Holy Ship! Isaac's Vessel and a Biblical Quote

There are a few tattoo artists whose work is so good that, when I'm lucky enough to stumble upon one of their clients, I consider it a great day.<br /> <br /> Such was the case on a Monday in August on the Upper West Side, when I stopped Isaac in Trader Joe's as he walked past me. I knew, even before he told me who the artist was, that this piece was special:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhTtjsd9nJJLIn-zIFcDpKQjedauRq7HIJ17AKp3uagl7IsoZiQ-_KKk6H1qdylJKVEfXGDXzStIkHn-6YW6PwccbE7LPF8TCW1bm28-s8IjJOmCYWKGa2uDFcJV1h9Ba-3l-5zxz6Oc/s1600/Amanda+Ship+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhTtjsd9nJJLIn-zIFcDpKQjedauRq7HIJ17AKp3uagl7IsoZiQ-_KKk6H1qdylJKVEfXGDXzStIkHn-6YW6PwccbE7LPF8TCW1bm28-s8IjJOmCYWKGa2uDFcJV1h9Ba-3l-5zxz6Oc/s400/Amanda+Ship+1.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br /> Isaac explained that this ship was inked by the amazing Amanda Wachob of Dare Devil Tattoo in Manhattan. Amanda was featured in a small post in the <i>New York Times</i> earlier this year here. I have been fortunate enough to stumble across her work personally once before, as documented in this post from last October.<br /> <br /> Isaac explained that this ship was inspired by The Flying Dutchman, a painting by Albert Pinkham Ryder.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPsjhn4yYgjO5wWfHopUGFWUQUUa-CMxCgTNLPVd81RwHHMFAT1FV1FVvSsoigOsUsxuYbZkqlIX_3wzmcJLa7nV8-rS36jiSbwnVdgZE9c1bRw-pXlhDv9gS8tGI_iON31Mzl58v2jE/s1600/724px-Flying_Dutchman%252C_the.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPsjhn4yYgjO5wWfHopUGFWUQUUa-CMxCgTNLPVd81RwHHMFAT1FV1FVvSsoigOsUsxuYbZkqlIX_3wzmcJLa7nV8-rS36jiSbwnVdgZE9c1bRw-pXlhDv9gS8tGI_iON31Mzl58v2jE/s320/724px-Flying_Dutchman%252C_the.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> One of the amazing things about Amanda Wachob's work is how her tattoos look like they are painted onto the skin. Check out the front of Isaac's ship:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwNu2q0EXoXn2wnrPtWiBu5HO37GJm0m_AP8MHqKW17JGplrS9WMJYOYwqkQV11vOPVwVmSLv5WY0lKmRMTq1O_p1XBaHL1ITFzQMvS_wAinkjEJ5mFG8X7YReatcKt-pt7qzjuEyihI/s1600/Amanda+ship+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwNu2q0EXoXn2wnrPtWiBu5HO37GJm0m_AP8MHqKW17JGplrS9WMJYOYwqkQV11vOPVwVmSLv5WY0lKmRMTq1O_p1XBaHL1ITFzQMvS_wAinkjEJ5mFG8X7YReatcKt-pt7qzjuEyihI/s400/Amanda+ship+2.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br /> "I used to write 'I'm a Son' on my arm all the time," Isaac told me, "as in a son of God," so he refers to this as his sonship.<br /> <br /> He also shared this piece on his left biceps:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zoaHuKrHFb5vMGafHftphKj2JiWvL1WHYRpM4C2xRvyuBehQFa1b709jBhOhYp-rtf-qZE3ayRVZWCQlT39MHE3KQjPym80U_Oqfp8IMa-fp0tTBhQ-9b5bkCe0yFn1G_9ANYamSEXo/s1600/love+is.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zoaHuKrHFb5vMGafHftphKj2JiWvL1WHYRpM4C2xRvyuBehQFa1b709jBhOhYp-rtf-qZE3ayRVZWCQlT39MHE3KQjPym80U_Oqfp8IMa-fp0tTBhQ-9b5bkCe0yFn1G_9ANYamSEXo/s400/love+is.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> This is a Biblical reference, from 1 Corinthians 13, Verses 4-8. The passage is<br /> <blockquote>"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." </blockquote>Isaac and his wife have the same piece, with hers being on her right arm. I love the font that the artist used. He attributed it to Kelly at East Side Ink. Kelly is absent from the shop website, so must have been a former or visiting artist.

Holy Ship! Isaac's Vessel and a Biblical Quote

There are a few tattoo artists whose work is so good that, when I'm lucky enough to stumble upon one of their clients, I consider it a g...

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Ryan's Religious Verse

I met Ryan at the end of September outside of Madison Square Garden, approaching him to ask about this tattoo on his upper right arm:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZombapMegsIq2sZovpx0BQgZAB8IsWcsFO01JotwW0Kj0wVeURFVfpE7Q0aaCEIjOwwaq7of9Snt65gOevm9jia07IvEQuGvp6FA0CNp4y_xAYAuFjuXVnkT9edM3sVtiNBfUytyUBA/s1600/philippians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZombapMegsIq2sZovpx0BQgZAB8IsWcsFO01JotwW0Kj0wVeURFVfpE7Q0aaCEIjOwwaq7of9Snt65gOevm9jia07IvEQuGvp6FA0CNp4y_xAYAuFjuXVnkT9edM3sVtiNBfUytyUBA/s640/philippians.jpg" width="292" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He explained that Philippians 4:13 was his confirmation verse. He added, "I went with the hands and everything because I already have a cross on my back."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Philippians 4:13 reads "I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me." (American Standard Version)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The chain in the hands connects to this part of the tattoo on the bicep:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oQEiC3aTnzMtHa6WoP5j01nYiEivO34D4-vuUCT1lJw7uM72Wuvcz2MttF_6EgB21zcjc-69S6R3sMgNMFqIQSCcrYahk2f0fb5DDwQ_agI0qR9flJd77Y3MeTnNae_4qHlbV_-tu9k/s1600/Only+God+can+judge+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oQEiC3aTnzMtHa6WoP5j01nYiEivO34D4-vuUCT1lJw7uM72Wuvcz2MttF_6EgB21zcjc-69S6R3sMgNMFqIQSCcrYahk2f0fb5DDwQ_agI0qR9flJd77Y3MeTnNae_4qHlbV_-tu9k/s400/Only+God+can+judge+me.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><br /> Ryan commented that "I put <i>only God can judge me</i> because I've been going through some legal difficulties." It's a reminder that, when all is said and done, the ultimate judge is, in the belief of many, above and beyond the world in which we live.<br /> <br /> Ryan credits Joe Bawden from Skin Alternative in Hillside, New Jersey, with this tattoo.

