Dispatch from the 2011 New York City Tattoo Convention (A Recap)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3pDbt8VzRzit4X14Vi-uA4J3KYE0VIas7c07tknniW66qeWhWG5UPRmUAvziu9gUasfscZdDXTtVhAYaiPoUt4HQ7Ma2eFJpyRXFeLRtrEP98loWSqZQeMwOHMRGd9wfgC8VTmQbJII/s1600/convention.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3pDbt8VzRzit4X14Vi-uA4J3KYE0VIas7c07tknniW66qeWhWG5UPRmUAvziu9gUasfscZdDXTtVhAYaiPoUt4HQ7Ma2eFJpyRXFeLRtrEP98loWSqZQeMwOHMRGd9wfgC8VTmQbJII/s400/convention.jpg" width="308" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Yesterday I spent a half dozen hours at the <a href="http://www.roselandballroom.com/">Roseland Ballroom</a>, where the <a href="http://www.nyctattooconvention.com/index.html">New York City Tattoo Convention </a>was holding court. This was my third trip to the show, and each year, I have a different experience, as Tattoosday has evolved as a site (read about 2009 <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/05/dispatch-from-new-york-city-tattoo.html">here</a> and 2010 <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/dispatch-from-nyc-tattoo-convention.html">here</a>).<br /><br />In years past, I have only highlighted one or two pieces, as I go into sensory overload. What, outside of a convention's setting, would normally pique my interest, seems commonplace and ordinary. This year, however, I took many more photos, and actually interviewed four people, so this will be Convention Recap Week.<br /><br />I do want to say the best part of the show was hanging and chatting with Marisa and Brian from <a href="http://www.needlesandsins.com/">Needles and Sins</a>, as well as with Nathan from <a href="http://www.knuckletattoos.com/">Knuckle Tattoos</a>. It's not a portrait of future world domination, yet, but here's the three of us, masterminds of three of the best tattoo sites around, and hands and above, the best three inkbloggers at the show:<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/AVvXsEh0KE5pM-gj0W0qbi8Qsx0qZlC_Z3qZT33-fMDI0gn3TE_m46-AS6T11TNpAPhzrmCTN4bif_Y5bq1aNgCZX5bPO6-j6Ph-5LrrCw9tRBSc7qlvNA3HUo0W0UN1Q1EWJckCMFLKcKJysok/s1600/Three+Bloggers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KE5pM-gj0W0qbi8Qsx0qZlC_Z3qZT33-fMDI0gn3TE_m46-AS6T11TNpAPhzrmCTN4bif_Y5bq1aNgCZX5bPO6-j6Ph-5LrrCw9tRBSc7qlvNA3HUo0W0UN1Q1EWJckCMFLKcKJysok/s400/Three+Bloggers.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathan, Marisa and Me (photo by Brian Grosz)</td></tr></tbody></table>That moment of self-adulation aside, I spent the first few hours talking to vendors about advertising, chatting with colleagues, and saying hello to people I've met in years past, like <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/dispatch-from-nyc-tattoo-convention.html">Greg</a> who was the high point of last year's show for me.<br /><br />I also like to introduce myself to artists whose work has appeared on the Site before, so I said hi to <a href="http://rosenthaltattoo.com/">Adam Rosenthal</a> of <a href="http://www.thinktanktattoo.com/">Th'Ink Tank</a> in Denver, and <a href="http://www.tattoosbyvinny.com/Tattoos_by_Vinny/Welcome.html">Vinny Romanelli</a> at <a href="http://redrockettattoo.com/">Red Rocket</a> in NYC.