My New Tattoo (a post long overdue)

So I haven't been the best blogger this month... November was full of craziness and it's finally winding down. On November 1st, I went to Jinx Proof and met with the amazing artist Susan Doyle (http://doyleomite.com/) I got the first installment of a 2 session tattoo on my left arm, which will be finished in December...



It is inspired by this Salvador Dali sketch called "Alice in Wonderland" (1969). I combined this art with the quote "I am I am I am" from my favorite novel The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

When I saw Dali's interpretation of Alice in Wonderland, I thought it was a perfect match for this quote. It's hard to explain my reasons for this tattoo, but it's kind of like the will to live/survive amongst madness, which is a common theme between The Bell Jar and Alice in Wonderland.

The Bell Jar is an autobiographical novel that follow's a young woman's struggle with mental illness. She constantly feels beaten down by society's expectations for women and the restrictions of being the "second sex". (Of course my tattoo has a feminist meaning...are you surprised? lol). Her desire to die rather than live a fake, patriarchal life makes her a martyr, in a sense, to the feminist agenda. However, despite attempts to end it all, Plath describes a "bodily desire to life" that she feels in her blood and beating heart, a desire that chants "I am I am I am".

Because, no matter how bad life seems, or how much it seems like a meaningless puzzle (like in Alice), as long as you're alive and you "are", you can do something about it and make a difference. Martyrs aren't around to help make the change that's needed. And I guess that's why I got this tattoo. Alice, Sylvia, and yours truly - - We are, we are, we are.

Tattoos are soooo GAY! National Equality March 10-11-09

I had an incredible time this past Sunday with my friends at the National Equality March. I chanted with the awesome crowd, wrote sharpie all over myself, and walked with the hottest item at the march - my friend Will, the big gay chicken! This is me with him and my wonderful photographer, Ana :). There were SOO many great tattoos I saw at the march, and I've highlighted a few of my favorites below:

Greg got this art in Orlando, Florida. It's his very creative ode to hairdressing, with bubbles, bright colors and all. He wanted a "Lisa Frank" inspired tattoo. I mean, hell, who doesn't like Lisa Frank?
Love it, Greg!!


Next we have Athena with her tribute to her namesake, the goddess Athena, by representing Athena's owl mascot. The design is based on an old greek coin that can still be seen on some euros. She got this done at Great Southern Tattoo in College Park, MD .
This is Mikey Corona of Chicago Free Press. Mikey has a really awesome tattoo. It looks like this:
This was done in Chicago, and it is a "deconstructed crown" that represents his interdisciplinary degree from school and his interdisciplinary life in general. I love this tattoo because it is simple yet the solid colors and black lines make a bold statement. I saw a lot of myself in this tattoo as well, meaning it reads very well. OKAY, Mikey Corona!

Holy literary tattoos!!!!! Ally from Knoxville, TN has the mother load (is that the phrase?)... anyway she has a lot of them.


Tributes to Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, Where the Wild Things Are, The Giving Tree, and more. I think the message is clear - read more, people. Read more.

Reychl got her bright artwork done up in Michigan, and it has a great story behind it. She used to eat Nerd Ice Cream Blizzards with her mom and sister and have food fights. She's always had fond memories with this dessert, and it makes for a very interesting tattoo. The cupcakes represent her tradition of making new friends cupcakes in college. Cute :)

Julie

This is Julie Granger. I'm in love with her, she's cool. And kind of really talented. She works with me in the kitchen at Nightclub 9:30, but is also a full time student at the Corcoran School of Art and Design for photography and video art. This is Julie's second tattoo.


It is based off of Ralph Steadman's drawing "bat country" from the book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (above). She got this done at Tattoo Paradise in Wheaton by Gore over the summer. This is such a great idea for a tattoo, and it gave me inspiration to look into famous artwork and sketches for tattoo ideas.... thanks Julie ;-).

