Repost: Michael's Mariachis

<i>Well, it has been a repost sort of week, and as it is All Soul's Day, a.k.a. The Day of the Dead, this only seemed fitting. It's from my college friend, Michael, and it appeared here originally on December 30, 2008. Enjoy!</i><br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269720254143055906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQG-ZjqGAKyU6o5IkT212dRhV7cOIi2W7HddOZIXsB72SOF90r-RjM_nNv1Hfi8Ifuhxuw4sdYLrGcK3uJDHfm0GgTE0d5lQcprCSOt0j021YLHmUWrrFwYS4l3ZjZFZoSSlVcJONl7RaL/s640/mariachi+with+iris.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 356px;" width="569" /><br /> In reconnecting with old college friends through Facebook, my old friend Michael who I haven't seen in almost twenty years sent me an amazing tattoo he has on his right arm.<br /> <br /> He sent me before and after shots so we can see the transformation from outline to spectacularly colorful body art. First, the before shots.....<br /> <br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269719225156372226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpyG47s5Ab8GZzuoS1FNB8aCl6O5cyuj1MnBuap7LOWhUMnchVn3JFTHDRp3jp_8Qf3ovzh-NWrElPPFHCkDJ8D2Q8z2SkscaSM_B2igTRLp9BgJuNE4DdnGC7Zmy0YB8reZu3q2wALOv/s640/mariachi+outline+1.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 214px;" width="342" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269718659087915346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnGG_JoKA7YaO8p5uY6xCGuMGVrQ-Ug8saDlDuUcYjb5OewHZtBPUuQolSqr7IGkoGuGdqSstRU94FTHgeUWLeHQs6uUynfxGCSuZWQl0wRdJG8aVAXnm-QGqHoFYXAsq1Yyy6Eo-Q7qt/s400/mariachi+outline+2.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 176px;" /><br /> The detail and the line work is exemplary and breath-taking. As someone with a guitar inked on my arm, I can appreciate the intricacies of a finely-drawn instrument. The detail on the mariachi's jacket cuff is incredible.<br /> <br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269719773239210498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_l-1sUP3l96Ox7DiTETQXOY_F1uscr0b7P3uVOeZ4tHe5gSarTKznkbnkcap-aenmNE9vjrEfXRfxugUEiEV1bUJmsjK3QeNa2WQtOiwwldtQzgF-2AgZNUfoescCovX7yIPpxubNF-0/s400/mariachi+detail.jpg" style="display: block; height: 147px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br /> And now, for some color:<br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269718515179009634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pAPO8cWZeRiCaE2-jdLHiwmt33iPqti0yQESq2p5cNjr7VS2sTgcJwikiCwYl3nYlqJyWo7PPmB1z6aLPQcjdB0-GXkhHSFcafNMRepEcsjeu-wyg6SYwkN8iEJ061ItGHzzQGsidxFa/s400/mariachi+right.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 193px;" /><br /> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269718414681594482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtWDXReXnqg3HDBDUK7BPOjKt99Qe1IHfY_AjLpTapDXiwUpeeAd8ypGYjRzEoEp0KW6ACKQUzEiTrt2eGbbLNrVN4u6LMuPXRZOhJy1BRgt_r8D_eKlz3soTjtjrnT-lofp2Tr9Rmps2/s400/mariachi+left.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 146px;" /><br /> <img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269718302019198898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-ThIFKR8Yi6K_WHVGW27xaw-cGmn5vr7AK-mH52kev55n1Hv_Bjn8M0fzc9Bmfd_nGSb9hXkbwWy5oH2KL7zFnBfNm3vm6abfsGQEJ9NVByyhmpfKPe1QqwpFpvaJejRVG08tuQ8NR9C/s640/mariachi+center.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 190px;" width="304" /><br /> Michael explains the basic premise of this tattoo:<br /> <blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">In a sense, this piece is a "memorial" tattoo, although I hate to call it that. Since I grew up in the Southwest, Day of the Dead was a regular thing, so I've always been drawn to that type of imagery, plus I like the meaning -- honoring the dead, and reminding us to live life to the fullest.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> I picked the mariachis partly because I am so into music, and partly because of the celebratory aspect of mariachis. </span></blockquote>Like many intricate tattoos with multiple elements, every part has significance. The tulips, for example, that are growing at the mariachi's feet, "are an actual heirloom varietal that I have in the garden" [and] are for my wife -- tulips are her favorite flower".<br /> <br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" height="285" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285329957944922738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyypf3FaboSBnBjkOPRfrUF_csDwPo1u81Ose2h3NbCMs1DVJKS8xe8vOLgJdiE8a_AqmVqC3zUTQFLpepfjm5Ip-F7MFn9c8dIo5iU6GOdnf3uDFyCxzwydpn6vTwH9FFIPA5nX6Xt-JO/s400/mariachi+tulips.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /><br /> And the angel at the top of the piece (and the top of the post)?<br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" height="355" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269719465230803490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQhPyNCz5SQAgi4FPybnIrR8V13KKaOtnWvM0L9mmMFFUIxL4aY6TyQYI1l69dL5JHWaVQSyWC_A1YJct_xxWj50DfxfcducZ7DYV26H87rSkgJ1FEIAENz2_Z7koI1TCcQhLuQmMnBsx/s400/mariachi+top.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /><br /> Michael informs us that "the angel is for my mother, who is no longer with us. The angel holds a purple iris (my mother's favorite flower), and looks down over the whole scene."<br /> <br /> This amazing piece was inked by Susan Behney-Doyle who works out of Jinx Proof Tattoo in Washington, D.C. Mexican folk art is one of her specialties (see a gallery of her work here) and Michael says he "gave her a few reference pieces to look at, but she basically drew it after a consultation". He continues, "we made just a couple tweaks after I saw the drawing, but it's a one-of-a-kind custom piece".<br /> <br /> The whole tattoo was crafted back in 2006 over a five-month, seven-session period. Michael notes that one of those sessions was devoted solely to shading the guitar. A closer look at the instrument reveals an incredible complexity of brown variations that truly makes the guitar jump off the skin.

