Steve's Sleeve and the Narrative Behind It

<div class="tr_bq">Earlier this month, I was in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn for a mixer for <a href="http://www.brooklyncrescents.com/">The Brooklyn Crescents</a> lacrosse program.</div><br />The event was held at <a href="http://www.ex49.com/dsk/">Der Schwarze Kolner</a>, a beer garden that offered up some tasty beverages. Over the course of the evening, I noticed one of the employees who was diligently passing out frosty steins to patrons. I introduced myself and asked if I could photograph his sleeve:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzRsWJyY5vnzYMVelvoV3QyWbHgCNH5Afo0c4rmGoz8AzBTaJ_sRJe_Dl6obztsWpge_re_CVPWqfRoUsHVjlCWSwfwzXdaJ9DWg7o_egq62hungEjgtCZlMASqXUyAB1jA0NXMEL32M/s614/IMG_0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzRsWJyY5vnzYMVelvoV3QyWbHgCNH5Afo0c4rmGoz8AzBTaJ_sRJe_Dl6obztsWpge_re_CVPWqfRoUsHVjlCWSwfwzXdaJ9DWg7o_egq62hungEjgtCZlMASqXUyAB1jA0NXMEL32M/s640/IMG_0798.JPG" width="246" /></a></div><br />Since Steve was working, I asked him to e-mail me with details about the tattoo, and he didn't disappoint, even sending along a collage of the sleeve so our readers could get a better look at the full scope of the artwork:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRk-F79uCloM0fI4fWLDfqa6D70SqKyL6_URgyTPzvRS4gIeFYoa91hmTWak5YjkIccPEtz8_kwqkE5GWEeIqvwNbwMdkie7an96uetIhIyacvP7BLQ8eG8ONVOmRzUPk6fEwdqjGQuSs/s615/steve+upper+sleeve+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRk-F79uCloM0fI4fWLDfqa6D70SqKyL6_URgyTPzvRS4gIeFYoa91hmTWak5YjkIccPEtz8_kwqkE5GWEeIqvwNbwMdkie7an96uetIhIyacvP7BLQ8eG8ONVOmRzUPk6fEwdqjGQuSs/s640/steve+upper+sleeve+pic.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />One of the aspects missing in both photos is this part, which I captured when Steeve bent his arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLznrJOR-BfTz0R-5xrWYL7PeRRIV0c4TLT-bD3pFCiQIiMl4b_jmyxVYC3ITkaTkyZDQ1ZMVHNjL57w7YZAZHCACz1yj6jRBG8sPyOA_N3iLltGtRjBiMQib0z5OyWzeumphygA50es/s615/IMG_0800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLznrJOR-BfTz0R-5xrWYL7PeRRIV0c4TLT-bD3pFCiQIiMl4b_jmyxVYC3ITkaTkyZDQ1ZMVHNjL57w7YZAZHCACz1yj6jRBG8sPyOA_N3iLltGtRjBiMQib0z5OyWzeumphygA50es/s640/IMG_0800.JPG" width="466" /></a></div><br />Steve explained:<br /><blockquote><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELk4lzNbfAaZ7un2pditHA00TCzavZYqnZDM3vGcS5l1k3KFEBiYPz5UtTxn6wQZ0uc7ESzNZt-WDS7i1vvEBX7EV7BqJP7qLro_2WlDv_6yZdHwFCcTufzVdxOKwM_jEQ1mG2chdd20/s1600/tumblr_md2t0cYwM81rovgiqo1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELk4lzNbfAaZ7un2pditHA00TCzavZYqnZDM3vGcS5l1k3KFEBiYPz5UtTxn6wQZ0uc7ESzNZt-WDS7i1vvEBX7EV7BqJP7qLro_2WlDv_6yZdHwFCcTufzVdxOKwM_jEQ1mG2chdd20/s200/tumblr_md2t0cYwM81rovgiqo1_400.jpg" width="189" /></a>"First, one needs to know that this tattoo was about 4-5 years in the making before I sat for my first session. So I definitely thought about it for a long while. It was originally inspired by a <a href="http://www.banksy.co.uk/">Bansky</a> stencil in which a woman in a dress is shooting herself in the head. From this bloody mess emerges a number of butterflies. Interpret what you will... I took this to mean rebirth after death and the cleansing properties of fire. I had studied medieval alchemy heavily as a graduate student, and this symbolism of death and rebirth through flame resonated with me greatly. Plus, I know that each of us has a fiery  self-destructive side and I am no exception. I wanted to honor that side of myself and also to silently pay homage to those friends over the years that I have lost to suicide.