Travis and Another Perspective of Ganesh

People who are familiar with being featured here on Tattoosday know that there is a process, in which I generally go chronologically, and it often can be several weeks before I post their work.<br /><br />But there are always exceptions.<br /><br />Take, for example, Travis, who I met on Monday near the corner of 32nd and 8th Avenue waiting for a bus.<br /><br />Under normal circumstances, you'd have seen Travis's tattoo in September but, the next day, I got the following mysterious tweet: "<span class="status-body"><span class="status-content"><span class="entry-content">@<a class="tweet-url username" href="http://twitter.com/Tattoosday" rel="nofollow">Tattoosday</a> post pictures of that guys tattoos- you were talking to him yesterday outside MSG plzz! *stalker*".</span></span></span><br /><br /><span class="status-body"><span class="status-content"><span class="entry-content">What?</span></span></span><br /><br /><span class="status-body"><span class="status-content"><span class="entry-content">Well, a little bit of digging, and I discovered that the source of the message was Hannah, who appeared last month on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/07/sugar-skull-sunday-hannah-and-her.html">here</a>.</span></span></span> And since I'm a sucker for my fans, I'll gladly oblige and share Travis's tattoo with us here today. Here it is:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXgCWzyEu1-p4lAkazBjG1v2VN2KE-8lMzUYMzcpJ1ft98r3_n0IrrDgNiMvLz0IpnOPkXcW-WQCTBeigx6U3lIYTRRwc-3fHqFPu_5G9Yry-ppCNT1cfL5LV8KqmGXTekk9VZMUz/s1600/Ganesh+Travis+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXgCWzyEu1-p4lAkazBjG1v2VN2KE-8lMzUYMzcpJ1ft98r3_n0IrrDgNiMvLz0IpnOPkXcW-WQCTBeigx6U3lIYTRRwc-3fHqFPu_5G9Yry-ppCNT1cfL5LV8KqmGXTekk9VZMUz/s640/Ganesh+Travis+wm.jpg" width="404" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Travis's tattoo depicts the Hindu deity <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha">Ganesh</a>. However, unlike <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/06/ganesh-waits-for-a-train.html">this Ganesh tattoo</a>, this one has a twist.<br /><br />Travis explained that one of the common beliefs is that Ganesh was born with a human head, but that he was beheaded as a boy, and his head was replaced with that of an elephant. He obtained a third eye so that he could make sure he was never betrayed again.<br /><br />Travis says that he often feels "too aware" of others, to the point that it detracts from his enjoyment of life. Thus, his tattoo of Ganesh has him literally slicing off the third eye, wielding a sword with his trunk, which metaphorically translates to Travis "cooling out" and being less aware so that he can enjoy life more.<br /><br />The "F.I.A." on the banner stand for "Fuck It All".<br /><br />Travis has eight tattoos, which includes a full sleeve, all by artist <a href="http://www.daredeviltattoo.com/component/option,com_gallery2/Itemid,26/?g2_itemId=2142">Brad Stevens</a> at <a href="http://www.daredeviltattoo.com/">Dare Devil Tattoo</a> in New York City.<br /><br />Thanks to Travis for sharing this interesting interpretation of Ganesh with us here on Tattoosday!

Travis and Another Perspective of Ganesh

People who are familiar with being featured here on Tattoosday know that there is a process, in which I generally go chronologically, and it...

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Ganesh Waits for the A Train

Actually, Kerry was waiting on the platform for the uptown <a href="http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/aline.htm">A Train</a> when I walked by at 34th Street.<br /><br />How could I not stop and ask her about this tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadetIl94hMWpNMIeJVAhNtUR4xxbvQL8z_yNJTG4Y1D32whbF_iVTWIZVSRIz8W0BfS57dTSMuHX_u3P1_-R95ciNYEzmaQ2j41pipNvsIQIcqMhZhxuMQijLWljAM6CwVN3AsNv-/s1600/Ganesh+Center.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadetIl94hMWpNMIeJVAhNtUR4xxbvQL8z_yNJTG4Y1D32whbF_iVTWIZVSRIz8W0BfS57dTSMuHX_u3P1_-R95ciNYEzmaQ2j41pipNvsIQIcqMhZhxuMQijLWljAM6CwVN3AsNv-/s640/Ganesh+Center.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><br /><br />This absolutely stunning depiction of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_deities">Hindu</a> deity <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha">Ganesh</a> took between eight and nine hours to complete. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6ISAWZTdj4-eB-XeiX_F7ec9jD5-wWPNqKzsmcpDt7gef-j0DORGIFGVlbHINBEDfuBEmiYu9leG_LNGuMdGmChCMbk5eceK9dhJ1tJALx51M-_z2NirsJpM9d9BLMXnzpbHol5X/s1600/Ganesh+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6ISAWZTdj4-eB-XeiX_F7ec9jD5-wWPNqKzsmcpDt7gef-j0DORGIFGVlbHINBEDfuBEmiYu9leG_LNGuMdGmChCMbk5eceK9dhJ1tJALx51M-_z2NirsJpM9d9BLMXnzpbHol5X/s400/Ganesh+collage.jpg" width="397" /></a></div><br /><br /><a href="http://guyursitti.com/">Guy Ursitti</a> at <a href="http://www.thickerthanwatertattoo.com/index.html">Thicker Than Water</a> is the tattooist responsible for this work of art, the newest (at the time I met her) of Kerry's approximately fifty tattoos.<br /><br />The detail in the tattoo is absolutely incredible.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJwwmisgzF_H80X4rViyMRMIl_tRim8qVpuUpkhaYhprRhigk1r0nSVexxU2dP9cNH5GgZ2ruNE_YYo2BEbz53DUtZFr-y0FtFyyj35uNksh3YKSf9ypBTzqDDzgT9NHwZCxI6nWE/s1600/Ganesh+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJwwmisgzF_H80X4rViyMRMIl_tRim8qVpuUpkhaYhprRhigk1r0nSVexxU2dP9cNH5GgZ2ruNE_YYo2BEbz53DUtZFr-y0FtFyyj35uNksh3YKSf9ypBTzqDDzgT9NHwZCxI6nWE/s400/Ganesh+detail.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><br />Work from Thicker Than Water has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Thicker%20Than%20Water">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Kerry for sharing this amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Ganesh Waits for the A Train

Actually, Kerry was waiting on the platform for the uptown A Train when I walked by at 34th Street. How could I not stop and ask her about ...

Read more »