Moki's Pink Elephant

Yesterday we posted a tattoo belonging to my wife's cousin Erica, who had come over to our home last month for a family gathering. Accompanying her was her girlfriend Moki, who has a multitude of tattoos. Among her work is this whimsical elephant tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6G6HWoIBmk5WVFlHlevfGBzZSs9RohuVaHyaglfycuZivQMUaEIjDkU-KrN4XE2UJFi4ixxO7hFxP4k6dPxl9XCC4y3z_9FaTV_c12WSZe4iJzNoCijmo56sIqJb0oTg_IHD3ZXL_0w/s775/2012-12-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6G6HWoIBmk5WVFlHlevfGBzZSs9RohuVaHyaglfycuZivQMUaEIjDkU-KrN4XE2UJFi4ixxO7hFxP4k6dPxl9XCC4y3z_9FaTV_c12WSZe4iJzNoCijmo56sIqJb0oTg_IHD3ZXL_0w/s640/2012-12-05.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Moki explains:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">The elephant was drawn by a friend. He likes to label everything, like how it says saddle and elephant on the tattoo. I just think it's cute."</span></blockquote>She had this inked by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tattoos-By-Nick-Caruso/148771691835556">Nick Caruso</a> when he was at <a href="http://flyritetattoo.net/">Flyrite Tattoo</a> in Brooklyn. Nick has since moved on to <a href="http://boundforglorytattoo.com/">Bound for Glory Tattoo</a> on Staten Island.<br /><br />Thanks to Moki for sharing this fun tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><b id="internal-source-marker_0.3146959589794278" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 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: black; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: initial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><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>

Moki's Pink Elephant

Yesterday we posted a tattoo belonging to my wife's cousin Erica, who had come over to our home last month for a family gathering. Accom...

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Lakota and the Evolution of Man: A Tattoo Odyssey

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaF-IiLWOFu_-JfkjDg9M8DVKRpGPQy_U6NmKWoVliCnAELWUU5KsThSsRFQ9uVndmB3eOaEDc17rnpjgVYdQX1GNgfCZarDilm317s25k6YjvpuNJ-L3e6Ksd4MBqmvfnupkpWCXt-f0/s615/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaF-IiLWOFu_-JfkjDg9M8DVKRpGPQy_U6NmKWoVliCnAELWUU5KsThSsRFQ9uVndmB3eOaEDc17rnpjgVYdQX1GNgfCZarDilm317s25k6YjvpuNJ-L3e6Ksd4MBqmvfnupkpWCXt-f0/s640/photo.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br />This colorful tattoo belongs to Lakota, who I met in Penn Station back in March.<br /><br />He credited his work to <a href="http://www.mikedrexler.com/">Mike Drexler</a> at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/FLYRITE-TATTOO/420818075144">Fly Rite Tattoo</a> in Brooklyn.<br /><br />Lakota explained the origins of this piece:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"It's actually inspired by the opening scene from <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_(film)">2001: A Space Odyssey</a> ... </i>this is the specific moment when  man is elevated from primitive simian ...I really, really liked that concept and that idea. I brought in a couple of pictures. I told [Mike Drexler] what I had in mind and he did the final design."</blockquote>Lakota estimates that the piece was done in three sessions over an eleven hour span and that the fist at the top of the monolith was part of an original first tattoo that was blended into this new design.<br /><br />Thanks to Lakota for sharing this cool and interesting tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><b id="internal-source-marker_0.5379685477819294" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; 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="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; 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><br /><br />

Lakota and the Evolution of Man: A Tattoo Odyssey

This colorful tattoo belongs to Lakota, who I met in Penn Station back in March. He credited his work to Mike Drexler at Fly Rite Tattoo i...

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Anna's Ship, With a Nod to a Favorite Song

Yesterday I posted Bjorn's Michael Jackson Thriller tattoo. When I met him, walking on the Coney Island Boardwalk, he was accompanied by Anna, who also had quite a few tattoos. She offered up this one on her left thigh:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3eQVoQe5lq10ZgvcXVmzc_rw8RrOcbi_LTJ4tiS-EMBMBetnJlZGOeV3moAgmUS9fp2UJt_DDWXD5ygSk4KN5jRPbJs1lmY4ZkKWCDVqmG4EPun4jY4i_i_lAc11ge86Qc0gG9IRwuI/s614/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3eQVoQe5lq10ZgvcXVmzc_rw8RrOcbi_LTJ4tiS-EMBMBetnJlZGOeV3moAgmUS9fp2UJt_DDWXD5ygSk4KN5jRPbJs1lmY4ZkKWCDVqmG4EPun4jY4i_i_lAc11ge86Qc0gG9IRwuI/s640/photo.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />The banner around this classic ship tattoo reads "<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yo no soy marinero soy el <span style="line-height: 19px;">capitán.</span></span>"<br /><br />This is a refrain from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritchie_Valens">Richie Valens</a> song "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bamba_(song)">La Bamba</a>," and is translated as "I am not a sailor, I am a captain." This was Anna's favorite song when she was a kid.<br /><br />She credited this cool tattoo to Nick Caruso, when he was at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/">Flyrite Tattoo</a> in Brooklyn. Nick has since left Flyrite and opened up <a href="http://www.boundforglorytattoo.com/home.html">Bound for Glory Tattoo</a> in Staten Island.<br /><br />Thanks to Anna for sharing this awesome tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><b id="internal-source-marker_0.8984340629540384" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; 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="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; 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>

Anna's Ship, With a Nod to a Favorite Song

Yesterday I posted Bjorn's Michael Jackson Thriller tattoo. When I met him, walking on the Coney Island Boardwalk, he was accompanied by...

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Mitch and a Positive Reminder

I met Mitch last month on the Upper West Side, near the 72nd Street Subway Station.<br /><br />I spotted him and his seventeen or eighteen tattoos and asked if he would share one. He offered up his most recent piece:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZ-xibEDb10GsADYITTcOaXUiAkJSvSi2sv8yP8S1oXXGJzHdlsRp-Nf4mYeEbEu4qeEVO0Zjc15pOpKlDuPGVAhRVEADhdke2Jj8XWBSjne-Zyx71ZmkThzF3crFXHa95N8mDqjfHGI/s1600/enjoy+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZ-xibEDb10GsADYITTcOaXUiAkJSvSi2sv8yP8S1oXXGJzHdlsRp-Nf4mYeEbEu4qeEVO0Zjc15pOpKlDuPGVAhRVEADhdke2Jj8XWBSjne-Zyx71ZmkThzF3crFXHa95N8mDqjfHGI/s400/enjoy+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I asked Mitch to elaborate on this tattoo located on his left forearm. He explained:<br /><blockquote>"I found this Japanese graffiti artist who did a bunch of flash and I just really liked one of his drawings. I was in the mood and decided to get it."</blockquote>And the banner stating "Enjoy Yourself"? Mitch says, "just try to be happy all the time".<br /><br />I'd imagine looking down at this cool design, inked by <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/michael_lucena/MichaelLucenaMain.html">Mike Lucena</a> at <a href="http://flyritetattoo.net/">Flyrite Tattoo</a> in Brooklyn, helps contribute to the happiness. Work from Mike at Flyrite appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/10/zoes-tattoo-makes-cut.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Mitch for sharing this great tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><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]--><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">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>

Mitch and a Positive Reminder

I met Mitch last month on the Upper West Side, near the 72nd Street Subway Station. I spotted him and his seventeen or eighteen tattoos and ...