Repost: Michael's Mariachis

Well, it has been a repost sort of week, and as it is All Soul's Day, a.k.a. The Day of the Dead, this only seemed fitting. It's fro...

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Katie's Bouquet

I spotted this lovely tattoo on the Broadway-Lafayette subway platform last month, while switching trains:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVZ5hxDMAdGqsjBf20n66lvr6Vz6hF6-ape08P9NFeEHMTXPbjTGIkHs4EGJgKNVUtJxSufqs1sF3Hw8f6a5D5QjFAEJ5HcPCBxlD_n54QopEZjEUj3oJlA3jEomOrC9TNjrcS85jLx4/s1600/narcissus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVZ5hxDMAdGqsjBf20n66lvr6Vz6hF6-ape08P9NFeEHMTXPbjTGIkHs4EGJgKNVUtJxSufqs1sF3Hw8f6a5D5QjFAEJ5HcPCBxlD_n54QopEZjEUj3oJlA3jEomOrC9TNjrcS85jLx4/s640/narcissus.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />This floral piece, on Katie's calf,  is one of her eight tattoos.<br /><br />The larger flower is an iris and the smaller flowers are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_papyraceus"><i>Narcissus papyraceus</i></a> or, as they are commonly known, Paperwhites. <br /><br />She added these paperwhites specifically because they were her Nan's favorite flower.<br /><br />The tattoo was done by an artist named Ron Hotte in San Diego. Rob is currently back in New York, more  specifically on Long Island, at <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/solidgoldtattoo/">Solid Gold Tattoo</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Katie for sharing this beautiful tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">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 <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>

Katie's Bouquet

I spotted this lovely tattoo on the Broadway-Lafayette subway platform last month, while switching trains: This floral piece, on Katie's...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Kimberly Mahler