<br /><br />I also took a slew of photos of people I didn't interview, so I will just throw them up here. Unfortunately I can't credit any of the amazing artists responsible. However, if you see your work here, shoot me an email and I can give you your proper due. Many of these shots were taken during the first round of the contest, which centered around black and gray work:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><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/AVvXsEh1VsYS4ZYWtNtVAa71fbb4Y_S9Ynpqu1unThu51dvmS8K73fK1CNfQxMDh7GQsuipPWhso2w5tr5l9clKV05Iht1Ndwh2ltq2eBOmsc37aoSEjv3ElZgNqDkwd_mKfxvXpzCsQDQQgSBA/s1600/BG+MArilyn+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VsYS4ZYWtNtVAa71fbb4Y_S9Ynpqu1unThu51dvmS8K73fK1CNfQxMDh7GQsuipPWhso2w5tr5l9clKV05Iht1Ndwh2ltq2eBOmsc37aoSEjv3ElZgNqDkwd_mKfxvXpzCsQDQQgSBA/s640/BG+MArilyn+Back.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVo1opa4lasDmRpAGzfIKAqV79BdFYyQgfaKApcrZxCvKMjMllYz7hadC2ypUIjnSAdNfNJ3_liLBQ3kNsKLEI9j1cwzZRMvqsaCmojE4waSKB8ElaMeNQaeEQvLCZruw9lKpWqjFQNso/s1600/bg+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVo1opa4lasDmRpAGzfIKAqV79BdFYyQgfaKApcrZxCvKMjMllYz7hadC2ypUIjnSAdNfNJ3_liLBQ3kNsKLEI9j1cwzZRMvqsaCmojE4waSKB8ElaMeNQaeEQvLCZruw9lKpWqjFQNso/s400/bg+face.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8v17qi8b1AgTRNleQ3NkkWXlDbdDo_c9PXX7R9uvyUuJetkNJsfKFdinFN4-iqkN_Ko15cx8i3BUciIzL5f34U1h0jEPs7lPP99bGQYj1gYXRPszouFcclPgyvGTGSy7wcg1RcAMSAE/s1600/BG+Aztec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8v17qi8b1AgTRNleQ3NkkWXlDbdDo_c9PXX7R9uvyUuJetkNJsfKFdinFN4-iqkN_Ko15cx8i3BUciIzL5f34U1h0jEPs7lPP99bGQYj1gYXRPszouFcclPgyvGTGSy7wcg1RcAMSAE/s400/BG+Aztec.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATEWpRXVAqTj-7TCk9Wj_LiFmvbKkQB8qGfcmHXLR4gVBQPx0DKwv7rPQfClTClFBTKUFLQjgbWfNoAN0n9_qAVoF-MdonH7wAESmza6xletEKFZoYH2NnO89Q9PinWAZfmMthaWiVlk/s1600/BG+Cooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATEWpRXVAqTj-7TCk9Wj_LiFmvbKkQB8qGfcmHXLR4gVBQPx0DKwv7rPQfClTClFBTKUFLQjgbWfNoAN0n9_qAVoF-MdonH7wAESmza6xletEKFZoYH2NnO89Q9PinWAZfmMthaWiVlk/s400/BG+Cooper.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFrCst7tCgjPWuM1zEQ5LECeCkgJztQ_z6Owh5P32pkTOl_JsoJEks4vffXAmI_bAN_SUl3-biHZiyBaM7Q_DNsfDmUNcjawAndTCq75pEtdN01Pdd_H7ftP4kJgOXqHp5nVosM2Nt84/s1600/BG+dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFrCst7tCgjPWuM1zEQ5LECeCkgJztQ_z6Owh5P32pkTOl_JsoJEks4vffXAmI_bAN_SUl3-biHZiyBaM7Q_DNsfDmUNcjawAndTCq75pEtdN01Pdd_H7ftP4kJgOXqHp5nVosM2Nt84/s400/BG+dragon.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-0m7c2MxveL9XUdUv2S36U4N8MFrzKmzbXmF2jU-oMT8S9tao2_9wMEbyV0e-K7ytrZJUNjzbdddSNGOVI4e4u1MT0Iv_vSvIGAKza0d1c1EMKxmjq2PBGp2WBjj6yLhkismiCFC8Kw/s1600/bg+monsters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-0m7c2MxveL9XUdUv2S36U4N8MFrzKmzbXmF2jU-oMT8S9tao2_9wMEbyV0e-K7ytrZJUNjzbdddSNGOVI4e4u1MT0Iv_vSvIGAKza0d1c1EMKxmjq2PBGp2WBjj6yLhkismiCFC8Kw/s400/bg+monsters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Je418U1t2I3IZl-j_tPN_HgZcJh-wCXapyQhoHrdzRKLHg999lh7OMeUsxqAq0FadKePFQ9ecVFsAdOsQlV3JZN4rGQuqLhOywgHxUpkdabz0jgauQ8PSqxcCTycHwOVfDmfjD1znQY/s1600/BG+pumpkinhead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Je418U1t2I3IZl-j_tPN_HgZcJh-wCXapyQhoHrdzRKLHg999lh7OMeUsxqAq0FadKePFQ9ecVFsAdOsQlV3JZN4rGQuqLhOywgHxUpkdabz0jgauQ8PSqxcCTycHwOVfDmfjD1znQY/s400/BG+pumpkinhead.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2SN1zggmEqSJ1Zbh3tz0A3cbOsZUPmeZ7PRY177QIHdvbteHi_Aspl47KyhDcaLS_mNyVMWK56g0S4i1CgGYOg-YTj09Am9PA43Fe1r5xGb37qELsceOXQL_VEIUVt1y61tpZxnJgrE/s1600/BG+skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2SN1zggmEqSJ1Zbh3tz0A3cbOsZUPmeZ7PRY177QIHdvbteHi_Aspl47KyhDcaLS_mNyVMWK56g0S4i1CgGYOg-YTj09Am9PA43Fe1r5xGb37qELsceOXQL_VEIUVt1y61tpZxnJgrE/s400/BG+skull.