<br /> <br />So working closely with Joy Rumore at <a href="http://www.1228tattoo.com/">Twelve 28 Tattoo</a> in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we designed the upper sleeve [that] would show a woman, slightly cartoon-like and pin-up styled, holding a gun to her head. Rather than a bloody mess like in the stencil, I wanted her face to be content and pretty. Her hair burns red and orange like the fire elemental she is. From the gun, which has been fired, emerges stars and smoke. From the smoke, moving down the sleeve, emerges a spiral galaxy and more stars in negative space. The bottom sleeve is dominated by a salamander and a phoenix inside of a retort. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTut3GE58XK2Wuo0tLzFb3PXRwDYkILJH8qLJ4Ql5hrC9vLBLfFzNuPQUI2S6ATmtpbnyCsY-aBeawKN3sfuXX3Q__IG3KGgomSwShw1n0BiffH8I3708pq8dmEqxhS9lD_j0ZpaISlOg/s571/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTut3GE58XK2Wuo0tLzFb3PXRwDYkILJH8qLJ4Ql5hrC9vLBLfFzNuPQUI2S6ATmtpbnyCsY-aBeawKN3sfuXX3Q__IG3KGgomSwShw1n0BiffH8I3708pq8dmEqxhS9lD_j0ZpaISlOg/s400/photo.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br /><blockquote>These two creatures are mythical symbols of fire, as they both burn up and rise from their own ashes. Fire blows from the top of the retort, and a <a href="http://www.mariowiki.com/Mushroom">1up Mario Mushroom</a> [visible in the top photo at the bottom of the sleeve, near the wrist], the one overt pop-culture reference on my arm, comes forth again illustrating rebirth and 'extra' life after death. Other features of the sleeve are the bullet casing, which is haloed inside my elbow pit, and the final black star on the inside of my wrist, which has the alchemical symbol for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(element)">Mercury</a> within. Mercury is the activator, the 'invisible, secretly working fire' of the purification process. Lastly, the Latin words MUNDUS VULT DECIPI are inscribed on my arm. They translate to 'the world wishes to be deceived.' I agree with this saying, attributed to the Roman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronius">Petronius</a> (1st c. AD), as many individuals live life 'asleep.' Only though the fire can one truly awake into a higher self.</blockquote><blockquote>Still, despite the short novel of meaning I find and imbue into this tattoo, overall it is a beautiful piece of art and I couldn't be happier with Joy's work. She was very patient with me as we completed the piece over the course of three years! Money ran tight at times and our schedules conflicted, but in truth the time allowed for us to work together and for the tattoo to organically take shape. For instance, the bottom sleeve was not designed at all when we began the top sleeve. I remember suggesting to Joy the idea of the 1up Mushroom blasting from the retort, only to have her laugh with enjoyment at how nicely it would bring things together. You know you have found an excellent tattoo artist when they are genuinely interested and excited to work to create a shared piece of art.</blockquote><blockquote>I guess that's my sleeve's story then. Oh, and by the way, the girl has no name and I doubt she ever will!"</blockquote>Steve's praise for Joy Rumore is not unfounded. She's a remarkable artist who has had work featured on Tattoosday several times before (click <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Twelve%2028%20Tattoo">here</a> to link to all previous posts tagged with her shop).<br /><br />I greatly appreciate Steve sharing his sleeve with us, and for taking the time to give us a full and thoughtful explanation of the design process. Thank you Steve!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><b id="internal-source-marker_0.6118561951443553" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are seeing this on another website 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 </span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 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></b>

