My very first tattoo was one that I gave to myself, on the worn carpeting of the bedroom
that I grew up in. It was the result of an impulse purchase, a stick-and-poke kit that I found
online and bought on a whim. And on a hot summer’s day in between college semesters, with
nothing else to do, I quickly sketched out a design, put down some paper towels and dove in with unfounded confidence. Having done very little research into technique, my tattoo began to take form with a sloppiness that could only be achieved by an impulsive amateur.
While at the halfway point I had an intense moment of
wondering if I had made a horrible mistake! By the end, I felt happy with the finished tattoo, and
to this day it is one of my favorites.
Since then I have accumulated a number of tattoos, a few more done by myself, and
others for which I sought out real life handpoke professionals. :-)
There is something special about the slow,
methodical pace required for a handpoked tattoo, and that the simple method of marking the
body with just a needle and ink goes back through centuries of human history, across so many
cultures.
The other tattoos I have given myself are all a bit imperfect, but to me that is part of the
beauty- art that carries so much weight because it is entirely of my own creation. In some ways I
view tattoos as a way to have agency over our bodies, and to give myself a tattoo is a further
extension of that agency.
I have given a couple of friends tattoos, simple and imperfect. But these moments will mark an experience and time of their lives.
The process of
making art on and with the bodies of people I care about, and the bonding that came from those
sessions will be just as permanent for me as it is for them.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Use SpringtimeBaby10 for $10 free- while supplies last 🌸🌻🥪🙏🏼🪻🌺☀️💐🌼👀
Katie lives and loves in Mendocino County. Enjoy some more springtime photos from a juicy climate.