A Tryst with Steve Trewitt

This is Steve. Steve works as a bartender at Tryst in Adams Morgan, one my favorite cafe/bars to hang out in for some good food, jazz, and peoples. He has lots of sweet tattoos that I could not capture on my silly camera in the shady lighting of a bar. However, we work with what we got, right? I chose a willow tree on his right forearm:



While this picture gives it no justice, I love this tattoo because it looks very personalized and unique. Steve got this at Tattoo Paradise in Adams Morgan about three years ago. He has lived between DC and Colorado and this tree served as a "DC reminder" for him while he was out west. It is a sketch of an actual tree that used to be on the corner of Willard and 18th. It's a very original piece of art, and I really like the idea of treasuring such an interesting landmark as a reminder of home.
ps - Steve, send me another pic if you have one so we can show how awesome it really is!

Sam the man

One of the many different lives I lead is one as a kitchen worker at Nightclub 9:30 ( www.930.com ), THE best music venue in the nation. I love working there not only for the awesome perk of seeing amazing shows on the clock, but also for the amazing people I work with. This is Sam RB - kitchen and bar back extraordinaire. He trained me back in February, and is kind of the sensei of Food Food (the entirely original name of the kitch). He has lots and lots of tattoos, so I told him to choose 1. He chose "Gilbert":


Gilbert was born two years ago, in a shady shop in Alston, Mass. by Sam's friend. The design was adapted from a flash tattoo Sam found very unique. I must say, when it comes to flash designs, this is the creme de la creme. I especially like the placement on his arm, very interesting.

H Street Festival 9/19

The H St Festival this past weekend was packed with tattoed DC-ites. My friend Ana took pictures as I asked some people to show me their favorite or most memorable body art. Take a look:

I met Jess working at the Red & the Black (http://www.redandblackbar.com/portal/) when she showed me her most memorable tattoo - the ever popular DC flag. She got this done on her 18th birthday, after a friend's funeral, by a close friend. She says it's her "worst" tattoo with the best story... She also has many other tattoos, her favorite being this back piece:

which I believe is a gandhi quote - "They may torture my body, break my bones, even kill me. Then, they will have my dead body -- not my obedience." Sweeeet message. She got this done at Top Notch Tattoos on U Street (http://www.myspace.com/148797321).


Priscilla "Prissy Pistol", general manager of Palace of Wonders (http://www.palaceofwonders.com/home.html), shared with me her love for Little Shop of Horrors with this colorful piece. She got this eight years ago at NE Tattoo (which is now closed).



Josh, one of the owners of DC9 Nightclub (www.dcnine.com), showed off his DC lineage with the phrase "all you bamas" tattooed to his chest. Bamas is supposedly one of those words only DC-ites understand. Josh gets much of his work done with Chris Mensah of Pinz and Needlez - http://www.inkwiz.biz/pnN.html.




Laura was enjoying the fest when I came up and asked about her pin up tattoo. She said she got it because she wanted a pin up that was not only sexy but strong. She also wanted to include the american flag on her tough girl's attire. Laura got this done in Hawaii.



My friend Marc got this octopus tattoo done in San Diego. He walked in a tattoo shop and asked for something "badass" on his arm. Do you think he got what he wanted?

Leave some comments with your thoughts and opinions on the blog/tattoos/the meaning of life

More tattoo pics to come . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About Me

(photo cred Amy Rollo http://amyrollo.com/brookland)

Despite my love for the city, I am not a DC native. I reign from the village of many carousels, good ol' Endicott New York. Nevertheless, DC has become my home the past 4 years and I am loving every minute. I am a true believer that DC doesn't get enough street cred. for it's unique and dynamic arts culture. Music, theatre, studio art, you name it. DC can be JUST as fun as NY in many aspects, and don't act like you don't know it!

Think of this blog as a mini "exposé" into the DC body art culture, specifically tattoos. Tattoos fascinate me and, truthfully, the purpose of this blog is to primarily feed my obsession. But, hopefully, it will become something more like a DC resource center for the tattoo-deprived soul.

Wishful thinking? Nahhhhhh. So get ready, because I'm going to blow your mind with the best of DC tattoos and their stories.


First tattoo is one of mine!
Above is one of my tattoos I got last summer. It's kind of my tribute to my interest in music and the ability of music to create.... I got it done at Shaman's Den in Binghamton NY http://www.shamansdenbodyart.com/. More pictures to come when I get a new camera!!