Tila Tequila
Summer's Celtic Cross Honors Her Father
This one, however, did:
There's nothing necessarily magnificent about this tattoo, but it just goes to show that a crisp, simple tattoo can be as aesthetically pleasing, sometimes moreso, than an overly-wrought elaborate design.
Summer had this memorial piece done for her father, who passed away in 2005. His initials grace the center of the cross.
It was inked in Tattooville in Linden, New Jersey. This piece is on Summer's left bicep, she also has the comedy/tragedy masks on the right shoulder blade portion of her back.
Thanks to Summer for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!
My Face
Blood let faceIn the mirrors of my soul I see blood and war and nights of cries and days of lore Fascinating fantasies of years in wonder and little worms not born I am the victim of my own mortality I am the victim of my sanity. I face the mirrors of soul not for long as what lies underneath is fierce and strong I tap the veins of my creative night and let the blemish violate the conquest and demise the light I am evil inside and outward I yearn to destroy all and everyone which leaves this plan of fearsome grit i have like you unforeseen power mercy for my truth and power in my eyes I wake up after another death with you no more fears and no more cries in dreams of sighing solution and fear of grasping illumination delight
Geraldine's Joseph (With a Nod to Green Day)
Sadly the answer was "no," or, I should say, not exactly.
The woman I spotted before spoke up and we chatted about her ink. She was okay having me take the following photo, one of the few I've posted in which you can identify the tattoo contributor:
Her name is Geraldine and the tattoo she is displaying is a memorial piece for an ex-boyfriend who recently passed away.
Joseph was a musician and died of a heroin overdose.
Geraldine is a huge Green Day fan and Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer for the band, has the name Joseph on his arm, in honor of his son.
Geraldine chose the same font as Billie Joe's Joseph tattoo and noted that, in the song "Jesus of Suburbia" the first three letters of each word in the song title spell out the first three letters in the name Joseph.
She had this tattoo at Ink Inc. in Kingston, New York.
Thanks to Geraldine for sharing her story and tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!
Elaina's Ink: The Mermaid and the Tarantula
Elaina has eighteen tattoos. And not to heap loads of praise on her, but her work is brilliant.
It was the mermaid on her inner right forearm that first grabbed my attention:
She told me that the drawing was indicative of her state of mind at the time it was inked. Her boyfriend had just moved out and she was feeling reflective (thus the hand mirror).
Elaina later followed up with an email, further clarifying the tattoo:
"I realized today when you asked me the significance of my mermaid tattoo that I probably would have been better quoted saying the absolute truth. The underlying universal secret wish of all girls and women alike... I've always wanted to be a mermaid."
But Elaina had more to share. Much to my delight, she lifted her skirt on her left side to reveal this wonderful tattoo:
The spider is modeled after her mother's pet tarantula, Shelob, who is named for the giant spider in The Two Towers, book two of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
I asked her what Mom thought of her ink and Elaina rolled her eyes and said that her mother recently wept when she told her she was planning her nineteenth tattoo. And, Elaina added, her mom is no stranger to ink. She told me that her mom was tattooed by legendary tattooist Lyle Tuttle during the Rolling Stones' Tattoo You tour.
The mermaid was tattooed by Claire at Funcity Tattoo in Manhattan. The spider on Elaina's thigh was done by Neal Aultman at Physical Graffiti in New Jersey.
Thanks to Elaina for sharing her amazing ink with us here on Tattoosday!
On FIRE
So hello My inked members I hope you had a great weekend I had a relative one I like not sleeping and drinking a bit so this weekend I relaxed a bit slept a minimum always good makes you feel normal again so today I have one little design for you it is the fiery demise of my mind so here we go
My mind is alive with the restoration of things old and distraught what happens if you get caught and burnt what happens if you die do you stay alive with time or do you burn why is it that I so yearn the levels of my inner flesh comes alive with the evil at its best I am hatred and fire spiritual demise I am over the world but slave to its child I am in the world forgotten souls lost in transit like the digital woes I am fear and regret hatred and for long I was sold and outdated yet dreamed of lust strung out and upset now my life I is lending regret if I could have if I should have dream sided violations of an ocean side realm sleeping forever is some of my wishes what have you got to sell by my life with blood and fire as I am
Jenny's Amazing Peacock
Case in point:
I met Jenny and her friend Kate by chance coming out of the subway one day.
Jenny has six tattoos, including this phoenix on her left forearm:
But it was this peacock, further up her arm, that really amazed me:
Generally, the peacock represents self-worth and valuing oneself. In Jenny's words, more poignantly, "be happy with your feathers."
The peacock was tattooed by Poohki at Steady Tattoo in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The phoenix was inked by Trevor Kennedy at the same shop, although he now works in California.
Thanks to Jenny for sharing such wonderful tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!
Kate's Snakes
Although it was Jenny (here) who was visibly inked, Kate also had a tattoo, hidden from view.
So when I was done talking to Jenny, I asked Kate if she wanted to share, as well.
Kate unveiled this great tattoo on the lower portion of her back:
(A Tattoosday production note: I never solicit back tattoos but will happily feature them, when offered).
This piece consists of a couple of snakes consuming one another, a symbol of the circular cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
Or, in Kate's words, "what destroys us, sustains us".
This tattoo was inked at Twilight Tattoo in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Thanks to Kate for baring her back and sharing her snakes with us here on Tattoosday!
Update: "Anonymous" commented that this looked like the Auryn from The Neverending Story:
It certainly does! Thanks Anonymous!
Austin's Sleeve Pays Tribute to His Grandmother
He offered up this sleeve on his left arm:
This was inked by Amanda Grace at Truth and Triumph Tattoos. She now works at Smartbomb Tattoo. Both shops are in Dayton, Ohio.
The playing cards are a tribute to his grandmother, who was a card player. She also tended roses, so these flowers also pay homage to her.
Of the other elements, Austin says he just likes skulls, artistically. Also, the words "Never Again" are there to remind him to remain strong his sobriety, and not to go down that same road of dependency.
I appreciate Austin stopping and chatting with me, and thank him for his forthrightness, and for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!