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This one was one of my favorites, especially considering the woman's reflection in the blade of the knife:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZc5wvm88swtf0YZLDs8B66hLv7cOG9juBAGIVD9JSXIysA-U6KGHHjDao5kc7TH7YiX8sSApA1OVntXIHPGBf4AJLgRQYoN9Gq4D4qDaaDycLtO6LwjQVhH2MEsKlwqu5NXw9nfKPJ4/s1600/BG+Myers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZc5wvm88swtf0YZLDs8B66hLv7cOG9juBAGIVD9JSXIysA-U6KGHHjDao5kc7TH7YiX8sSApA1OVntXIHPGBf4AJLgRQYoN9Gq4D4qDaaDycLtO6LwjQVhH2MEsKlwqu5NXw9nfKPJ4/s640/BG+Myers.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />And this Star Wars leg was totally cool:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBTCq3FZF987LPzCk1-XlBt_f1g9mxYSZsIdeczcvaQ6BTVOtLaNS5-WjDiusMIKqLXgnTkMhIBVzmmJMfwN3km1QNl5d7MZugleds3tIpKwlweK6dd-u0xMthI-XuYDzrIJ0cDbbpkY/s1600/BG+Star+Wars+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBTCq3FZF987LPzCk1-XlBt_f1g9mxYSZsIdeczcvaQ6BTVOtLaNS5-WjDiusMIKqLXgnTkMhIBVzmmJMfwN3km1QNl5d7MZugleds3tIpKwlweK6dd-u0xMthI-XuYDzrIJ0cDbbpkY/s640/BG+Star+Wars+2.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAjBcbg64QDo5UwAgqf-wWzjTwjoM_12Ql2G3dvZm4ZXO4W5Qvob7NrDpm2-q49LvKp1x6Qasc837Mm1xL8D6tNGT1JJh2nRnssaTe6BtRb14n84roEVxmP4vtQcVLP-Tko28Db2Nsrc/s1600/BG+Star+Wars+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAjBcbg64QDo5UwAgqf-wWzjTwjoM_12Ql2G3dvZm4ZXO4W5Qvob7NrDpm2-q49LvKp1x6Qasc837Mm1xL8D6tNGT1JJh2nRnssaTe6BtRb14n84roEVxmP4vtQcVLP-Tko28Db2Nsrc/s640/BG+Star+Wars+3.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeueN9eUdDI__2AZdCGExVJ_zEKaWnxMfjrfgvO8brPhyphenhyphenIBI4NRBplBRpykWC5arZzPpMks0uDXjPEDAXYtu5FyXY3jyBt1Lo0RdruxABMLs4AFizDyk0WrJA5stdbq9NBgUEZSZR8JU/s1600/BG+Star+Wars+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeueN9eUdDI__2AZdCGExVJ_zEKaWnxMfjrfgvO8brPhyphenhyphenIBI4NRBplBRpykWC5arZzPpMks0uDXjPEDAXYtu5FyXY3jyBt1Lo0RdruxABMLs4AFizDyk0WrJA5stdbq9NBgUEZSZR8JU/s640/BG+Star+Wars+1.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br />Finally, through social media, my friend Ben in Hawai'i requested a shot of "80s West Coast punk rock logos." I thought I had failed in my quest until, as I was leaving, I captured this tiny <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Flag_%28band%29">Black Flag</a> tattoo on a guy named Crash, who works for <a href="http://www.tattooartistmagazine.com/">Tattoo Artist Magazine</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><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/AVvXsEhwMoAU7-ftvzrTQMu0FP5E1HzJT23kaH61xajz3rUDWDqDiQp7eSuYUCpIzKsawfuCJiXf907n9QzpROYeXrqZ17JfPAM5gaNjeYwGyc14z0V3FvRwal94pGTFD30Ve6gQjC92Zjoo9Bg/s1600/Mini+Black+Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMoAU7-ftvzrTQMu0FP5E1HzJT23kaH61xajz3rUDWDqDiQp7eSuYUCpIzKsawfuCJiXf907n9QzpROYeXrqZ17JfPAM5gaNjeYwGyc14z0V3FvRwal94pGTFD30Ve6gQjC92Zjoo9Bg/s400/Mini+Black+Flag.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Flag_%28band%29">Black Flag</a> Bars Tattoo by <a href="http://www.elmstreettattoo.com/shop.html">Oliver Peck</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />and this incredible <a href="http://www.misfits.com/">Misfits</a> piece to boot:<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/AVvXsEh0OwHHyb0gYJJ3TdXvtll2rOz1NcoJ2glBPctILGVMhzWuCN8lauVJMN1kBEYdIfHgTikc_EzMGbtNR0WVMU-pqRR5WwzYY0KT7I7-pM4CuKAaRzDj4CYPpZkyAiiw1xXPFRT9msPKCkk/s1600/Misfits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OwHHyb0gYJJ3TdXvtll2rOz1NcoJ2glBPctILGVMhzWuCN8lauVJMN1kBEYdIfHgTikc_EzMGbtNR0WVMU-pqRR5WwzYY0KT7I7-pM4CuKAaRzDj4CYPpZkyAiiw1xXPFRT9msPKCkk/s400/Misfits.