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Zoe's Tattoo Makes the Cut

I spotted this superbly-done tattoo on Zoe's upper left arm last month in the New Jersey Transit waiting area in Penn Station:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRN2emJyR3qPdpxevV6hMokEB2lqfdU-QelGVPmmrCAJuhiRZfJsgKpHzHy_sLUNE2mU8wi4fXqf-DBEEBY8Mug0MArX7DUB7sBNZ5pZjKH0aY_YXDoxVHQh2BsHD2QR6wPurVWLQ/s1600/Scissors+wm+rotate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRN2emJyR3qPdpxevV6hMokEB2lqfdU-QelGVPmmrCAJuhiRZfJsgKpHzHy_sLUNE2mU8wi4fXqf-DBEEBY8Mug0MArX7DUB7sBNZ5pZjKH0aY_YXDoxVHQh2BsHD2QR6wPurVWLQ/s640/Scissors+wm+rotate.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><br />Straight up and simply, these scissors represent Zoe's tat-tool of the trade - she has worked as a hairstylist for two years.<br /><br />She credits <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/michael_lucena/MichaelLucenaMain.html">Mike Lucena</a> at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/">Fly Rite Studio</a> in Brooklyn for the tattoo.<br /><br />Thanks again to Zoe for sharing her scissors with us here on Tattoosday!

Zoe's Tattoo Makes the Cut

I spotted this superbly-done tattoo on Zoe's upper left arm last month in the New Jersey Transit waiting area in Penn Station: Straight ...

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The Lovely Tattoo of Legs Malone

I couldn't help notice the striking woman standing on the subway platform waiting for the R train. She was tall, had long shapely legs, a close-shaven head, and a small tattoo on the back of her left calf.<br /><br />The R pulled in and, as luck would have it, we sat down next to one another on the train.<br /><br />I had to introduce myself.<br /><br />Turns out, I was sitting with a burlesque performer named with the stage name <a href="http://legsmalone.com/bio.html">Legs Malone</a>.<br /><br />We didn't have a lot of time to talk, as she was exiting the train a stop or two earlier than me, but she obliged me for a photo by taking my camera and shooting the tattoo on the back of her leg:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1YQtCXxCCaImNkfNrlO81DTzrq9oRz19YdnuuUfXAEnGCldrwUrIGr5FLqdyWcue72husQWKM3a0p1qsVUDsQts4d-lvhz4GItwOMsGEGeH4c39NbRvKpkWgL6QGS9zXTge_tZj8/s1600/Legs+Tattoo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1YQtCXxCCaImNkfNrlO81DTzrq9oRz19YdnuuUfXAEnGCldrwUrIGr5FLqdyWcue72husQWKM3a0p1qsVUDsQts4d-lvhz4GItwOMsGEGeH4c39NbRvKpkWgL6QGS9zXTge_tZj8/s400/Legs+Tattoo+1.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><br />She told me that this small tattoo (the only one visible on her frame) was inspired by a heart-shaped bruise that she wanted to replicate on her skin, but in a more aesthetically-pleasing way. The flowers around the heart are cherry blossoms.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYstYm-0-DtZqQ5MQ_e5jqsHXh4sg37OyWAyEikXaxgzKTarGCttx_43auS0ZqhL4g7aN4cRcKL4jEgDfGZZKlAUSw5IGAY83rFxJEuoNxNdQQvuY7NuI7EEzQ8Gep8ajZ4Iyy9Kjv/s1600/Legs+Tattoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYstYm-0-DtZqQ5MQ_e5jqsHXh4sg37OyWAyEikXaxgzKTarGCttx_43auS0ZqhL4g7aN4cRcKL4jEgDfGZZKlAUSw5IGAY83rFxJEuoNxNdQQvuY7NuI7EEzQ8Gep8ajZ4Iyy9Kjv/s400/Legs+Tattoo.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><br />The tattoo was inked at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/">Fly Rite Studio</a> by <a href="http://readstreettattoo.net/section/127188_Charlie_Foos.html">Charlie Foos</a>, who is now at <a href="http://readstreettattoo.net/home.html">Read Street Tattoo Parlour</a> in Baltimore. Charlie's work most recently appeared on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/06/sugar-skull-sunday-one-from-ryan.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Legs Malone for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

The Lovely Tattoo of Legs Malone

I couldn't help notice the striking woman standing on the subway platform waiting for the R train. She was tall, had long shapely legs, ...

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Sugar Skull Sunday - One From Ryan

Since I seem to capture more sugar skulls than any other design, why not reserve a day just for these decorative symbols which, at their roots, have deep religious significance?<br /><br />Two weeks ago, I met Ryan, who has ten tattoos.<br /><br />Of that lot, he offered up this design on his left bicep, which <a href="http://www.myspace.com/149739205">Charlie Foos</a> created for him at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/">FlyRite Studios</a> in Brooklyn. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALHd6eQI-2ebL2GOrC-zpPH4Y7hSCazRZLjExnzTnsYK3jPa-M1DnMclF-MCPK-NnJrSaL5h7x4LMZwiIHtJc820CMkpvQkR03PWVYX-aUrtAUsyL-1anijXs3Ln2OEhXOC-J7jCo/s1600/Sugar+Skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALHd6eQI-2ebL2GOrC-zpPH4Y7hSCazRZLjExnzTnsYK3jPa-M1DnMclF-MCPK-NnJrSaL5h7x4LMZwiIHtJc820CMkpvQkR03PWVYX-aUrtAUsyL-1anijXs3Ln2OEhXOC-J7jCo/s640/Sugar+Skull.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><br />Charlie Foos is now at <a href="http://readstreettattoo.net/home.html">Read Street Tattoo Parlour</a> in Baltimore.<br /><br />Aside from the traditional nature of the sugar skull tattoo, Ryan also loves Mexico and this design recalls that beautiful and diverse culture south of the border.<br /><br />Thanks to Ryan for sharing this decorative tattoo with us on Tattoosday!<br /><br />Work from Charlie Foos has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/09/claires-tree-of-memory-and-strength.html">here</a>. <br />Tattoosday posts tagged FlyRite Studios are <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Fly%20Rite%20Studio">here</a>.<br />Tattoosday posts tagged Reade Street Tattoo Parlour are <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Read%20Street%20Tattoo%20Parlour">here</a>.

Sugar Skull Sunday - One From Ryan

Since I seem to capture more sugar skulls than any other design, why not reserve a day just for these decorative symbols which, at their roo...

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Magie's Unique Sugar Skull, Inked by Big Ant (1978-2008)