Steve's Sleeve and the Narrative Behind It

Earlier this month, I was in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn for a mixer for The Brooklyn Crescents lacrosse program. The event was hel...

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The Great Big Banksy Post

<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">I'd like to assume everyone knows who</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.banksy.co.uk/">Banksy</a></span><span style="color: #222222;"> is, but then again, there was a point not too long ago when I didn't.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">One of the nice things about this site is that it also acts as a personal timeline for me. Case in point: when I met Sarah and she shared <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_691755391">this </a></span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_691755391">Banksy</a></span><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/10/you-gotta-go-there-to-come-back-sarah.html"> tattoo</a>, I then became aware of the entity that made a name for himself (quite literally) by spray-painting graffiti around London.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">How serious is this </span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">Banksy</span><span style="color: #222222;">? When his documentary <a href="http://www.banksyfilm.com/">Exit Through the Gift Shop</a> was nominated for an Oscar a couple years back, and he was in Los Angeles for the awards, he struck his graffiti claws into the City of Angels.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Art collectors were prepared, and within hours of his work being discovered, they had at it with jack hammers and chisels, removing the public display for private collectors, presumably at great profits.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">I have since become familiar with </span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">Banksy</span><span style="color: #222222;"> through additional tattoo sightings (like <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/11/john-shares-more-than-just-fly-on-wall.html">this one</a>) and from reading a few of the lovely books on the subject.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: #222222;">Last fall, I found two new books, companion volumes, that are exceptional introductions to Banksy, and also great companions to B</span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">anksy</span><span style="color: #222222;"> aficionados.</span><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /></span><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcTC5Ss3_0LFe5wfjIpoowYtvUHrbFCz2Qblj_h_fxQ5siTxEHuw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcTC5Ss3_0LFe5wfjIpoowYtvUHrbFCz2Qblj_h_fxQ5siTxEHuw" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.munkyking.com/products/5409_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://www.munkyking.com/products/5409_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">The two volumes, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/160486320X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=160486320X">Banksy Locations & Tours Volume 1: A Collection of Graffiti Locations and Photographs in London, England</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=160486320X" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-width: initial !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604863307/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1604863307">Banksy Locations & Tours Volume 2: A Collection of Graffiti Locations and Photographs from around the UK</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1604863307" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-width: initial !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /><span style="color: #222222;">are great companion pieces that help one discover the work of Banksy. The author, Martin Bull, is a photographer who led walking tours of Banksy's public art in various English locales. He has taken great pains to catalog every </span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">Banksy </span><span style="color: #222222;">piece, many of which have been demolished, painted over, or extricated from their original homes.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">We even get GPS coordinates, so a true connoisseur can visit </span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">Banksy'</span><span style="color: #222222;">s ghosts.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Bull gets a little repetitive bemoaning the "theft" of the originasl and cursing those that profit from their sale. But I was able to look past that, and chalk it up to his uncompromising love of his subject.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">These are not glossy tomes, but handy little guidebooks that would be worthy travel companions on any </span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">Banksy</span><span style="color: #222222;"> fan's pilgrimage to London.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">And why am I rambling and reviewing these books here on Tattoosday?</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">I did mention two previous </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">Banksy</span><span style="color: #222222;"> inspired posts and, it should come as no surprise, I have two more to share from 2011, as we come very close to the</span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"> end of our backlog.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">The first is from Natasha who I met in the now-vacant Borders bookstore on Penn Plaza. She has this piece on her arm:</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnUqFv_sI3lBd2yILhXsnKpD_XzdrXqjktcXLW3jCsdzncqPBnF6la4rinzLUGPsg_M-wNj-AlaPAo0vzY9VSwiG5jHcO6vlyqm6qza2ykdUBRh6U6pr1gm7L7bRwXrcU1ISfetrnpA8/s0-d/108_1407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnUqFv_sI3lBd2yILhXsnKpD_XzdrXqjktcXLW3jCsdzncqPBnF6la4rinzLUGPsg_M-wNj-AlaPAo0vzY9VSwiG5jHcO6vlyqm6qza2ykdUBRh6U6pr1gm7L7bRwXrcU1ISfetrnpA8/s0-d/108_1407.JPG" width="347" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #222222;">One of Banksy's signature pieces is the rat, and he has multiple sequences of street art that involve rats, which are perfect vehicles for shining lights on society. This particular piece from Natasha is a "helicopter rat".</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;"></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTpSKs6CtzRv4-Thc8gTnqYDFXICfdrM-OH9H_zFzQ7jZahfh8k" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTpSKs6CtzRv4-Thc8gTnqYDFXICfdrM-OH9H_zFzQ7jZahfh8k" width="266" /></a></div><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222;">She credits Hexx, formerly at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fortapachestudio">Fort Apache Tattoo Studio</a> in Manhattan. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222;">Natasha told me, "I was actually surprised when I got this that more people didn't recognize it, because so many people know Banksy now." The rat using a helicopter blade to paint in a presumably inaccessible location is a classic Banksy motif.</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">Th</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">e second</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"> B</span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">anksy piece we're appreciating today</span><span style="color: #222222;"> is fro</span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">m Taylor, whose ink has appeared previously in Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/03/two-tattoos-from-taylor.html">here</a>.</span></span><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">Since Taylor first appeared on Tattoosday, she's had a lot of work done, but most impressive is this Banksy piece on her lower back:</span><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwFrMiK9440ZB71R44uA9dq1Fk6wevjc6mQL67jKphpS0IbclNYmSayzAOQnvxPxPw9tAMihC1LXFFyxl5C0_DRryF16xCs-GH_2irKH2ROL-kIdwqPKtLtpYDoucDa-a-UIgoRHUwDc/s533/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwFrMiK9440ZB71R44uA9dq1Fk6wevjc6mQL67jKphpS0IbclNYmSayzAOQnvxPxPw9tAMihC1LXFFyxl5C0_DRryF16xCs-GH_2irKH2ROL-kIdwqPKtLtpYDoucDa-a-UIgoRHUwDc/s640/photo.jpg" width="620" /></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">This tattoo is based on this amazing Banksy piece:</span><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"></span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://fabricmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/banksy-pre-plexi1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://fabricmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/banksy-pre-plexi1.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">When I asked Taylor why she chose this particular piece of art, she replied "The way it's raining underneath the umbrella, I feel like it's always raining on me."</span><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">She credits Angel at <a href="http://puncturetattoostudio.com/Index.html">Puncture Tattoo Studio</a> in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, with inking this on her back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks to Natasha and Taylor for sharing their work with us here on Tattoosday. And, of course, thanks to Banksy for providing the inspiration.</div></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><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=160486060X" style="background-color: white; height: 240px; text-align: center; width: 120px;"></iframe><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"> </span><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=1604863307" style="background-color: white; height: 240px; text-align: center; width: 120px;"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.8140670808497816" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">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</span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 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></b></div></span></div>

