosday's Occidental week!

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Repost: Jennifer's Seashell, In Memory of Her Father

We're celebrating Occidental alumni this week in honor of homecoming, and I wanted to revisit this post from 2015:

I have known Jennifer for almost thirty years and was intrigued when, earlier this year, she shared a picture of a new tattoo on social media.

Of course, I had to ask what this tattoo was all about:

Jennifer explained that she got this tattoo on March 15, 2015, on the first anniversary of her father's death:

"I got this tattoo for my Dad, who passed away a year ago. It's not my first, but it is my first in a readily visible spot, on the inside of my left ankle. Dad was left handed, but when he was a kid, they didn't teach kids how to write left handed, so he had to work with his right. I thought it fitting for him to be on the left. He loved the beach and the ocean and scuba diving and had an extensive shell collection. With this conch shell, in blue ink, which was his favorite color, I can have a bit of the beach with me wherever I am. We scattered his ashes at sea, per his wishes. The ocean will always make me think of him."

She added, "amongst his things was the poem 'Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep' by Mary Elizabeth Frye:"

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

She got the seashell in Black Heart Tattoo (@BlackHeartTattoo) in San Francisco from artist Heather Bailey (@CathedralofTears).

Thanks to Jennifer for sharing her lovely and poignant tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Jesse Burch's Back o' Birds

This week we're featuring tattoos on alumni from Occidental College, in honor of homecoming and family weekend, and we'll start with this amazing set of tattoos on the back of Jesse Burch, Class of 1992:

Jesse told me that the center shape was done about six years ago, but the birds were tattooed earlier this year. All of the work is by Jeremy Swan (@mister_swan) at Broken Art Tattoo (@broken_art_tattoo) in Silver Lake, Los Angeles.

When I asked Jesse about the origins of the work, he replied:

"Well, the center thing is an old design by my friend Bill Dawson. Its meaning is secret.

The birds each represent parts of me. The Western mockingbird on my right shoulder is perched on a palo verde branch. Both are native to the west, like me, and the mockingbird represents my interest in imitation and my chameleonic nature. The left shoulder has the skylark on English oak. That’s my anglophilia in a nutshell.

I bought both bird images on eBay. They’re from vintage bird prints — another thing I like: old shit.

I like them a ton, despite being somewhat atypical, I guess. But then, I reckon I am too.

I will say that it was weird to go from being a person with a tattoo to being a 'tattooed person' overnight. Took some getting used to. And, of course, now I want more....

Also, I meant for the whole thing together to look kind of like a coat of arms. But I think the middle piece needs updating."

I've known Jesse since 1988, when he matriculated as a first year student at Occidental. I was one of his resident advisers. Jesse is a working actor in Los Angeles (see his credits here) and he also hosts a web show on YouTube called "You're Better Than Me." The episode below is his interview with Jeremy, his tattoo artist:

Thanks to Jesse for sharing his awesome tattoos with us here on Tattoosday's Occidental Week!

Friday, October 6, 2017

Andy Fakes Me Out

Check out this cool tattoo that I spotted at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade:

This is on the arm of Andy, from England.

Or, I should say, this was on his arm.

When I asked him about it, he snickered and told me it was a fake tattoo.

I'm still not convinced, but I guess if you really look at this, it doesn't quite look like a "real" tattoo.

Nonetheless, it's still notable that this is one of the finest temporary tattoos I have ever seen, as it fooled this veteran inkspotter.

Thanks, Andy, for sharing this body art with us here on Tattoosday!

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Jasmine With Beautiful Flowers and Designs (at the Mermaid Parade)

Back in June, at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade (@MermaidParade), I met Jasmine, who had some stunning tattoos, including these beautiful flowers on her shoulder and arm:

Jasmine also shared this tattoo from her other arm:

Jasmine explained that she had studied design, and she loved textiles. Her tattoo artist, the incomparable Tim Kern (@ymonster), drew up this great tattoo that recalls fishnet and lace.
Tim, formerly of Tribulation Tattoo in NYC, now calls No Hope No Fear Tattoo Art Studio (@nohopenofeartattoo) in Portland, Oregon, his home.

Thanks to Jasmine for sharing her lovely tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

A Lovely Citrus on Kristina (at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade)

Back in June, at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade (@mermaidparade), I met Kristina, who shared this lovely tattoo on her inner arm:

Kristina explained that this is a stylized cross section of an orange, a satsuma mandarin orange, to be exact. She told me that this is her favorite fruit and that, when she worked in a juice bar, she and her colleagues all got fruit tattoos.

Kristina credited Julia Hayes (@JHayesTattoos) with inking this piece when she was at Evil & Love Tattoo (@EvilandLove) in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Julia is now working out of Trinity Tattoo Collective (@Trinity_Tattoo_Collective) in Ridgewood, Queens.

Thanks to Kristina for sharing this beautiful tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!