I was a happy little inkblogger last Friday night when I made it to the <a href="http://www.needlesandsins.com/2009/09/tattoo-culture-fourth-anniversary-group-show.html">4th anniversary group art show</a> at <a href="http://www.tattooculture.net/now.html">Tattoo Culture</a> in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.<br /><br />Happy, because I got to meet the awesome <a href="http://www.needlesandsins.com/marisa.html">Marisa Kakoulas</a> from the fabulous <a href="http://www.needlesandsins.com/">Needles and Sins</a> tattoo blog, along with the equally-cool <a href="http://www.needlesandsins.com/brian.html">Brian Grosz</a>, who is also a major creative force behind the site.<br /><br />And happy because I was in a bright room with art on the walls, created by talented tattooists, and I was surrounded by people with incredible body art.<br /><br />But therein lies the conundrum: great tattoos, in a hip tattoo setting, are top quality and, despite Tattoosday's success, I am still reluctant to whip out the Polaroid digital camera when, for all I know, the ink around me may have been professionally photographed and featured in glossy tattoo magazines.<br /><br />So I had resigned myself to leave <span style="font-style: italic;">sans photos</span>, knowing I had a groovy time and was able to meet other tattoo writers, when I noticed a very interesting sugar skull on the back of a young woman's right arm. Voila:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisemSwQM-L9D5uqoZA745i0D9hhf_ydos8R1FZJFwPHQpP-1q6URSniIlANsDqHkxH2_eZ-YXpzdIx8OkU1VkpPqTh9h-CDfD8AGGldm-EFyqcxcBRqMI4dgid7b1XskTL53-KFSC/s1600-h/Magie+Sugar+Skull.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388755349352752386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisemSwQM-L9D5uqoZA745i0D9hhf_ydos8R1FZJFwPHQpP-1q6URSniIlANsDqHkxH2_eZ-YXpzdIx8OkU1VkpPqTh9h-CDfD8AGGldm-EFyqcxcBRqMI4dgid7b1XskTL53-KFSC/s400/Magie+Sugar+Skull.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Of course I chatted a long time with Magie before I asked her if I could snap a picture, so I learned a bit about the tattoo before I asked.<br /><br /><a href="http://boundforglorytattoo.com/magieserpica.html"> Magie Serpica</a> is an artist and tattooist who works at the newly-opened <a href="http://boundforglorytattoo.com/home.html">Bound for Glory Tattoo Studio</a> in Staten Island.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSV9DF54qOzLO1OjtHHfPPR6UAsSxG7HEjC-HFCmvD70cJKvXhGw9k40XI5FW8DN08A7AYNLpESZxicGlx9dt69uZkIgA5qJrRuaTJ6k3YEYqTLpYIFl5rqGfD-F-9HOqlSvRFsVX/s1600-h/scan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388757727172622530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSV9DF54qOzLO1OjtHHfPPR6UAsSxG7HEjC-HFCmvD70cJKvXhGw9k40XI5FW8DN08A7AYNLpESZxicGlx9dt69uZkIgA5qJrRuaTJ6k3YEYqTLpYIFl5rqGfD-F-9HOqlSvRFsVX/s400/scan.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 218px;" /></a><br />The shop was co-founded by Nick Caruso who also tattoos at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/">Flyrite Studio</a> in Brooklyn. One of Nick's tattoos appeared <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/07/whos-better-than-us-chris-honors-his.html">here</a> back in July on Tattoosday.<br /><br />One of Magie's paintings was hanging on the wall at Tattoo Culture:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-MkNWqPKpCb3VOTJomLaIR7Cry6YoBhVnOkiqjlyRCbm8Y2K-4C45FTcyEjgWcjn1M69UioJb_heWskloyPrx_EMkjYYkAL_0ZJZuYz0RSfpkFCe1xjmeki-lhtFD5SgUx2k0ceh/s1600-h/bound+for+glory.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388767527161936498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-MkNWqPKpCb3VOTJomLaIR7Cry6YoBhVnOkiqjlyRCbm8Y2K-4C45FTcyEjgWcjn1M69UioJb_heWskloyPrx_EMkjYYkAL_0ZJZuYz0RSfpkFCe1xjmeki-lhtFD5SgUx2k0ceh/s400/bound+for+glory.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(reprinted with permission of the artist)</span><br /></div><br />We talked at length about tattoos, what she called an under-served market on Staten Island (they are the first full-custom shop) in the borough (no flash on the walls, please) and have a promising future ahead.<br /><br />We also discussed how difficult it has been in the past to be a female tattoo artist, how frustrating it is not to be taken seriously, and how <a href="http://www.katvond.net/">Kat Von D.</a> and the multitude of tattoo reality shows have helped break down the stereotypes and allowed Magie, as a female artist, to receive more respect as an artist.<br /><br />Like most tattoo artists, Magie is covered in ink, with no idea how many tattoos she has ("If you can still see skin, it's not enough").<br /><br />The sugar skull in question was tattooed by Anthony Gregory, aka Big Ant, a Staten Island artist who tragically passed away last year after falling ill in Las Vegas (see the sad news reported <a href="http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/staten_island_tattoo_artist_st.html">here</a>).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Unm1IQlmHME3Tvqz8gKQJtqqbUphoH43RDuoCO4LiwcCG_8O2cPUsx4NvDxuzIvbLSbyNy4F5KB_zM9B1DHmO2l3ScaeRgBQ9fO31hf65BnhgwUx2CgEXHw6Kn8hpVJzivYlGw_u/s1600-h/medium_08.04.08-STATEN-ISLAND-TATTOO.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388760443043990418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Unm1IQlmHME3Tvqz8gKQJtqqbUphoH43RDuoCO4LiwcCG_8O2cPUsx4NvDxuzIvbLSbyNy4F5KB_zM9B1DHmO2l3ScaeRgBQ9fO31hf65BnhgwUx2CgEXHw6Kn8hpVJzivYlGw_u/s400/medium_08.04.08-STATEN-ISLAND-TATTOO.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 337px;" /></a><br />She had asked him to give her a sugar skull and she had a general idea about his style, so she gave him total artistic freedom. The end result was fascinating - a unique, almost post-modern interpretation of a classic tattoo design. The angled perspective and the depth to the eyes give this tattoo a greater three-dimensional feel than your standard sugar skull.<br /><br />I also like how the rose is just as important as the skull, its stem wrapping around it and adding another layer of depth.<br /><br />I thank the good people at Tattoo Culture for opening their doors and allowing me the opportunity to meet some great people.<br /><br />A special thanks to Magie for sharing her awesome tattoo with us here on Tattoosday. Be sure to visit her in the new shop, Bound for Glory, in Staten Island.<br /><br />Here's hoping we'll see more of their work in the future!

Magie's Unique Sugar Skull, Inked by Big Ant (1978-2008)

I was a happy little inkblogger last Friday night when I made it to the 4th anniversary group art show at Tattoo Culture in Williamsburg, ...

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Claire's Tree of Memory and Strength

On a drizzly day in late August, I ran into Claire, a woman on my block in Bay Ridge, with this tattoo on her upper right arm:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3w0lCq4lGFG6VJusJfrSDGK7_91xgffYHr6YeZUqsgncONOq2C3SlunwdPYK5Jg2cTbnvo1DlvFqIOInj0RKv62Q_BxlQvpPDODYtxinjfDnwCZiamwxytxaRKGO296l-DFZqaqgIpM/s1600-h/Claires+Tree.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384228484173656434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3w0lCq4lGFG6VJusJfrSDGK7_91xgffYHr6YeZUqsgncONOq2C3SlunwdPYK5Jg2cTbnvo1DlvFqIOInj0RKv62Q_BxlQvpPDODYtxinjfDnwCZiamwxytxaRKGO296l-DFZqaqgIpM/s400/Claires+Tree.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />When I asked Claire about the tattoo, she explained that her mother is mentally ill and that, despite being present, she really has not been there as a parent to her, due to her illness.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKXjsTHhPOj4gmIHb3Rr-uF7FYapUiaC8WHCezmWYe6ylHEXJNvu8qRWzWxrfJeWSQaBb39tzCjxa9xXz8CC9phcZj7XH76YsJNE56fL1sIHcQJ9mcNgmGCXM3_okHN-TjUpNowvTE9Y/s1600-h/Claires+Tree+detail.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384228571041513378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKXjsTHhPOj4gmIHb3Rr-uF7FYapUiaC8WHCezmWYe6ylHEXJNvu8qRWzWxrfJeWSQaBb39tzCjxa9xXz8CC9phcZj7XH76YsJNE56fL1sIHcQJ9mcNgmGCXM3_okHN-TjUpNowvTE9Y/s400/Claires+Tree+detail.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />She remembers, as a child, that her mom often wore a suit with a floral pattern. When deciding upon this, one of her five tattoos, the design reminded her of that suit, and subsequently, the tattoo came to represent the absent parent.<br /><br />This tattoo was inked by <a href="http://readstreettattoo.net/section/89596_Charlie_Foos.html">Charlie Foos</a> at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/">Fly Rite Studio</a>. Charlie apprenticed there and is now working in Baltimore at <a href="http://readstreettattoo.net/home.html">Read Street Tattoo Parlour</a>. Work from Fly Rite has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Fly%20Rite%20Studio">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Claire for sharing this powerful and beautiful tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Claire's Tree of Memory and Strength

On a drizzly day in late August, I ran into Claire, a woman on my block in Bay Ridge, with this tattoo on her upper right arm: When I asked ...

