Jenny's Skeleton Key

January was a bleak month here in New York City. The second snowiest month ever did not bode well for inkspotting, but on the last day of the month, I met Jenny, a graphic designer, at my local bookstore.<br /><br />Jenny had two tattoos visible, but has nine others as well. She offered up this cool skeleton key tattoo on her inner left forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CXgUFjB_meEgooKoddOjgq2nOFEHsY2ra-KW2CKXXvhMSRNkSnyw0Screg2eUChu9UB1jQy6eWF8cIhqGNo9f9EOgDw94L6urdiTBjHd8yX_EjQzbZZRP3c56Tr0wBLRr-DVvAZCmBs/s1600/Skeleton+Key.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CXgUFjB_meEgooKoddOjgq2nOFEHsY2ra-KW2CKXXvhMSRNkSnyw0Screg2eUChu9UB1jQy6eWF8cIhqGNo9f9EOgDw94L6urdiTBjHd8yX_EjQzbZZRP3c56Tr0wBLRr-DVvAZCmBs/s640/Skeleton+Key.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><br />She told me that the tattoo's orientation on her arm is, if you'll pardon the pun, key. It points toward her heart and represents the fact that she makes her own decisions in her life, or in her own words, "I open my own doors".<br /><br />She had this done by Mumia at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/omega-tattoos-and-body-piercing-jackson-heights">Omega Tattoos</a> in Queens. She added that all her tattoos are in black and gray, saying it is a matter of personal preference and that colors don't translate well on her skin.<br /><br />Check out Jenny's website <a href="http://www.leminxxx.com/">here</a> to see some of her design work. I especially like <a href="http://www.leminxxx.com/portfolio/home/album/print?p=1">this example</a> of her design for a tattoo shop.<br /><br />Thanks to Jenny for sharing this special key with us here on Tattoosday!

Jenny's Skeleton Key

January was a bleak month here in New York City. The second snowiest month ever did not bode well for inkspotting, but on the last day of t...

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Brian's Mat-tree-monial Tattoo

Late last month, I met Brian on the 34th Street A platform and he shared this amazing tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPByhGAJMDyHFkrwMBIC-pr8jH6lit4H5MUE7wL_EnJP5zUdSEHoRDHfyEyC05n7M80qtJlA4sAO1hXYD-6ooxpRY5vvW_T-hXFV4Sss6Gq-Y1QwU-8LlyvX3CyoxwS9R0h21UME1/s1600/tree+kaz+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPByhGAJMDyHFkrwMBIC-pr8jH6lit4H5MUE7wL_EnJP5zUdSEHoRDHfyEyC05n7M80qtJlA4sAO1hXYD-6ooxpRY5vvW_T-hXFV4Sss6Gq-Y1QwU-8LlyvX3CyoxwS9R0h21UME1/s640/tree+kaz+wm.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><br />The piece was relatively fresh, having been inked only a couple weeks before.<br /><br />He explained that this tree represents the Tree of Life. He alluded to the roots that spread out, firmly symbolizing family.<br /><br />Brian also explained that it was an investigation piece: he added a key, hanging from a branch. This symbolizes his desire to unlock the meaning of life.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8-bg_w1UR_Wor-T9c0hO4KamCpWpvS7jJNqGy0AScBsaokxA2H7GXWevLNgNRxaoAePfxZABkW_elbE1y8WQKtnH9lWiISrT0w570INqHmCvFYLf3SBl25ax55-ml439Hi8b20DR/s1600/tree+kaz+key+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8-bg_w1UR_Wor-T9c0hO4KamCpWpvS7jJNqGy0AScBsaokxA2H7GXWevLNgNRxaoAePfxZABkW_elbE1y8WQKtnH9lWiISrT0w570INqHmCvFYLf3SBl25ax55-ml439Hi8b20DR/s400/tree+kaz+key+wm.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />What's doubly special about this tattoo is that it is also a marriage tattoo. Brian's wife has a similar tree on her right arm (Brian's is on the left), only with cherry blossoms instead of a key, and a baby in the design as well.<br /><br />The couple are linked not only by their vows, but by their similar ma-tree-monial tattoos. Sorry, I couldn't help it.<br /><br />The tattoo is by <a href="http://www.nyadorned.com/gallery.php?id=20">Kaz</a> at <a href="http://www.nyadorned.com/">Brooklyn Adorned</a>. Work from Kaz has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/09/butterfly-koi-rising-on-arm-of-belquis.html">here</a>. And <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/New%20York%20Adorned">this tag</a>, links all previous Adorned work on the blog.<br /><br />Thanks to Brian for sharing this amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Brian's Mat-tree-monial Tattoo