Today's tattooed poet is Kimberly Mahler, who sent along this tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvu1djM_85-S9P0XjsiJDgoxeJztziF17UfOiDR3-Ry0nEhHD0vEw0KpWdUMCB02OPoVisoD-lx8GySM3KxWW5lZWpaQ8yebhTYMCYCElLw7zRvPcNrXUC3SH31Y99ct6sB5FmDj6Bfk/s1600/Half+Moon+Bay+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvu1djM_85-S9P0XjsiJDgoxeJztziF17UfOiDR3-Ry0nEhHD0vEw0KpWdUMCB02OPoVisoD-lx8GySM3KxWW5lZWpaQ8yebhTYMCYCElLw7zRvPcNrXUC3SH31Y99ct6sB5FmDj6Bfk/s640/Half+Moon+Bay+detail.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br />Kimberly credits this bright colorful work to artist Erik Rieth, co-owner of <a href="http://www.seventhsontattoo.com/">Seventh Son Tattoo</a> in San Francisco. The poem below is an unpublished work she is including in a manuscript centered around her raising her 11-year old autistic son, seen in this photo with the tattoo above.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKWrABNkFvOxQGSX1wRlBt2Wlh_zj72OIfCGSmbCPAr1LhUoziQjCLD3a8eyx5tMyAy6YdlJ_ABT2fT0UvnxOv-ipjuOC2_tIdnrFVMNCNoI-cvc2gyLOtUAWWdxQo2SmG45WzEYu2Ok/s1600/0119002031a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKWrABNkFvOxQGSX1wRlBt2Wlh_zj72OIfCGSmbCPAr1LhUoziQjCLD3a8eyx5tMyAy6YdlJ_ABT2fT0UvnxOv-ipjuOC2_tIdnrFVMNCNoI-cvc2gyLOtUAWWdxQo2SmG45WzEYu2Ok/s320/0119002031a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The poem relates to her getting her first tattoo: <br /><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Stigmata of Spring</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In a room full of men I remove my shirt and lie down.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Feel but don’t meet their gaze.</div><div class="MsoNormal">The needle whirrs a little, a test.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Close my eyes and see mother working at the Singer </div><div class="MsoNormal">December afternoons before bartending nights, </div><div class="MsoNormal">tired of us looking thwarted and poor. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Smell my blood mix with ink and adrenaline. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Arousing to be the object of keen attention.</div><div class="MsoNormal">For hours I am a still nude.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As girls my friends and I would trace letters </div><div class="MsoNormal">on each other’s bare backs with our fingertips.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Excuse to give affection in our parentless homes. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I surrender to the electricity and his tender hands </div><div class="MsoNormal">that sketch and sew an iris and its purple vulva </div><div class="MsoNormal">into my back and blade.  No words. The needle’s hum </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">is a vow, drowning jerry-rigged lovers and son, </div><div class="MsoNormal">flogging my flaws and scars. To bear the sacred</div><div class="MsoNormal">and taboo: an iris ardent enough to flavor gin.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">He cleans and bandages my back like a hurt child. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Instructions, a swirl of pride and empathy,</div><div class="MsoNormal">for now it’s mine to carry, heal, and love. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Eventually, the iris bleeds, crackles, shimmies out nubile, </div><div class="MsoNormal">my stigmata of spring.  It draws the hands of lovers </div><div class="MsoNormal">and my son, who puts his lips to it and whispers “tattoo.”</div></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal">~ ~ ~<br /><br />Kimberly included a small photo of the piece in question, as well:</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmmm47FMVfeQ9FhrSSEDMQbH8tcc12hWHhlql6ql087wNrtK-9X8cFgA8v2F0hEQKHwLiZaPvOOvt64-QjUP84GKuT3S0vQXJpelHKPnWbHr6MQeGSvDHE9njFSp90LvyZ9FbD303Jwk/s1600/s696392736_1255451_9824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmmm47FMVfeQ9FhrSSEDMQbH8tcc12hWHhlql6ql087wNrtK-9X8cFgA8v2F0hEQKHwLiZaPvOOvt64-QjUP84GKuT3S0vQXJpelHKPnWbHr6MQeGSvDHE9njFSp90LvyZ9FbD303Jwk/s1600/s696392736_1255451_9824.