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tattoo by Frank Lee at <a href="http://www.tattooblues.com/tattoos.php">Tattoo Blues</a> in Ft. Lauderdale</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Yes, we know, Misfits are an East Coast band. But it was too nice a tattoo to not photograph. Can you blame me?<br /><br />Check out the Tattoo Artist Magazine blog <a href="http://www.tattooartistmagazineblog.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />Check back throughout the week to see what four tattoos I found most blogworthy for us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><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 <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>

Dispatch from the 2011 New York City Tattoo Convention (A Recap)

  Yesterday I spent a half dozen hours at the Roseland Ballroom , where the New York City Tattoo Convention was holding court. This was my ...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Seth Berg Returns

Last year on the Tattooed Poets Project, the best ink we saw belonged to Seth Berg, hands down.If you don't believe me, check it out <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/04/tattooed-poets-project-seth-berg.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Seth has the honor of being the only previous tattooed poet to return to the site this year. And he has sent us a quintet of tattoos, choosing the theme of "<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">tattoos which have faces on them." And away we go:</span><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/AVvXsEjGiTR3P-gGuOOZB5MQC29KrqYLw5TPb6GG3MIR_2DqQu-K0KEttMBIccBS1qObomOCs8uGdItkSQOSvUj42zwRmNZGsXarAk8-OI5bxMjx927qgMdtxlCx0sc2Fs50E0mXElp87LPQS4I/s1600/seth+lady+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiTR3P-gGuOOZB5MQC29KrqYLw5TPb6GG3MIR_2DqQu-K0KEttMBIccBS1qObomOCs8uGdItkSQOSvUj42zwRmNZGsXarAk8-OI5bxMjx927qgMdtxlCx0sc2Fs50E0mXElp87LPQS4I/s640/seth+lady+one.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Ashley at <a href="http://ashleybergphotography.com/" target="_blank">http://ashleybergphotography.com/</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><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/AVvXsEgRR_8eUISd2HYZ6QreiEWDqV01H087FlhgRTGmZiPHL_DTYhtD-Cp8oF1VxpwQEYw0tn5749MpTaiHHTkAmYtOvhLcaSs9Jf3Lb9RNxguQLMks7d_TsCvSq9dxguVe8JqOB_wAV7QHlRw/s1600/seth+lady+two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR_8eUISd2HYZ6QreiEWDqV01H087FlhgRTGmZiPHL_DTYhtD-Cp8oF1VxpwQEYw0tn5749MpTaiHHTkAmYtOvhLcaSs9Jf3Lb9RNxguQLMks7d_TsCvSq9dxguVe8JqOB_wAV7QHlRw/s640/seth+lady+two.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Photo by Ashley at <a href="http://ashleybergphotography.com/" target="_blank">http://ashleybergphotography.com/</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Seth explains that "the two faces depicted in <a href="http://www.audrey-kawasaki.com/">Audrey Kawasaki</a> paintings are part of a half sleeve on my right arm."  Why does he have Kawasaki art inked on his flesh? "</span>Audrey Kawasaki is one of my favorite living painters and the half sleeve is a tattoo combining two of my favorite paintings of hers," says Seth. "I have seen other Kawasaki tattoos," he continues, "but I am quite impressed with this double-painting-half-sleeve blend."