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Who's Better Than Us: Chris Honors His Father

I met Chris in Brooklyn Heights one afternoon and asked him about his ink. He has seven tattoos in all, but offered up this section of his arm:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7b316iB_5IqIpyWJEzuinC1YQgXIX2Bht1n7j5NXVta0SCZOYiPK3UmTLAcIGKx7tlYoRDO6Oy5NIt_IEGt8m6LOhyBOsGQijSpa8Xjw5xfK4rei8S9Wni9jcC1TsnqkzWFrHScF8cS4/s1600-h/woodstock+dad.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363813668998788994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7b316iB_5IqIpyWJEzuinC1YQgXIX2Bht1n7j5NXVta0SCZOYiPK3UmTLAcIGKx7tlYoRDO6Oy5NIt_IEGt8m6LOhyBOsGQijSpa8Xjw5xfK4rei8S9Wni9jcC1TsnqkzWFrHScF8cS4/s400/woodstock+dad.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />What seems at first like an odd juxtaposition of figures makes more sense when it is explained.<br /><br />The piece is a memorial based on a photograph of his father, <del>who had worked as an editor on the original film of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066580/">Woodstock</a>, as well as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Woodstock-Inside-Movie-Defined-Generation/dp/094118871X">the book</a> documenting the process</del> who worked with the team that made <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066580/">Woodstock</a> (Paradigm), developing and experimenting with new film technology which was eventually used in the process of making the movie.<br /><br />After searching for a while, I emailed Chris and asked if he could send me the photo. He generously obliged:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho323chPWDZJaIy7r6_jpfI_GJl_bTCjR_lA3ijt_hyphenhyphenzJDGFO0pw6dWGHljK8UusIjBumgGxBiWeLDCYd_i_Bkc0bsTMNxInfXeHHbzUZpr5u9REnP_I-dMIT0zZmfgq1qxGlBYw23XF0/s1600-h/6+copy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363812842482149682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho323chPWDZJaIy7r6_jpfI_GJl_bTCjR_lA3ijt_hyphenhyphenzJDGFO0pw6dWGHljK8UusIjBumgGxBiWeLDCYd_i_Bkc0bsTMNxInfXeHHbzUZpr5u9REnP_I-dMIT0zZmfgq1qxGlBYw23XF0/s400/6+copy.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Seeing the source material on which this piece is based makes it cooler. The photograph appears in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Woodstock-Inside-Movie-Defined-Generation/dp/094118871X">the book</a>, and was taken <del>up at Woodstock when the documentary was in production</del> years laterby one of the cinematographers of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Woodstock</span> film, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0505402/">Chuck Levey</a> somewhere in New Jersey.<br /><br />And the back of the arm features a quote from Chris's dad, a statement he would often make, which seems genuinely appropriate from someone so deeply immersed in the culture of the 1960s:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6gWdVbDI3GTzWqt-YWyyLxMSWV79RRhQuM-4MMeaYrUZjzlgsxYaqISLZuTzhYRyKAP1l_EwACMG8i_mkt1o9sIjswfcD8BjHIuE8rRBYzoLdbMCG5_VNTDm33aF1HYWcWEomozA8Zw/s1600-h/whos+better.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363813522351428322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6gWdVbDI3GTzWqt-YWyyLxMSWV79RRhQuM-4MMeaYrUZjzlgsxYaqISLZuTzhYRyKAP1l_EwACMG8i_mkt1o9sIjswfcD8BjHIuE8rRBYzoLdbMCG5_VNTDm33aF1HYWcWEomozA8Zw/s400/whos+better.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Chris had his tattoos inked by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/zombietattoo">Nick Caruso</a> at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/">Fly-Rite Studio</a> in Brooklyn. Work from Fly-Rite has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Fly%20Rite%20Studio">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Chris for sharing his work here on Tattoosday!

Who's Better Than Us: Chris Honors His Father

I met Chris in Brooklyn Heights one afternoon and asked him about his ink. He has seven tattoos in all, but offered up this section of his a...

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Mark's Gypsy Tattoo Pays Tribute to the Female Singer-Songwriter

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHXQaKvcSuBVYAtCPRS61EqvJPNuJy218mjJESaW9DZYV8E65jsHmuUshgCVkHUDWh4Xo8Tv-3l_UH8NNzMeEhGeNCRGreTxD9wM5x_ruh_J8tuA81_awu-Wo7yQiO6f4TduB2ekpnvc/s1600-h/Mark+Gypsy+detail.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351224404179993986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHXQaKvcSuBVYAtCPRS61EqvJPNuJy218mjJESaW9DZYV8E65jsHmuUshgCVkHUDWh4Xo8Tv-3l_UH8NNzMeEhGeNCRGreTxD9wM5x_ruh_J8tuA81_awu-Wo7yQiO6f4TduB2ekpnvc/s400/Mark+Gypsy+detail.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 237px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 209px;" /></a><br />I have mentioned before that I tend to shy away from approaching subway commuters about their tattoos.<br /><br />However, like most of my self-imposed guidelines, I always make exceptions for work that is transcendent. That is, if the tattoos are supremely blogworthy, I will solicit, for the sake of the reader, people on the subway. One such case presented itself last week on the Brooklyn-bound <a href="http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/nline.htm">N</a> train.<br /><br />I approached Mark Turrigiano as the N emerged from the subterranean underworld and climbed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Bridge">Manhattan Bridge</a>. He has phenomenal sleeves, intricate work that wraps and surrounds the limbs.<br /><br />His right arm, with an Asian-inspired theme, is mostly attributed to Elio Espana at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/enter.html">Fly Rite Tattoo</a><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Fly%20Rite%20Studio"> Studio</a> (whose work has been seen previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Fly%20Rite%20Studio">here</a>). His left arm hosts an incredibly huge and colorful octopus, which was inked by Lou at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/3rdeyetattoo">Third Eye Tattoo</a> (whose work has appeared on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Third%20Eye%20Tattoo">here</a>).<br /><br />Because of the scale of those sleeves, we opted to go with one of his newer pieces, a gypsy on the back of his left calf:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Zs0KFAvx-GQeuYij0YHz-uE7-7ZreLyu744UeDfGdG9Uo6OkZvCRgRdDhgiffOR6VgLkLO07U1ljl9nrwGIWNwIbQDAZKOWXiqvFAIKLaxmhHbj99jbPe7LbowwDTQbt_TeVBbqtOtY/s1600-h/Mark+Gypsy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351224363901722658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Zs0KFAvx-GQeuYij0YHz-uE7-7ZreLyu744UeDfGdG9Uo6OkZvCRgRdDhgiffOR6VgLkLO07U1ljl9nrwGIWNwIbQDAZKOWXiqvFAIKLaxmhHbj99jbPe7LbowwDTQbt_TeVBbqtOtY/s400/Mark+Gypsy.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 314px;" /></a><br />This piece, designed and inked by <a href="http://www.handofglorytattoo.com/pages/craig.html">Craig Rodriguez</a> at <a href="http://www.handofglorytattoo.com/">Hand of Glory Tattoo Studio</a> in Brooklyn, is seen by Mark as "a good way to commemorate [his] work with female singer-songwriters".<br /><br />I like this piece a lot because it contains a lot of traditional gypsy elements, but is atypical in its presentation. It seems much larger with greater detail than the traditional gypsy profile tattoos that are much more common. The vividness of the colors also helps the tattoo pop, and you can almost feel the texture of her scarf.<br /><br />Mark says the piece was completed in about four hours over two sessions. He estimates that his body is about 30% covered in ink.<br /><br />Feel free to check out Mark's website <a href="http://mturrigiano.tumblr.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Mark for sharing this great gypsy tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Mark's Gypsy Tattoo Pays Tribute to the Female Singer-Songwriter

I have mentioned before that I tend to shy away from approaching subway commuters about their tattoos. However, like most of my self-imposed...