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">She elaborates:<br /><br /><blockquote><div>"The iris was my first tattoo completed in 2007. It was a one session--four hour odyssey of sorts. I had never seen someone get tattooed, and was pondering why Erik was using so much red ink for a purple flower... yep, that was my blood, not ink. Over the years Erik and I developed a friendship and continued work on my shoulder in 2008 and the cherries February 2011. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwv_a1FMJ1VZiT2H8TO2ZAEjCI52vUoNrZ57KUFW8u72PBJuol03-AJtIS7m-HbQ9FDaw0ij4MeQ3WnsrQ1uokXRZ4_4gtC1dhFdJiXkiB0qtsI7EczoTivYCV9tBRL-xJJLyIJeivG4/s1600/Erik+working+on+Kim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwv_a1FMJ1VZiT2H8TO2ZAEjCI52vUoNrZ57KUFW8u72PBJuol03-AJtIS7m-HbQ9FDaw0ij4MeQ3WnsrQ1uokXRZ4_4gtC1dhFdJiXkiB0qtsI7EczoTivYCV9tBRL-xJJLyIJeivG4/s320/Erik+working+on+Kim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwxxcO0vnm0xhmfrDfLwgy09dKH34P82FKlzE8sxo9VXtfTxP9guSa_XCAAT7fwKFUcCZFb_Y-CAlDWMKYFBt9646QGPEqsWyQ3eshWTdDsq9P-KPCge7LE90cMDtRHtWRYGjexxQvOs/s1600/Kim%2527s+cherries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwxxcO0vnm0xhmfrDfLwgy09dKH34P82FKlzE8sxo9VXtfTxP9guSa_XCAAT7fwKFUcCZFb_Y-CAlDWMKYFBt9646QGPEqsWyQ3eshWTdDsq9P-KPCge7LE90cMDtRHtWRYGjexxQvOs/s320/Kim%2527s+cherries.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I know the next one is going to be a large hip/thigh sea dragon piece, but that's a ways off. </div><div><br /></div><div>For me to be ready to get a tattoo, three elements have to be in line: my artist Erik has to want and like the idea, I have to be ready (both financially and emotionally) and the time commitment and passion for the design have to be there. When all are in line, it's a magical sort of experience. I give him ideas, he designs the piece and then we get down to work. I couldn't have anyone else do my work now; it just wouldn't be the same. [...] He co-owns a shop in San Francisco that just did a benefit for Japan, raising $7,000. Cool place. <a href="http://www.seventhsontattoo.com/" target="_blank">http://www.seventhsontattoo.<wbr></wbr>com</a>. Erik and the shop Seven Son Tattoo are both also on Facebook. </div><div><br /></div><div>There's definitely a connection between tattooing and writing for me. This is the only poem that I've written that is about tattooing (at least on the surface). However, both writing and getting a tattoo require a leap of sorts: a stepping off of the known. Both require a loss of control which lay the foundation for original art both on the body and the page." </div></blockquote>Thanks to Kimberly for sharing her tattoos, poetry and photos with us here on Tattoosday!<br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kimberly Mahler’s recent work has appeared in, <i><a href="http://www.5ampoetry.com/">5AM</a>,</i> <a href="http://www.dmqreview.com/"><i>DMQ</i> <i>Review</i></a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604861096/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=1604861096%22%3EMy%20Baby%20Rides%20the%20Short%20Bus:%20The%20Unabashedly%20Human%20Experience%20of%20Raising%20Kids%20with%20Disabilities%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=1604861096&camp=217145&creative=399349%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20%21important;%20margin:0px%20%21important;%22%20/%3E"><i>My Baby Rides the Short Bus</i></a> anthology, <a href="http://naugatuckriverreview.wordpress.com/"><i>Naugatuck River Review</i></a>, <a href="http://internationalpsychoanalysis.net/2009/12/09/poetry-monday-kimberly-mahler/#more-9052"><i>The International Psychoanalysis Poetry Monday</i></a> and<i> <a href="http://cimarronreview.okstate.edu/">Cimarron Review</a>. </i> She recently received a residency at the <a href="http://www.ragdale.org/">Ragdale Foundation</a> in Chicago. Kimberly has taught college-level writing and literature in the San Francisco Bay Area for 17 years and is the director of <a href="http://www.iplsf.org%20/">The International Poetry Library of San Francisco</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> She lives on the coast, a few miles north Half Moon Bay, CA with her son Harrison.</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. The poem is reprinted here with the permission of the author.<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: x-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></div></div>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Kimberly Mahler