<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Next up is this <a href="http://www.lego.com/en-us/Default.aspx">Lego</a> piece:</span><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/AVvXsEiuYSCU30NQxVBr5kPy8ZSimidCkZPRPQFQboSI31mp5LTHjaTBphdI3-86REd6w3fmnl744SJj70w2gibHbWNyJQ9a5bDg6k0nswlemNKk3ZiX8flxW3rmMa9p-HpqLyD9D71xMowmXe4/s1600/seth+lego.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYSCU30NQxVBr5kPy8ZSimidCkZPRPQFQboSI31mp5LTHjaTBphdI3-86REd6w3fmnl744SJj70w2gibHbWNyJQ9a5bDg6k0nswlemNKk3ZiX8flxW3rmMa9p-HpqLyD9D71xMowmXe4/s640/seth+lego.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Photo by Ashley at <a href="http://ashleybergphotography.com/" target="_blank">http://ashleybergphotography.com/</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Seth says "the Lego head is on the back of my left calf ... [and is]  </span>one of the few 'walk-in' tattoos I have. I had just purchased an <a href="http://www.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx?domainredir=exoforce.lego.com">Exo-Force Lego</a> set and was quite amazed at the progression of facila expression." He adds, "I decided to honor the old school original on my leg. I grew up wanting every Lego piece on the planet. I couldn't <i>not </i>get a Lego tattoo."<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Next up is this piece:</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><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/AVvXsEjAD0PF5r5EF7wchpS9Gyc-PsGelb1u6aY6w6Go0eTPVSsNwvYh0TqcEX_iRSOf088-wTRtRwZVygGsv8mYQ_r4eEeDril3W9_62ZjCN-1MbUjbFvgCzusYBA3CtMYBSgttVbQuN9bhbeA/s1600/seth+skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAD0PF5r5EF7wchpS9Gyc-PsGelb1u6aY6w6Go0eTPVSsNwvYh0TqcEX_iRSOf088-wTRtRwZVygGsv8mYQ_r4eEeDril3W9_62ZjCN-1MbUjbFvgCzusYBA3CtMYBSgttVbQuN9bhbeA/s640/seth+skull.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Photo by Ashley at <a href="http://ashleybergphotography.com/" target="_blank">http://ashleybergphotography.com/</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> Seth says "the skull is on the lower front of my left bicep...</span>I had always been drawn to a refined black and gray skull and cross bones."<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/AVvXsEjA2Nbu3b79NuwHsRzYD7becSDyZ87sP-DhRBiEd12zl0sD7IWhBZCFB_ZnfP4FwVWltrfXPzK3YTn_FVLjk4RNQOBcdFVMAGg3CJw9-7H-ZMtn-AVf89SF2qa3JKbG_9E_9EYYDMAEq2w/s1600/seth+skull+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2Nbu3b79NuwHsRzYD7becSDyZ87sP-DhRBiEd12zl0sD7IWhBZCFB_ZnfP4FwVWltrfXPzK3YTn_FVLjk4RNQOBcdFVMAGg3CJw9-7H-ZMtn-AVf89SF2qa3JKbG_9E_9EYYDMAEq2w/s400/seth+skull+detail.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Detail of photo by Ashley at <a href="http://ashleybergphotography.com/" target="_blank">http://ashleybergphotography.com/</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">"Plus," he adds, "</span>pirate flag depictions are pretty cool."<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Finally, we have a jack-o-lantern on the inside of  his left bicep:</span><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/AVvXsEjl2k_CxUvR-H1_RlOf_5bZ9jwY7_yKMJmyb6Gfcl4g_SldLcqTeOTdd-oJfQJbFC4F7by0DoDuZVGxs0ke2unvwlJ4dBXfAfx5e80kTUCZ7H-E0Y6-Ly3r0afaBmRzbZ-zrL_ulyrwpgs/s1600/seth+jackolantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2k_CxUvR-H1_RlOf_5bZ9jwY7_yKMJmyb6Gfcl4g_SldLcqTeOTdd-oJfQJbFC4F7by0DoDuZVGxs0ke2unvwlJ4dBXfAfx5e80kTUCZ7H-E0Y6-Ly3r0afaBmRzbZ-zrL_ulyrwpgs/s400/seth+jackolantern.