Late last month, I met Brian on the 34th Street A platform and he shared this amazing tattoo: The piece was relatively fresh, having been in...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Eboni Hogan

On this final day of the Tattooed Poets Project 2010, we have a double treat - the tattoos and poetry of both Jeanann Verlee (<a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/tattooed-poets-project-jeanann-verlee.html">here</a>) and her friend Eboni Hogan.<br /><br />What follows is a tat-alogue of Eboni's body art.<br /><br />She prefaces her work with the following proclamation:<br /><blockquote><br />"A Note About The Artist: A majority of the work (the shoulder piece, the peacock and the cherry blossoms) on my body were done by an amazingly talented artist named Craig Spencer out of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/whatevertattoo">Whatever Tattoo II</a> on St. Mark's Place who was also my boyfriend of almost four years until fairly recently. Yay! It's a sado-masochistic love story! Some liken this to getting a man's name tattooed across my boobs but I can say he is truly one of the only artists I trust with my flesh."</blockquote><br />And now the ink:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6xFXRXrZKWcfmeQiEWhvWm6m3p78mxBmrPoQk1QInyVW9_dktklHrJmUs-jzvGmIcdpHd7bPMUwwwQHakYmhGn78De7FXzOiSzYBgUQzYf41p8Ppt4C_MN_H1Q0_Z3nm9Os23CTX/s1600/eboni+feathers+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463266346092367506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6xFXRXrZKWcfmeQiEWhvWm6m3p78mxBmrPoQk1QInyVW9_dktklHrJmUs-jzvGmIcdpHd7bPMUwwwQHakYmhGn78De7FXzOiSzYBgUQzYf41p8Ppt4C_MN_H1Q0_Z3nm9Os23CTX/s400/eboni+feathers+1.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a><blockquote>"This shoulder piece is a custom design that took the most amount of tweaking before I actually got it inked. There are three quill pens, a skeleton key and a key hole, all tied together with ribbons. I'd had a strange dream one night in which a creepy old woman handed me a set of keys, tied to three feathers and told me that if I could find the door, the key would let me out...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCeB4Kn9MoNg5-lbhtKOVcjnzBxYNaGxo9gVP1P9QeOcGKC1Q6hPYnxcB3S1ghpT2oyrzbJOaPpkzVzgixowPKmUB1n0Rnmxc7fVJcWsZf5zZxEaMssRaQguZQ7tiwDHyS5goBZRSP/s1600/eboni+feathers+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463266437586234706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCeB4Kn9MoNg5-lbhtKOVcjnzBxYNaGxo9gVP1P9QeOcGKC1Q6hPYnxcB3S1ghpT2oyrzbJOaPpkzVzgixowPKmUB1n0Rnmxc7fVJcWsZf5zZxEaMssRaQguZQ7tiwDHyS5goBZRSP/s400/eboni+feathers+2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />...In my dream, I draped the key over my shoulder for safe keeping (dream logic...) but when I finally reached the promised door, the key and the feathers were adhered to my skin. The image stuck when I woke up and I talked to the artist about designing a similar piece. He suggested that the feathers be quill pens to pay homage to my love of poetry."<br /></blockquote>Next we have an image linked inexorably to the history of tattoos in the West, with its background in naval history. It was inked by an unidentified artist at <a href="http://www.capitolcitytattoo.net/">Capitol City Tattoo</a> in Madison, Wisconsin:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UC1Z_BFNgpaJ_LNe9zQfusSFl1KgUEcRyWFtw1wQBA_AN9sNC3XBzPhYbq-cbWPmuJrx5YQ9946BArUsgeCvlXsSs_G3RugwtaEZOkU0srrMXbpYGEd_WGH4PebJj6p8D6si7PR0/s1600/eboni+anchor.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463265878026922706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UC1Z_BFNgpaJ_LNe9zQfusSFl1KgUEcRyWFtw1wQBA_AN9sNC3XBzPhYbq-cbWPmuJrx5YQ9946BArUsgeCvlXsSs_G3RugwtaEZOkU0srrMXbpYGEd_WGH4PebJj6p8D6si7PR0/s400/eboni+anchor.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 376px;" /></a><br /><blockquote>"I adore old school tattoos of the Sailor Jerry variety. I am also really active in the poetry slam community and every team I have ever been coined "the anchor"- the poet put up towards the end of a slam to (fingers crossed) make a home run. At the 2008 National Poetry Slam in Wisconsin, I decided it would be suitable to get this piece on my ribs."