Ryan's Religious Verse

I met Ryan at the end of September outside of Madison Square Garden, approaching him to ask about this tattoo on his upper right arm:   H...

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See Emily's Foot Tattoo

I met Emily in Penn Station and asked her about this, one of her three tattoos:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAzXflqar3tqIE_yzEnxQbiNq3ORXZBVNpcpBTIIDz-PBivhnRJ6X-4Sttq-ZrbmS6L60Qcvw9o0t4yz4srZdsQX3P1ZFJTEGWEOD3MEhhmIxzjcgcCXQCJ2AhhfsQpBFaINIQP_3-yA/s1600/Be+Not+Afraid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAzXflqar3tqIE_yzEnxQbiNq3ORXZBVNpcpBTIIDz-PBivhnRJ6X-4Sttq-ZrbmS6L60Qcvw9o0t4yz4srZdsQX3P1ZFJTEGWEOD3MEhhmIxzjcgcCXQCJ2AhhfsQpBFaINIQP_3-yA/s400/Be+Not+Afraid.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><br />The phrase "Be not afraid, only believe" is from the Bible, more specifically, the Book of <a href="http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible,_King_James,_Mark">Mark</a>, Chapter 5, Verse 36, <a href="http://www.kingjamesbible.com/">King James version</a>.<br /><br />What does this mean to Emily? "No matter what," she said, "always remember what's mean to be will happen...".<br /><br />A nice sentiment indeed. This tattoo was done by "Petey" at <a href="http://www.immortalink.com/">Immortal Ink</a> in Clinton, New Jersey.<br /><br />Thanks to Emily for sharing her tattoo with us here on <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/">Tattoosday</a>!<br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";}</style> <![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday.<br /><br />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 </span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> 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.</span></div>

See Emily's Foot Tattoo

I met Emily in Penn Station and asked her about this, one of her three tattoos: The phrase "Be not afraid, only believe" is from t...

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Sara's Psalm Speaks to the Desires of Her Heart

I met Sara on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/36th_Street_%28BMT_Fourth_Avenue_Line%29">36th Street subway platform</a> in Brooklyn last month during the late afternoon rush hour commute.<br /><br />What can I say? I'm a sucker for words and this tattoo looked poetic:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1RdB05dB0IqYOFXKJDndhRD3RZ-KPbFS1H6LKHQNzbmVm-haGrPDaaus463WPpJ3346PpODQPqiXn43fZAcA5aq2bMwUFsIEEYO1WgzKtNT4W-ttA31enbjYVKd7LOH8gwE5Zmkf/s1600/Psalm+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1RdB05dB0IqYOFXKJDndhRD3RZ-KPbFS1H6LKHQNzbmVm-haGrPDaaus463WPpJ3346PpODQPqiXn43fZAcA5aq2bMwUFsIEEYO1WgzKtNT4W-ttA31enbjYVKd7LOH8gwE5Zmkf/s640/Psalm+wm.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />Sara filled me in. She has three tattoos and this passage "spoke to her". She wanted something religious for her 30th birthday.<br /><br />This is an excerpt (verse 4) from Psalm 37 in the Bible.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmBvlxyIF7w3OhyTbufGgClYCXgmEd7L0FqJvLN6nZ1lUvxtcUpuICh-9UoFeo8zHE1DXjrAQPd_6xN1o4xG6isJ6K009sAWNvsSlHDJRrKcHMNy2asMfAkBFxZakoIRxHO-rHzE3/s1600/Psalm+Detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmBvlxyIF7w3OhyTbufGgClYCXgmEd7L0FqJvLN6nZ1lUvxtcUpuICh-9UoFeo8zHE1DXjrAQPd_6xN1o4xG6isJ6K009sAWNvsSlHDJRrKcHMNy2asMfAkBFxZakoIRxHO-rHzE3/s400/Psalm+Detail+wm.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br />The verse reads "Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart" [King James Version]. Sara changed the <i>thee </i>and <i>thine </i>to read <i>me </i>and <i>my</i>, respectively, making the verse more personal.<br /><br />This was tattooed by <a href="http://www.brooklyninktattoo.com/alex_tattoos.html">Alex Franklin</a> at <a href="http://www.brooklyninktattoo.com/">Brooklyn Ink</a> in Bay Ridge. Work from Brooklyn Ink (and much from Alex) can be seen on this Tattoosday label <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Brooklyn%20Ink">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Sara for sharing her source of inspiration with us here on Tattoosday!

Sara's Psalm Speaks to the Desires of Her Heart

I met Sara on the 36th Street subway platform in Brooklyn last month during the late afternoon rush hour commute. What can I say? I'm a...

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