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Photo by Ashley at <a href="http://ashleybergphotography.com/" target="_blank">http://ashleybergphotography.com/</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Seth explains: "I am a sucker for Halloween--my wife and I had a Halloween-themed wedding the Saturday of Halloween weekend and we host a Halloween bash every year--thus, the Jack-o-lantern was a natural addition to the collection." In case you're wondering about the word "rain" in the photo, it is <u>not</u> a word in <a href="http://www.ineradicablestain.com/">Shelley Jackson's</a> <a href="http://www.ineradicablestain.com/skin-quilt.html">Skin Project</a>, he just loves the rain, and this is one of a "multitude of font and literary tattoos" that he possesses, so we know what Seth is giving us next year!<br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Seth explains that "all of the tattoos, with the exception of the skull and bones, were completed by <a href="http://bijoustudio-atx.com/artists/?page_id=14">Claudia "Billy" Baca</a> at <a href="http://www.saintsabrinas.com/">Saint Sabrina's</a> in Uptown, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Minneapolis</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">." He notes, "however, she currently works in </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Austin</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">Texas</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> at <a href="http://bijoustudio-atx.com/">Bijou Studio</a>."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">As for a poem, this is what Seth has offered to share with us:</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">"Constructing a Proper Torch"</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Douse the head of a cat tail</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">into a soapy mixture</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">of Dawn brand dish detergent</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">and gasoline;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">reinforce the stem</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">with a steel rod or femur;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">set the head ablaze;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">open your face to the air.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">When paper cranes</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">spill from your mouth,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">remember to light the dark,</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">  </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">sew feathers to your fingertips.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">When the cranes,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">spilling and multiplying, </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">request grain and berries,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">snacks of rodents and amphibians,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">tell them that hunger is an essential</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">component of flight.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">When, from the ground,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">they are unable to ascend,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">lend them your stitched fingertips</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">and take to the sky on fire.