Today's tattooed poet is Kimberly Mahler, who sent along this tattoo: Kimberly credits this bright colorful work to artist Erik Rieth, c...

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Amanda's Irises (and a Quote)

This start-of-the-year post is courtesy of Amanda, who I met at the end of October in the <a href="http://www.borders.com/online/store/StoreDetailView_592">Borders</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Circle">Columbus Circle</a>.<br /><br />It was her sleeve of irises that first captured my attention:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxVQVY8iGd3WjVwxyu9kaYx_obP83AO3reaI2PLEQfpBPJlNGyNqfQv6YyCMx3UbK_79VIb_M-A4_8E0Ayo_5Q3drk4SD-QyDXjxtbXoM53dkbpi2oaFkbZMruSymLuPJWTczrqZmIvw/s1600/Amanda+Iris+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxVQVY8iGd3WjVwxyu9kaYx_obP83AO3reaI2PLEQfpBPJlNGyNqfQv6YyCMx3UbK_79VIb_M-A4_8E0Ayo_5Q3drk4SD-QyDXjxtbXoM53dkbpi2oaFkbZMruSymLuPJWTczrqZmIvw/s640/Amanda+Iris+Collage.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><br />These are inspired by the work of <a href="http://www.vangoghgallery.com/">Vincent van Gogh</a>, perhaps this one:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DqHaIGcv28Y8vFmLYNn6tLvcDov3YKeGIQCrQmP30qiYkLNTmrtsPgznG7AiohH_p4GEuaZKal9i0j4afIVSrAaZbbNTOZjNIvsh0jQJX7-e2YqrlPGjucDxVJxNeR3Gm93HCHkApeo/s1600/Irises.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DqHaIGcv28Y8vFmLYNn6tLvcDov3YKeGIQCrQmP30qiYkLNTmrtsPgznG7AiohH_p4GEuaZKal9i0j4afIVSrAaZbbNTOZjNIvsh0jQJX7-e2YqrlPGjucDxVJxNeR3Gm93HCHkApeo/s400/Irises.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />The tattoo was done by <a href="http://www.highvoltagetattoo.com/artists_dennis.html">Dennis Halbritter</a> when he was at <a href="http://incognitotattoo.com/">Incognito Tattoo</a> in Pasadena, California. He has since moved to <a href="http://www.highvoltagetattoo.com/home.html">High Voltage Tattoo</a>, <a href="http://www.katvond.net/">Kat Von D's</a> shop on <a href="http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/la-ink/">L.A. Ink</a>.<br /><br />Dennis also inked this on Amanda's inner right bicep:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqWN5etbppqpIlJQ8wDqNo3IbT2bdC97gCulyR3FkKe8cbIuyg-5y3aqnx2k9uwcbJhUfzTXDoPipF-gITKvmbRI8yDeTVREnIfYi4tAuh-4nss0PjS6LaxPv4w1POku8g6mn1nCrFF0/s1600/amanda+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqWN5etbppqpIlJQ8wDqNo3IbT2bdC97gCulyR3FkKe8cbIuyg-5y3aqnx2k9uwcbJhUfzTXDoPipF-gITKvmbRI8yDeTVREnIfYi4tAuh-4nss0PjS6LaxPv4w1POku8g6mn1nCrFF0/s400/amanda+quote.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This quote "IO FU QUELLO CHE VOI SIETE E QUEL CH'IO SON VOI SARETE" is taken from an Italian fresco credited to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaccio">Masaccio</a>. This is the artwork in question:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydCVKXxUd67MXNGVA4z6lCyXGi8yvw7udJJNBmZE6mzjWpFauaLAtrvMwIChx9ItOYr1RFl-v75ph7Qz7UfSw_RDUKl4SR7UCRulOowDbmTCwFfe5X1t_GRv6SY1q8BCtBHyY26X37ro/s1600/296px-Masaccio_trinity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydCVKXxUd67MXNGVA4z6lCyXGi8yvw7udJJNBmZE6mzjWpFauaLAtrvMwIChx9ItOYr1RFl-v75ph7Qz7UfSw_RDUKl4SR7UCRulOowDbmTCwFfe5X1t_GRv6SY1q8BCtBHyY26X37ro/s640/296px-Masaccio_trinity.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The Holy Trinity, with the Virgin and Saint John and donors, </b></i><b>in Florence</b></td></tr></tbody></table>If you look at the bottom of the fresco, right above the skeleton is the phrase Amanda has inscribed on her arm.<br /><br />The phrase is translated as "I once was what you are and what I am you also will be".<br />These words remind her of her own mortality.<br /><br />Thanks to Amanda for sharing these lovely tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Amanda's Irises (and a Quote)

This start-of-the-year post is courtesy of Amanda, who I met at the end of October in the Borders at Columbus Circle . It was her sleeve of...

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