</blockquote><br />Next up we have some cherry blossoms on the back of Eboni's right biceps:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRVLZ8BkcsoByVZb8NFRxY-d5wWLSv4wDJZFUfu_FA-tG0DgRrbwfHv_WWhzVDXrHey21ET0Iujt8YB8cMjqRvVg6UMkLjrBq3NnE3f1hgao6BQeH7msxnp6H6YZok1RzIFkfQE55/s1600/eboni+blossoms.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463265543103624066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRVLZ8BkcsoByVZb8NFRxY-d5wWLSv4wDJZFUfu_FA-tG0DgRrbwfHv_WWhzVDXrHey21ET0Iujt8YB8cMjqRvVg6UMkLjrBq3NnE3f1hgao6BQeH7msxnp6H6YZok1RzIFkfQE55/s400/eboni+blossoms.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Blossom on the tree you know how I feel</span>. Text by unknown artist, <a href="http://www.addictioninknyc.com/">Addiction Ink</a>, St. Mark's Place, cherry blossoms by Craig Spencer. If my life were a television series, <a href="http://www.ninasimone.com/">Nina Simone's</a> song "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feeling_Good">Feeling Good</a>" would be the theme song. On my worst days, this is the never-fail anthem. The particular phrase that I decided on just happens to be the line in the song that feels infinitely more magical when sung at the tops of one's lungs. Try it."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" style="background-image: url(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/LOrqDx5dOp4/hqdefault.jpg);" width="425"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LOrqDx5dOp4&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div><br /><br />And last, but not least, this lovely peacock:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6QLohj8P7cwMHgasodcZYlh84FEM8FsE8cjDXYXzqzEQRGCMKcUNdRd7VXUuSK5mmyM96n1r4MIjiIYqUXwy1u21e7kOZ5kE-sJyWT1HeqBwPuWdD_99ybibUfKFls5y1iODPKj7/s1600/eboni+peacock.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463265413435337874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6QLohj8P7cwMHgasodcZYlh84FEM8FsE8cjDXYXzqzEQRGCMKcUNdRd7VXUuSK5mmyM96n1r4MIjiIYqUXwy1u21e7kOZ5kE-sJyWT1HeqBwPuWdD_99ybibUfKFls5y1iODPKj7/s400/eboni+peacock.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 161px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />"Peacocks are symbols of renewal and are revered by multiple cultures across the world. Furthermore, let's face it- they got a whole lotta swag. I found a vintage painting of a peacock that I loved though it's not the traditional green and blue image people are used to seeing. I got it on my left hip so that it could also serve as a cover-up for a pretty awful tattoo I got when I was 17 and foolish."<br /><br />Thanks to Eboni for sending along so many tattoos for us here at Tattoosday. Be sure to head over to BillyBlog to read one of her poems, dedicated to poet Jeanann Verlee, <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/2010/05/tattooed-poets-project-eboni-hogan.html">here</a>. Jeannann's tattoo (<a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/tattooed-poets-project-jeanann-verlee.html">here</a>) precedes this post, and <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/2010/04/tattooed-poets-project-jeanann-verlee.html">her poem</a> is dedicated to Eboni.<br /><br />24 year-old poet, actress and Bronx native, Eboni Hogan, has performed in over 30 U.S. cities and facilitated workshops from refugee camps to prestigious universities. She studied theater at New York University's <a href="http://www.tisch.nyu.edu/page/home.html">Tisch School of the Arts</a>. She is the winner of the <a href="http://wow.poetryslam.com/">2010 Women of the World Slam Poetry Slam</a>, the 2008 <a href="http://www.gotpoetry.com/News/article/sid=47993.html">Urbana Grand Slam Champion</a> and a two time representative of the <a href="http://www.nuyorican.org/Poetry/poetry.html">Nuyorican Slam Team</a>. She is published in the anthologies <a href="http://www.penmanshipbooks.com/pb/wp_b6e99345/wp_b6e99345.html">His Rib</a> and <u>Double Lives</u> and recently released her first collection of poetry entitled <a href="http://www.penmanshipbooks.com/PENMANSHIP_BOOKS/Eboni.html">Grits</a> through <a href="http://www.penmanshipbooks.com/PENMANSHIP_BOOKS/Home.html">Penmanship Books</a>.

The Tattooed Poets Project: Eboni Hogan

On this final day of the Tattooed Poets Project 2010, we have a double treat - the tattoos and poetry of both Jeanann Verlee ( here ) and he...

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