Body modification, mostly in the form of tattoos, has been an intricate part of my journey in this life. From my late teens on I saw myself as growing, discovering, ever changing.....evolving. When I was 16 I met my husband, Randy, and then his friend Dan. Dan was the most heavily tattooed person I had met. Dan had a lot of wizards and I liked that he kinda had a theme. He was also the first person to, along with Randy, take me to a professional tattoo studio. We went to Tattoo Charlies in Louisville, KY. It was a really well known studio at the time. Dan got started on a large back piece that was never finished. Randy got a cover up. And I got my very first tattoo. Dan had gotten a lot of work done by one artist at this studio. We were greeted by his artist as we entered and put us at the top of their wait list. It was a week before my 18th birthday and no one checked my ID-very unusual for them from what I saw in my later visits there. I don't think the tattoo artist I was handed to liked me line jumping....or he was just a dick. So I should probably not mention his name. Everyone else I met there at any given time was very nice to me. For my first tattoo I chose a black Celtic knot design of a crescent moon, at the time I was studying Celtic mythology. I got it just above my outer left ankle. I wasn't very comfortable with the way I was seated and had a hard time sitting still. Tattoo Charlie himself was still alive and peaked into the room to greet my artist who then cracked on me for not being able to sit still. It was the longest (maybe) 20 minutes of my life. lol I have since seen a big heavily tattooed man get one in the same place and not be able to not twitch and personally sat through sessions as long as 5 hours so ha to him for cracking on me. I got my first piercing, the navel-so standard now, at Tattoo Charlie's a year later. Dan got his done and paid for mine, but, I had to go first so he could see how bad it was. For awhile we went to Tattoo Charlies often. I didn't get any more tattoos there. Mostly I watched Dan getting his back worked on. And he and Randy also got another tattoo a piece aside from that. It was watching Dan get worked on I first photographed someone being tattooed. Sixteen years later this is something I love doing any time I get the chance. I love watching the process up close and photographing an artist in the midst of creation. I have a passion for photography and enjoy self portraits and photographing a variety of subjects, but, especially love it when I can include a subject with body art. People who have modified their bodies appearance often have a unique style and attitude as well. They stand out a little more. Funny story as example...I texted a young friend to wish her happy birthday the other day. She said she was just thinking about me. She works at a restaurant and had served one of my best friends. She said she knew Toby was my friend because she looked exotic and stood out. Hard telling if Toby's ink was showing that day but my friend has unique style.
More on the subject of influence shortly. I think I am going to have to make this a two part thing. I want to dedicate this entry to our late friend Dan Patterson. He was a big influence on my love of body art and such a dear friend he walked me down the aisle in place of my absent father on my wedding day. Dan's health went down hill, he was in a wheel chair for awhile, and passed away a couple years ago. I wish we could have had so much more time with him and think of him often. Recently when looking at my newest tattoo (that had just been done earlier in the day), my husband said to me "Dan sure would be proud of you if he was still here." It made me smile and brought tears to my eyes.
Photos & editing by Dawn Marie Elliott.
No comments:
Post a Comment