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Michelle's Amazing Owl Tattoo Honors Her Dad

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82TEqIK9FYx3fJ_h2SvZYt0AXFKEZqXJKPmBJMWMPv0zph9ugDi_3fvv4nNQY4lTz09TeovNTP3NN7thkpzKlB2nL-1KyCi47SNffOrysq2ANFcvhuD2KfntoqzfL-8miCzEcdyMbwztx/s1600-h/Owl.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242875930234265906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82TEqIK9FYx3fJ_h2SvZYt0AXFKEZqXJKPmBJMWMPv0zph9ugDi_3fvv4nNQY4lTz09TeovNTP3NN7thkpzKlB2nL-1KyCi47SNffOrysq2ANFcvhuD2KfntoqzfL-8miCzEcdyMbwztx/s400/Owl.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />I follow a method to creating content for this blog and I generally post ink in the chronological order that I see it. Sometimes a post may take longer because it requires more research. Other times, a tattoo is so good, it deserves to be seen right away. The tattoo above is one of those that demanded it be posted immediately. It helped that the story behind it is short and sweet.<br /><br />I had left the office for lunch on Friday and I spotted this owl (sorry, bad pun) going into Starbucks. I suddenly realized I had left my camera on my desk. What to do? Run upstairs and risk missing the chance? Ask her to send me a photo? Then, I realized I had my phone, a recent upgrade, with a functioning camera. But would it take a good tattoo picture?<br /><br />I believe so.<br /><br />This is Michelle's tattoo, covering her upper left arm. It is dedicated to her father, who is her very own "wise old owl". The tattoo artist was Marina, who was apprenticing at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/enter.html">Fly-Rite Studio</a>, in Brooklyn.<br /><br />All I can say is, "Wow." Not only is it an amazingly beautiful piece of body art, but it rendered the dozen or so tattoos I saw throughout the day uninteresting. When you fly first class, it's hard to go back to sitting in coach.<br /><br />Everything I've seen come out of Fly-Rite has been spot-on. See other tattoos that were inked st the studio <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Fly%20Rite%20Studio">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks again profusely to Michelle for sharing her wonderful owl tattoo with us here on Tattoosday, and thanks to Marina for inking such a cool piece!

Michelle's Amazing Owl Tattoo Honors Her Dad

I follow a method to creating content for this blog and I generally post ink in the chronological order that I see it. Sometimes a post may ...

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Kali Takes Manhattan

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pznJhK_Z8BrQ2pSOwkwdACekZWGq8_F5jsys_d3sMl9IAwsp7ikb2ZNQm-fZaDeaszcu5WAY7irC4AS0Toa7PYimmWAi38joo_v1cvzEgIh8vR8cbAKPsFpWp36aa8uRcEUWv0AJQhYs/s1600-h/100_7564.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212775563504161842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pznJhK_Z8BrQ2pSOwkwdACekZWGq8_F5jsys_d3sMl9IAwsp7ikb2ZNQm-fZaDeaszcu5WAY7irC4AS0Toa7PYimmWAi38joo_v1cvzEgIh8vR8cbAKPsFpWp36aa8uRcEUWv0AJQhYs/s400/100_7564.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />Ronda J. is a painter/musician from New York City who wears this beautiful tattoo on her left bicep.<br /><br />This is the Hindu goddess <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali">Kali</a>, who is often associated with death and destruction, although she more accurately represents change.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZDatcjp2VKabDkYNvSbnRVzCV03ljpAbh7Wx37CSfxQopLyw0RJi-qMV13Cy81rOKYGqT90omWxHtucnNx72n31VwX2vR4j_RS-WKcNbic6jA78isAqJCRbcgw9MiUWIo7NOexu1OZBl/s1600-h/100_7568.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212775751668543538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZDatcjp2VKabDkYNvSbnRVzCV03ljpAbh7Wx37CSfxQopLyw0RJi-qMV13Cy81rOKYGqT90omWxHtucnNx72n31VwX2vR4j_RS-WKcNbic6jA78isAqJCRbcgw9MiUWIo7NOexu1OZBl/s400/100_7568.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />This tattoo is a traditional image of Kali, with one significant exception. Whereas she is usually pictured standing upon the deity <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva">Shiva</a>, this incarnation has her standing on a city aflame. Ronda J. points out that the burning metropolis is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City">New York City</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCthRzT2CpPGdsZUkMG7t_MqZPCkWPu8-4BTcXeyfCI0osO-E2sKV3byFbbQek27ajvikNqF-WFFw2sHcdtnv3mqJYOMzdKrvhch8XCOjvR-yCVcdz4Q1e8B0_uP220cNg6CHLVVdwlJyc/s1600-h/100_7569.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212775963874238450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCthRzT2CpPGdsZUkMG7t_MqZPCkWPu8-4BTcXeyfCI0osO-E2sKV3byFbbQek27ajvikNqF-WFFw2sHcdtnv3mqJYOMzdKrvhch8XCOjvR-yCVcdz4Q1e8B0_uP220cNg6CHLVVdwlJyc/s400/100_7569.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />It should be noted, she points out, that the flames reach highest behind the two twin towers in the lower right section of the tattoo:<br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg55lwsSmeogdUtKIsX26B-AEX7F93Dp4o83f9bcsDj2LPVa_wBO7-05lznVqxRHSjDhr9PptMhA55i4qSyWL_hnV-kqiIcC8IGrx1b15Zy8wA8F9jcZysTal8qcIBxSltKn1ZgMq-zZGe/s1600-h/100_7566.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212776241069046114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg55lwsSmeogdUtKIsX26B-AEX7F93Dp4o83f9bcsDj2LPVa_wBO7-05lznVqxRHSjDhr9PptMhA55i4qSyWL_hnV-kqiIcC8IGrx1b15Zy8wA8F9jcZysTal8qcIBxSltKn1ZgMq-zZGe/s400/100_7566.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>This is of course the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center">World Trade Center</a>, but the piece was completed in 1997, four years before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11%2C_2001_attacks">9/11</a>. This makes the tattoo that much more haunting.<br /><br />This remarkable work was inked by <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/elio_espana/ElioEspanaMain.html">Elio Espana</a> at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/enter.html">Fly-Rite Studio</a> in Brooklyn. Work from Elio and Fly-Rite has appeared on Tattoosday previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2007/12/jasons-koi-and-flower.html">here</a> and <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/03/rising-sun.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Ronda J. is a self-described Kali-initiate. Hindu mysticism takes on many forms, and I got the distinct impression that her faith in Kali was multi-layered, and by proxy, her connection to this tattoo and its meaning was exceptionally complex.<br /><br />Thanks to Ronda J. for sharing her tattoo here at Tattoosday!

Kali Takes Manhattan

Ronda J. is a painter/musician from New York City who wears this beautiful tattoo on her left bicep. This is the Hindu goddess Kali , who is...

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Candice Explains Her Six Interesting Tattoos