The Great Big Banksy Post

I'd like to assume everyone knows who   Banksy  is, but then again, there was a point not too long ago when I didn't. One of the nic...

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Kathryn's Birdhouse Reminds Her of Home

I spotted Kathryn in Penn Station earlier this month and asked her about her tattoos. She shared this one, which jumped out at me from across the room:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEG2hDJBMuRYZ8W25WwA0_JE-0upVbi5fGT5TRChbj8q_4krSsrArZpmQLtB82CE7KEaiZzD5JAimovn_HtEjLS03lh8aP0NbbanRIzgaSW6sAvBYMwXm3YOlm7Q0rUlLy9T0oGw-imw/s1600/Birdhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEG2hDJBMuRYZ8W25WwA0_JE-0upVbi5fGT5TRChbj8q_4krSsrArZpmQLtB82CE7KEaiZzD5JAimovn_HtEjLS03lh8aP0NbbanRIzgaSW6sAvBYMwXm3YOlm7Q0rUlLy9T0oGw-imw/s640/Birdhouse.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br />I had a nice time chatting with Kathryn who referred to her approximately 18 tattoos as a "patchwork" collection, with each tattoo marking a different occasion and/or the places she has been. I totally related to that, although she certainly has a lot more ink than I do.<br /><br />This birdhouse was the first tattoo she got after moving to Philadelphia. It represents a look back to home. Although the house is not modeled after the building where she lived, it's the same color as her former home, and she associates it with her leaving the nest for the big city.<br /><br />This piece, on her inner right forearm, is credited to Topper at <a href="http://philadelphiaeddiestattoo.com/">Philadelphia Eddie's</a>.<br /><br />Do note I framed the photo so you can see two of the five cherry bombs she had tattooed on her left arm when she turned eighteen. She noted that these bombs were a "loose" reference to the graffiti artist <a href="http://www.banksy.co.uk/">Banksy</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Kathryn for sharing her tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><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>

Kathryn's Birdhouse Reminds Her of Home

I spotted Kathryn in Penn Station earlier this month and asked her about her tattoos. She shared this one, which jumped out at me from acros...

