Name: Sarah
Age: 24
Occupation: Certified Nursing Assistant; waiting to start nursing school
Age of first tattoo: 17
Favorite tattoo: Traditional rose on my right knee
Featured tattoo/location: Giving Tree on left upper arm
Artist/shop/location of feature tattoo: Tom Harley in Arcata, CA
1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?
I got the piece from a page in my favorite childhood book, The Giving Tree. My mom read this book to me while I was growing up. My mom raised me by herself and I'm an only child; almost my entire childhood it was just my mom and I. We are very close so I got this tattoo to remind me of our relationship and how awesome my mom is!
Side note: Every time I'm in public with a short-sleeved shirt on, everyone that sees this piece is like: "oh that's from that one book!" or "awww the Giving Tree"...etc. This one gets the most attention by far!
2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?
Feet: Sunflower on the top of left foot, peace sign on left toe (my mom has a matching one), my best friend's initials on the side of left foot (stick n poke), spiderweb on the top of my right foot, "86" on my right ankle (stick n poke)
Left leg: black heart on ankle, leaf face with roses on shin (my black metal tattoo, haha), bat-rose on knee, Halloween/graveyard scene on thigh (unfinished)
Right leg: Dia de los Muertos skull on shin, oak tree on calf, traditional rose on knee
Left arm: Led Zeppelin symbols on upper inner arm and 3 silhouette birds on inner forearm
Right arm: bouquet of flowers on upper arm, owl on upper inner arm
Inside of lip: the word "brella"
3) Do you plan on getting more?
Oh yes! I want to start by finishing my thigh piece and then get more on my arms.
4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them? Do you have a significant other? Does he/she have tattoos?
Most of my friends have at least one tattoo and the ones who don't have any like them but just haven't gotten any themselves. My mom and dad both have tattoos; my dad is completely covered in them. Whenever I'd visit my dad as a kid, I spent a lot of time in tattoo shops/watching people get tattoos. My dad owned a tattoo shop in Morro Bay, CA and the artists would always make me fake tattoos to put on. My grandparents don't like tattoos but they have gotten used to the fact I have them. My grandpa always "jokes" and says he will pay to have them removed.
My boyfriend doesn't have any tattoos. When I first met him 5 years ago, he said he didn't like them. He loves me so he knows they are part of me and they go along with who I am. Now that we've been together for a long time, he even talks about maybe getting some himself!
The negativity associated with my tattoos that is the biggest problem for me is in the work place. Since I work in health care and I will be starting nursing school soon, I have to cover them up. I don't tell a lot of people at work or in school that I have tattoos, let alone how many I have. A lot of the people I take care of are elderly and therefore "old-fashioned", so tattoos are a negativity to them. I don't want them to suddenly change their view of me if they knew I had them, even though the care I give is the same.
5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?
Think about what you want to get for a while. Sit on the idea and the placement to make sure you are completely satisfied with getting it and having it forever. Do research about artists in your area, don't just pick a random shop and a random artist who happens to be available when you go in. Lastly, you may have to wait for an appointment and pay more money than you think but it's worth it to have an awesome tattoo you'll be stuck with your whole life.