<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" >I first met Candice a couple of weeks ago when I spotted some very interesting tattoos on her arms and told her about Tattoosday.</span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >She was on her way back to work from lunch, so she took a flier and said she'd check it out.<span style=""> </span>She e-mailed me later that day and we agreed to meet a week later to talk about her six tattoos. She has three on her right biceps, two on her left, and a chest piece.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Candice works for a New York-based non-profit hunger organization, and gets to tra</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >vel a bi</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >t. I discovered, as she went through her tattoos chronologically, that she collected tattoos in various cities across the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Her right arm has three pieces:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23UJkim4hLoiNJvvVFVGY8Uq5WcqeQE2SAG1kCxC1o5H5oT8tFKW0jwg_LT25JrhlqSSCJErtIE4zVxsu_iyXUIgZBhqWQoman-j8ASHnJ44oy1p2u9mjKRQGxEjnGKv847Eb3H5QmtnE/s1600-h/100_6973.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195713153744631378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23UJkim4hLoiNJvvVFVGY8Uq5WcqeQE2SAG1kCxC1o5H5oT8tFKW0jwg_LT25JrhlqSSCJErtIE4zVxsu_iyXUIgZBhqWQoman-j8ASHnJ44oy1p2u9mjKRQGxEjnGKv847Eb3H5QmtnE/s400/100_6973.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >The one on the top right is her first:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R4IeM4hUwozAi6g19kslT6EeXa0eZYKR7MRRd1_QVopGo9vfpKk3QVKCFmMj9AbIiomAmG_QrRv0aZb5gSdWclnFY90lvAiRdkJ0UUEZjJD1Z7FsYrJyd0xnp5l6zzDB3q5Cv4c2cGcB/s1600-h/100_6975.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195713518816851554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7R4IeM4hUwozAi6g19kslT6EeXa0eZYKR7MRRd1_QVopGo9vfpKk3QVKCFmMj9AbIiomAmG_QrRv0aZb5gSdWclnFY90lvAiRdkJ0UUEZjJD1Z7FsYrJyd0xnp5l6zzDB3q5Cv4c2cGcB/s400/100_6975.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >This was inked in August 2003 when she was 19 at Distinction TA2 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. She thinks the artist’s name was Carlos, but doesn’t remember for sure.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_D7_TOLuMedr7IJ2oJOpgalUXE44KZsQ8L37zMH0R1TSJ7QrI6uEMFREPNdHtXFW-HPMeqZrhWOYGSgO_GphFGQdUkq-XS8DWDU9m0sk95DETlzBeNAu41jeWOEtax0SLeUUmSSr9azJ/s1600-h/570px-Coat_of_Arms_of_Iceland.svg.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195713909658875506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_D7_TOLuMedr7IJ2oJOpgalUXE44KZsQ8L37zMH0R1TSJ7QrI6uEMFREPNdHtXFW-HPMeqZrhWOYGSgO_GphFGQdUkq-XS8DWDU9m0sk95DETlzBeNAu41jeWOEtax0SLeUUmSSr9azJ/s400/570px-Coat_of_Arms_of_Iceland.svg.png" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 239px;" /></a></span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Since the age of 10, Candice has been fascinated by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland">Iceland</a>.</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" > She pointed out her ancestry is</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" > Sicilian, not Icelandic. Nonetheless, she has always loved Iceland. Thus, her first tattoo was the Icelandic crest, which graces the backs of most coins, or kron</span><span style="font-size:130%;">á</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >, in the country.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlP77qM_TT2PiGHBHgG9WewHhlWLsHSheSqhhyphenhyphenBl71V6mckuvgs1wkhE-bUagAY4JqK02Zwmj5XLrzb3SlmpwQib2qcVbe6AcJDzkeic5SbpGrGe175O_4-DgHcJW7zzf_6Oj3vMliItX/s1600-h/iceland_1000kronur.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195372021672179266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlP77qM_TT2PiGHBHgG9WewHhlWLsHSheSqhhyphenhyphenBl71V6mckuvgs1wkhE-bUagAY4JqK02Zwmj5XLrzb3SlmpwQib2qcVbe6AcJDzkeic5SbpGrGe175O_4-DgHcJW7zzf_6Oj3vMliItX/s400/iceland_1000kronur.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span></p><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><o:p></o:p></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Courier;font-size:130%;color:black;" > <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >The four quadrants each represent one of the four mythical Guardians of Icelan</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >d, each in turn representing the North, South, East and West sections of the country. This myth is central to Icelandic culture (</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >read more <a href="http://www.isholf.is/gardarj/folk/guard.htm">here</a>).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Clockwise from the upper left, there is an eagle, a dragon, a mountain giant, and a bull. Candice has a special affinity for the bull as her astrological sign is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_%28astrology%29">Taurus</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Courier;font-size:130%;color:black;" > <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Her second piece was inked in August 2004 at the same shop in Sunset Park by Rob. The person </span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >who did her coin had subsequently left the shop:</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAzehcjov4t7UfS0eHXz7gV6_fRzaiW3_17X87n1l6iUs8jnEuPsmyZo6icCjyPkU3ctLEjGDKqSwnG2GsRDjUlB13oy4fipaihA7-kMqgmSwoSx3pZpKYDH35RAor7NspGlyDqEhyphenhyphenzEm/s1600-h/100_6970.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195370952225322546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAzehcjov4t7UfS0eHXz7gV6_fRzaiW3_17X87n1l6iUs8jnEuPsmyZo6icCjyPkU3ctLEjGDKqSwnG2GsRDjUlB13oy4fipaihA7-kMqgmSwoSx3pZpKYDH35RAor7NspGlyDqEhyphenhyphenzEm/s400/100_6970.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" > Aside from liking birds, the piece's design history came courtesy of her boyfriend at the time (they have since broken up but remain friends). He found the bird image in a textbook and duplicated and customized it into a larger</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" > collage. At a time, she thought about using it as a back piece, but they pared it down to fit on her biceps. She's not sure what type of bird it is, but it remains one of her favorite pieces. I love the inverted imagery, which recalls a bit of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_yang">yin-yang</a> correlation.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Her third tattoo is a very basic, rudimentary design. Flipping back to her left arm, Candice explained that it represents a medieval watermark of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossbow">crossbow</a>:</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigM4ilCiIJ9AHoYDYkuW3LBJtufY4ak0IosGruZogdzdxgqHKjqhhwzTe6ayR0VuQvJtpRRHvkhxWQTcoA9kFdqN0g4RJWSTjqaTxJRwHXlOKALMcmVHyA-xnA4BvGXe1LeVWAngBYeN8v/s1600-h/100_6977.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195370084641928738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigM4ilCiIJ9AHoYDYkuW3LBJtufY4ak0IosGruZogdzdxgqHKjqhhwzTe6ayR0VuQvJtpRRHvkhxWQTcoA9kFdqN0g4RJWSTjqaTxJRwHXlOKALMcmVHyA-xnA4BvGXe1LeVWAngBYeN8v/s400/100_6977.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >At first, I wasn't very impressed by it. Then I got the story. She was<o:p></o:p> visiting New Orleans on business, pre-Katrina in March 2005, and it took all of 7 minutes and cost only $25. The piece was inked at <a href="http://www.eyecandytattoo.com/all.htm">Eyecandy Tattoo</a> in New Orleans and, Candice believes that the artist was intoxicated ("I think she was drunk. It was a total</span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" > New Orleans experience.")<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >She sensed my surprise at her analysis of the sobriety of the tattooist. Diplomatically, she re-stated, "Well, she was drinking a beer while doing it. She said not to worry, she worked like that a lot." So, let's give the tattooist the benefit of the doubt. Maybe not drunk, but certainly quick.