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> ~ ~ ~</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFN5gq6IvO3Z5xV_mdO5bF5nE0Ja8OxvqsXGOm4MBVF__2y9tCtVsQF5A2FPF8esDb_slp0cPu-KjyTU48LQ4iuwCsR2ic9-mOCHTXsH4E5xuWUL9dgEMgSnwldGv5rYO5Tw7IK8dovxg/s1600/Berg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFN5gq6IvO3Z5xV_mdO5bF5nE0Ja8OxvqsXGOm4MBVF__2y9tCtVsQF5A2FPF8esDb_slp0cPu-KjyTU48LQ4iuwCsR2ic9-mOCHTXsH4E5xuWUL9dgEMgSnwldGv5rYO5Tw7IK8dovxg/s1600/Berg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFN5gq6IvO3Z5xV_mdO5bF5nE0Ja8OxvqsXGOm4MBVF__2y9tCtVsQF5A2FPF8esDb_slp0cPu-KjyTU48LQ4iuwCsR2ic9-mOCHTXsH4E5xuWUL9dgEMgSnwldGv5rYO5Tw7IK8dovxg/s320/Berg.png" width="200" /></a>Seth Michael Berg earned his MFA in poetry from <a href="http://www.bgsu.edu/">Bowling Green State University</a> in 2003 and since has been bouncing around the country teaching, tending bar, sculpting, writing, and occasionally snowshoeing. His poems and fiction can be found in <a href="http://www.ctstateu.edu/ctreview/">Connecticut Review</a>, <a href="http://www.pserie.psu.edu/academic/hss/lakeeffect/index.html">Lake Effect</a>, <a href="http://www.wordriot.org/">Word Riot</a>, <a href="http://jmww.150m.com/">JMWW</a>, <a href="http://www.asteriusonline.com/13thWR/">13th Warrior Review</a>, <a href="http://www.chironreview.com/">Chiron Review</a>, <a href="http://www.blazevox.org/">BlazeVOX</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/pikemag">Pike Magazine</a>, and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10375519983">Disappearing City Literary Review</a>, among others. His first book, <i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615357172/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0615357172%22%3EMuted%20Lines%20from%20Someone%20Else%27s%20Memory%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=&l=as2&o=1&a=0615357172%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">Muted Lines From Someone Else's Memory</a>, </i>was winner of <a href="http://darkskymagazine.com/books/">Dark Sky Books</a> book contest in 2009 and rolled off the press summer of 2010. He has since been city-hopping on lecture book tour and will next be in Chicago at the end of April. Berg lives in Chaska, MN with his photographer wife, Ashley, their supernatural son, Oak, and their Saint Bernard, Icarus. When not working, Berg can most likely be found indulging his addiction to hot sauce or slowing down somewhere in a forest. Here is a book link with audio poems and other goodies: <a href="http://darkskymagazine.com/books/seth-berg-muted-lines/" target="_blank">http://darkskymagazine.com/books/seth-berg-muted-lines/.</a><br /><br />Thanks to Seth, once again, for his invaluable contribution to the Tattooed Poets Project! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bill03-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0615357172" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">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 <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> </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"></div>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Seth Berg Returns

Last year on the Tattooed Poets Project, the best ink we saw belonged to Seth Berg, hands down.If you don't believe me, check it out her...

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