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John Shares More Than Just a Fly on the Wall

I met John walking down 7th Avenue in the upper 20s back in the beginning of September.<br /><br />He has six tattoos, but it was this one, on his left side, that I spotted through the hole cut in the side of his t-shirt:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlD5JuhU2Zean5bV9xh0jv-zKA0z9wc9_UTHRmuRu3sPpI6pk7-MkD_bqTHJ9Fx3Ap5mgKDegPE9jTpFUG5wHIcrdvSp5nXwJ1Vflnk0tVV-f-LFDHTAPpuxXPTSpicDYyyKt0i9ujm4/s1600/Banksy+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlD5JuhU2Zean5bV9xh0jv-zKA0z9wc9_UTHRmuRu3sPpI6pk7-MkD_bqTHJ9Fx3Ap5mgKDegPE9jTpFUG5wHIcrdvSp5nXwJ1Vflnk0tVV-f-LFDHTAPpuxXPTSpicDYyyKt0i9ujm4/s640/Banksy+wm.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><br />Fans of the popular British graffiti artist <a href="http://www.banksy.co.uk/">Banksy</a> will recognize this as a tattoo based on his work. Another Banksy-inspired tattoo appeared <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/10/you-gotta-go-there-to-come-back-sarah.html">here</a> on Tattoosday in October of 2009.<br /><br />Why this design? Aside from the fact that John likes the imagery, he especially likes the dripping effect at the bottom of the piece, as if it was spray-painted on. He also related to the ape's sign that reads "Laugh now but one day we'll be in charge".<br /><br />The piece was inked at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Neptune-NJ/Neptune-Tattooville/295323493183?v=wall">Tattooville</a> in Neptune, New Jersey.<br /><br />Here's a shot of the original Banksy work:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWrX1jBXmCB5Xv1TorEZEGRoksSHbAYwxaIPRAzJuIR99XiqblmC30t2v-0pQiE8MmWnxz7SOaWrFJwBFlIoIcAhoMECioFtU1aoXwKjyHdnZ2qGBBB1tePfqc0O-yQ-wHetEQz3EjKk/s1600/banksy_laugh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWrX1jBXmCB5Xv1TorEZEGRoksSHbAYwxaIPRAzJuIR99XiqblmC30t2v-0pQiE8MmWnxz7SOaWrFJwBFlIoIcAhoMECioFtU1aoXwKjyHdnZ2qGBBB1tePfqc0O-yQ-wHetEQz3EjKk/s400/banksy_laugh.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />John offered up, an additional tattoo, as well:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsiPrjkUg4zVYgQVk5hjVue-8o3n8g2_1mijbv5fHh-2kk1xbV8f6Ya8fbhRjp_3SZilcLx3Te08t00xlpefSqXC5J_IxrJYFR3IPae0-7ANE2EXtSQoKIJdzEpbxcQHelYlKrMpilUU/s1600/Flyday+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsiPrjkUg4zVYgQVk5hjVue-8o3n8g2_1mijbv5fHh-2kk1xbV8f6Ya8fbhRjp_3SZilcLx3Te08t00xlpefSqXC5J_IxrJYFR3IPae0-7ANE2EXtSQoKIJdzEpbxcQHelYlKrMpilUU/s320/Flyday+wm.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />Yes, that's a fly tattooed under his right armpit.<br /><br />John explained that this was tattooed by an artist under the moniker "<a href="http://www.porktomic.com/">Porkchop</a>" at Asbury Park's <a href="http://www.parlor-gallery.com/">Parlor Gallery</a>. It was part of an occasional event called "Fly Day Friday".<br /><br />If that sounds bizarre, it gets even crazier. If you present Pork Chop with an item that was bought for under $5.00, and he finds it valuable, he will trade it for one of his fly tattoos.<br /><br />John successfully presented an item and got the tattoo in exchange.<br /><br />"What did you offer?" I asked.<br /><br />"A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pets.com#The_Pets.com_sock_puppet">Pets.com sock puppet</a>," he replied.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2XGrbRjJl1Hum6qZRKR-rnQUjSsnH-hR_KmpAaElgYcauTV1RHR5gwyYXjcNLHFKuytqSZ7yGNFfjtTvUau0qdkNk1iCsSrlmGWCWq_-UvU1bakL4JQU7lkyuIsERpWvhpqdbTPss6g/s1600/petscom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2XGrbRjJl1Hum6qZRKR-rnQUjSsnH-hR_KmpAaElgYcauTV1RHR5gwyYXjcNLHFKuytqSZ7yGNFfjtTvUau0qdkNk1iCsSrlmGWCWq_-UvU1bakL4JQU7lkyuIsERpWvhpqdbTPss6g/s320/petscom.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />Cool.<br /><br />Thanks to John for sharing these unusual tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

John Shares More Than Just a Fly on the Wall

I met John walking down 7th Avenue in the upper 20s back in the beginning of September. He has six tattoos, but it was this one, on his left...

Read more »