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >And why the crossbow watermark?</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >The crossbow represented a Medieval theme, another subject of interest in Candice’s life.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >This watermark design also appears on the cover of the first single by an artist named Jason Molina, performing as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs:_Ohia">Songs:Ohia</a>.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3DBaiFLyWgytK9u8KsNZOLbgwvRymPADCQmdYAWi395rx5ZYlf_NYdEgZ5tBEJAsCvKzXyCMzkRKNVQco7mtx2dCCbsXzbPUupbAouvI0sGHoiykFfaaaXORecyYEZbw_uLVqIb-Qc-f/s1600-h/ohia-norcease-cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195369835533825554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3DBaiFLyWgytK9u8KsNZOLbgwvRymPADCQmdYAWi395rx5ZYlf_NYdEgZ5tBEJAsCvKzXyCMzkRKNVQco7mtx2dCCbsXzbPUupbAouvI0sGHoiykFfaaaXORecyYEZbw_uLVqIb-Qc-f/s400/ohia-norcease-cover.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Tattoo #4 was inked in August 2005, her third August tattoo in a row. The design originated after waking up from a dream and immediately drawing the image that had been so prominent in the dream state. She designed the piece, purposely modeling the hands after her own, down to distinctive spots and coloring:</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FOXFDJz7v4j7DjXr8V-zjCUEtS4wPZRz4o0mIFrDmmcRXl8jqe-14Vze8gkgvnrQAoq5YLDfmnZEIbQW6b9wyqSwl1LEUY6vrzOqCZBh0vCorTij2CSJTTkPi5LXGzZ4scd7fIQK1YHi/s1600-h/100_6972.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195368843396380162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FOXFDJz7v4j7DjXr8V-zjCUEtS4wPZRz4o0mIFrDmmcRXl8jqe-14Vze8gkgvnrQAoq5YLDfmnZEIbQW6b9wyqSwl1LEUY6vrzOqCZBh0vCorTij2CSJTTkPi5LXGzZ4scd7fIQK1YHi/s400/100_6972.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >My first impression was that it was a variation on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claddagh_ring">claddagh ring</a>, with the two hands and the heart in the center of the balloon. Candice was surprised when I mentioned that, but acknowledged the similarities, although she had never considered them before. In fact, to Candice, this tattoo represents one being able to let go of things in life, while at the same time allowing things to come back, as well. In essence, it embodies one’s ability to control one’s own happiness.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >When I asked Candice why it was the sole tattoo of hers in color. She simply replied, “Because I dreamt it in color.” Makes perfect sense. I could probably write another page about the apparent influence that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_%281939_film%29">The Wizard of Oz</a> had on this tattoo. I say apparent, because the movie never came up when we discussed it. But the theme is applicable, the dreaming in color is similar, and the hot air balloon, which was what transported the wizard to the land of Oz, also makes the case for an homage, conscious or sub-conscious, to the images of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Frank_Baum">L. Frank Bau</a></span><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Frank_Baum">m</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Interesting to note that this piece was inked by <a href="http://www.holdfastbrooklyn.com/artists/kelly/index.html">Kelly Krantz</a>, formerly of <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/enter.html">FlyRite Studio</a> in Brooklyn. Kelly’s appeared previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/03/rising-sun.html">here</a> on a tattoo I spotted just a few blocks away.<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" class="a" ><o:p></o:p></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Courier;font-size:130%;color:black;" > <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >Candice’s fifth tattoo was inked in March 2006 while on a trip to San Francisco. I actually didn’t take this photo, which she understandably provided to me. It’s a chest piece that runs vertically from the middle of her chest down to her stomach:</span></p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dZdF0GdZDsTpBrM_xIA9GpV4VSiHdT46p88gpTID9EoLbQnVKts_DqomKGQha1FDesKgy5o8QVloBmeuX0EHu8eH-J6yMUIeYM21Y8qbIVxoAipKgGwfzMIo7D3L2p8bBy_tLrsQ87Bj/s1600-h/IMG_2570_.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195367507661551090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dZdF0GdZDsTpBrM_xIA9GpV4VSiHdT46p88gpTID9EoLbQnVKts_DqomKGQha1FDesKgy5o8QVloBmeuX0EHu8eH-J6yMUIeYM21Y8qbIVxoAipKgGwfzMIo7D3L2p8bBy_tLrsQ87Bj/s400/IMG_2570_.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:130%;color:black;" >This style of ink is known as a “<a href="http://www.sailorjerry.com/history.php">Sailor Jerry</a>” tattoo, which is basically classic, old-school tattooing. Candice just loved this piece of flash art. This photo was taken about a week after the piece was done at <a href="http://www.blackandbluetattoo.com/home/">Black & Blue Tattoo</a>, “a woman owned and operated San Francisco tattoo shop”. The fact that it is woman-owned increased the comfort level significantly for Candice, as the inking required much more exposure than she had been used to with her arm tattoos. She also noted that the location on her body created an interesting sensation: both pain and laughter - it tickled and hurt simultaneously! The artist was <a href="http://www.skinfiend.com/home.htm">Natalie Chandler</a>, who is now working out of Oakland.</span></p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >And finally, her last piece is a line drawing of a structure representing a house:</span><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8xjTJUTnAHsqRBg9b8bFfozV1pXH9ezhy9m9E7Rv2NW9-7R9g3jVReWoKecAA9Ci1DjHnl4-9t5D4x-wYQVl1TmO_ZU0BxQb_mJsyJ_E5XHxbEyd59onGvx0xIGMqdT2pt8wJEdCEUv6/s1600-h/100_6976.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195366472574432722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8xjTJUTnAHsqRBg9b8bFfozV1pXH9ezhy9m9E7Rv2NW9-7R9g3jVReWoKecAA9Ci1DjHnl4-9t5D4x-wYQVl1TmO_ZU0BxQb_mJsyJ_E5XHxbEyd59onGvx0xIGMqdT2pt8wJEdCEUv6/s400/100_6976.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">This image appeared on the cover of an album by the band <a href="http://www.modestmousemusic.com/">Modest Mouse</a> called <i style=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_Nothing_Out_of_Something">Building Nothing Out of Something</a>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLk2dV6ttm4DPMnHuLkebmzMkvAaBv05kw1abLcRAvGzhx4DDUyXQefe5xa2xLalDGOwkuFLxU3FhWwpO8BrqgWgsXGNoJvLFrpTRm8InQNc-3nMdA9UIyzhpb5bC6Cq3saUq_yhHCIodY/s1600-h/MMBuildingNothingOutOfSomething.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195367005150377442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLk2dV6ttm4DPMnHuLkebmzMkvAaBv05kw1abLcRAvGzhx4DDUyXQefe5xa2xLalDGOwkuFLxU3FhWwpO8BrqgWgsXGNoJvLFrpTRm8InQNc-3nMdA9UIyzhpb5bC6Cq3saUq_yhHCIodY/s400/MMBuildingNothingOutOfSomething.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;">This piece was inked by Curtis James at <a href="http://www.anchortattoo.com/">Anchor Tattoo</a> in Seattle, in January 2007. Modest Mouse is from the Seattle area and when Candie was visiting her ex-boyfriend, and several other friends, the image from the album seemed apropos, as she felt she was in a home away from home.</span></p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" class="a" ><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Well, I must thank Candice for her active participation in this post. She and I exchanged multiple e-mails, coordinating our schedules so I could snap the pictures, and she made my life easier by doing a lot of the research on her tattoos. Thank you for sharing your ink here at Tattoosday!</span></p>

Candice Explains Her Six Interesting Tattoos

I first met Candice a couple of weeks ago when I spotted some very interesting tattoos on her arms and told her about Tattoosday. She wa...

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The Rising Sun

Despite the warmer weather, it was drizzly and overcast on Friday when I was walking north on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_%28New_York_City%29">Broadway</a> at lunchtime.<br /><br />Despite the occasional raindrop, the journey didn't warrant an umbrella. As I ambled toward <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square">Times Square</a>, I passed a gentleman smoking a cigarette outside of a building. His arms were inked.<br /><br />I walked to the corner contemplating whether I should head back and ask him about his tattoos. I dismissed the weak excuse of precipitation and wandered back and introduced myself.<br /><br />He had multiple tattoos on both arms, but what jumped out initially were the pin-ups on the interior of his forearms:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCtz3ImxEKGQDqCC-OlkJZfBZbrwjsApdoGEIDiwlb5PXMkvvXjZxuNdgu9xr4sBiZRQpyUyYvr_e8rCy-sZtqxfgIO0lMvAtB8ZqK2Ob0fv5bHZLUzVD7GAJf_CP2UPk0_xBY-od-k2Z/s1600-h/100_6861b.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183004744300861346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCtz3ImxEKGQDqCC-OlkJZfBZbrwjsApdoGEIDiwlb5PXMkvvXjZxuNdgu9xr4sBiZRQpyUyYvr_e8rCy-sZtqxfgIO0lMvAtB8ZqK2Ob0fv5bHZLUzVD7GAJf_CP2UPk0_xBY-od-k2Z/s400/100_6861b.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1Nms-fTg_MYs3aans137YfqvWb9ef85Z7qg3eBG1yQNRpSOyJevvKWNUBqjKaohcyHt_SKygnmW_mqhiM24W7zq88Jet87Z56VLelHOrFVI3nKDmPsTuywLRggLZc_yAoWWTuup-ElgW/s1600-h/100_6860b.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183004645516613522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1Nms-fTg_MYs3aans137YfqvWb9ef85Z7qg3eBG1yQNRpSOyJevvKWNUBqjKaohcyHt_SKygnmW_mqhiM24W7zq88Jet87Z56VLelHOrFVI3nKDmPsTuywLRggLZc_yAoWWTuup-ElgW/s400/100_6860b.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />I especially liked his newest piece, on the right, with the Stars & Stripes theme and what appeared to be a rising sun tattooed on the lower right buttock of the woman. "Great detail," I thought.<br /><br />I handed him a printout and said that Tattoosday averages a modest 150 hits a day. He indicated he had a blog too, with significantly more traffic. I asked if I could get the site to link and he hesitated.<br /><br />Remembering that he had met me only minutes before, and that people generally have strong opinions about lifestyles that may be different than theirs, his pause was understandable when he disclosed that his blog, <a href="http://spankingbrats.blogspot.com/">The House of Richard Windsor</a> (Mature Readers only), is dedicated to the fetish of, well, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erotic_spanking">spanking</a>.<br /><br />I'm an open-minded guy and such a revelation hardly phased me. If anything, it made the encounter more interesting.<br /><br />So, going by the name Richard Windsor, the possessor of the above tattoos is a 44-year old originally from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England">English</a> town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swindon">Swindon</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhLuN1EKQska1DzXS2OsznSKyTS4XxLNZGWkVT-28v3KYX2nt8plnwtbsB8IJ6xbb5O6zZvmkk8Bjqic8_SGdCj-S0jGmgEZAtLc3a2BFkzPEDe3gM3VcZndM32SCCamXUCbkRlQZxz1c/s1600-h/100_6861bb.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183008459447572434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhLuN1EKQska1DzXS2OsznSKyTS4XxLNZGWkVT-28v3KYX2nt8plnwtbsB8IJ6xbb5O6zZvmkk8Bjqic8_SGdCj-S0jGmgEZAtLc3a2BFkzPEDe3gM3VcZndM32SCCamXUCbkRlQZxz1c/s400/100_6861bb.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>He offered up the pin-ups happily. They actually represented the lifestyle he lived. On his left forearm is the "good girl". He drew her himself* and she was later inked by <a href="http://www.holdfastbrooklyn.com/artists/kelly/index.html">Kelly Krantz</a> at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/">FlyRite Studio</a> in Brooklyn. The shop has previously been featured on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2007/12/jasons-koi-and-flower.html">here</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcV4Ogtd_qgo1ZEdYeAI1KcnvVGyTyy_l-Dg1G2dEUNMb1Jssjf6USLGyPUP9UJy6uo_5_QoYimHUG9d5eNiL0XXTN3b9pCsxSFFkzmLyxIhvdJ-GPmFFD7qkcL_NYTg-rtpJeUstym5b4/s1600-h/100_6860bb.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183008403612997570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcV4Ogtd_qgo1ZEdYeAI1KcnvVGyTyy_l-Dg1G2dEUNMb1Jssjf6USLGyPUP9UJy6uo_5_QoYimHUG9d5eNiL0XXTN3b9pCsxSFFkzmLyxIhvdJ-GPmFFD7qkcL_NYTg-rtpJeUstym5b4/s400/100_6860bb.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The opposite arm bears the Naughty Girl, as tattooed by Krantz most recently. Both were done at the same shop, although Krantz is now working out of <a href="http://www.holdfastbrooklyn.com/index.html">Hold Fast Tattoos</a>, in Williams-<br />burg, Brooklyn.<br /><br />It was then that I made the additional connection. I said to him: "Oh, the mark on the Naughty Girl is a hand print! I thought it was a rising sun!"<br /><br />Richard smiled and laughed, "Well, it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span>."<br /><br />Brilliant.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks to Mr. Windsor for being so open and sharing his ladies with the denizens of Tattoosday!<br /><br />*NOTE: Richard wrote to me, clarifying the design of the "good girl" after this posted:<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I just want to clarify a little bit what I told you. While I did indeed sketch the first tattoo, all credit should really go to Kelly as his interpretation of my "very rough" drawing by far exceeded my expectations. He took my ideas and the finished product is actually his work, I shouldn't really take credit for what he created. All I did was provide the ideas and the original sketch, which in fairness was 100 times inferior to his creation.</span></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Thanks to Richard Windsor for a) clarifying this matter and b) sending visitors this way to check out his pin-ups over here on Tattoosday!

The Rising Sun

Despite the warmer weather, it was drizzly and overcast on Friday when I was walking north on Broadway at lunchtime. Despite the occasional...

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Jason's Koi and Flower

While wandering aimlessly at work, I ran into Tom (see his tattoo <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2007/09/tattoos-i-know-grim-reaper.html">here</a>) with a couple of contractors. One of them had a cool tattoo and when I mentioned it to Tom, he told me to go get my camera. And so I did.<br /><br />Tom introduced me and summarized my Tattoosday project.<br /><br />The guy, Jason, actually had two pieces that formed a quarter-sleeve that covered pretty much the entire upper arm.<br /><br />The inner arm/bicep has a flower on it which he referred to as a pantisse.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTl2H1ZT-HrD0FQnVgGNLiPkHHSMhgkZHNvGRh4VrxJdL2ygJfV6lL-bYYEyyvWlHdb6OHzZBVIlc6bVleYwCFocCzvxh0n9fwhaKuRas2J-1BXAHRiJ142ruQ6QEQTOTNNbZqBL3sUYOZ/s1600-h/100_5733.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128077443999641058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTl2H1ZT-HrD0FQnVgGNLiPkHHSMhgkZHNvGRh4VrxJdL2ygJfV6lL-bYYEyyvWlHdb6OHzZBVIlc6bVleYwCFocCzvxh0n9fwhaKuRas2J-1BXAHRiJ142ruQ6QEQTOTNNbZqBL3sUYOZ/s400/100_5733.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCzBArFHP5OT_VM_5oQPgswVCO1kybGYdL59HSBG-xj_UOh35lEhmhRamYnoRcGk4BKsZSOj7yREzF7N_kPUAL63BJ6cpA_nYO6t8BQRJgSqZpe-Kw7EasZlYX-chgVHpOm8xbgkCcKW-/s1600-h/flow2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128077237841210834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCzBArFHP5OT_VM_5oQPgswVCO1kybGYdL59HSBG-xj_UOh35lEhmhRamYnoRcGk4BKsZSOj7yREzF7N_kPUAL63BJ6cpA_nYO6t8BQRJgSqZpe-Kw7EasZlYX-chgVHpOm8xbgkCcKW-/s400/flow2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><br />I checked an <a href="http://www.flowerpossibilities.com/encyclopedia.html">encyclopedia</a> and found no such name. I could spend a long time trying to figure it out, but am not willing to do so.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flowerpossibilities.com/encyclopedia.html" target="_blank"></a>He got it at <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/enter.html">Fly Rite Studio</a> in Brooklyn. <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/enter.html" target="_blank"></a>The artist is <a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/elio_espana/ElioEspanaMain.html">Elio Espana</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flyritetattoo.net/elio_espana/ElioEspanaMain.html" target="_blank"></a>The outer arm hosted the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koi">koi</a> tattoo, which was the one I first noticed.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJZWtsrlMVNWRly7R0MjBOWZROD_kpnwooZ8CUTP98MT_K_ibrGP_GSIovgql2nsut8UREPhsBVkZcrQbmA_i9WnCTpZu8SIE4iJSU0Ih-EcmdjDJzqbSWedoe6yNXDMp4yfMtyUd_1cb/s1600-h/100_5731.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128078096834670082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJZWtsrlMVNWRly7R0MjBOWZROD_kpnwooZ8CUTP98MT_K_ibrGP_GSIovgql2nsut8UREPhsBVkZcrQbmA_i9WnCTpZu8SIE4iJSU0Ih-EcmdjDJzqbSWedoe6yNXDMp4yfMtyUd_1cb/s400/100_5731.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />Jason is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisces_%28astrology%29">Pisces</a>, and the koi represents good luck.<br /><br />This piece was inked by <a href="http://brucebarttattooing.com/Tattooing/FortLauderdale/DamienBart/tabid/56/Default.aspx">Damien Bart at Bruce Bart Tattooin</a><a href="http://brucebarttattooing.com/Tattooing/FortLauderdale/DamienBart/tabid/56/Default.aspx">g</a> in Ft. Lauderdale.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-kA7ZlA_qoS4q_BSyXZzzc3lGxFwIgoHQp6yG-3Yr__YZ-CWwp5qp3X4X-oViAXFn2ZZ0cjW7s6SlF-hCHa1qox4X4f9gdCxMIhE1gR17m_RXFta3j2bBdWhRf5I0j9MWxV284P6f3qV/s1600-h/100_5732.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128077718877548018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-kA7ZlA_qoS4q_BSyXZzzc3lGxFwIgoHQp6yG-3Yr__YZ-CWwp5qp3X4X-oViAXFn2ZZ0cjW7s6SlF-hCHa1qox4X4f9gdCxMIhE1gR17m_RXFta3j2bBdWhRf5I0j9MWxV284P6f3qV/s400/100_5732.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />Thanks to Jason for contributing to Tattoosday!

Jason's Koi and Flower

While wandering aimlessly at work, I ran into Tom (see his tattoo here ) with a couple of contractors. One of them had a cool tattoo and whe...

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