Jenny's Amazing Peacock

Timing is everything when it comes to successful inkspotting. Luck is essential. The turning of one's head can result in missing an amazing tattoo.

Case in point:

I met Jenny and her friend Kate by chance coming out of the subway one day.

Jenny has six tattoos, including this phoenix on her left forearm:


But it was this peacock, further up her arm, that really amazed me:


Generally, the peacock represents self-worth and valuing oneself. In Jenny's words, more poignantly, "be happy with your feathers."


The peacock was tattooed by Poohki at Steady Tattoo in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The phoenix was inked by Trevor Kennedy at the same shop, although he now works in California.

Thanks to Jenny for sharing such wonderful tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Kate's Snakes

Although it was Jenny (here) who was visibly inked, Kate also had a tattoo, hidden from view.

So when I was done talking to Jenny, I asked Kate if she wanted to share, as well.

Kate unveiled this great tattoo on the lower portion of her back:


(A Tattoosday production note: I never solicit back tattoos but will happily feature them, when offered).

This piece consists of a couple of snakes consuming one another, a symbol of the circular cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

Or, in Kate's words, "what destroys us, sustains us".

This tattoo was inked at Twilight Tattoo in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Thanks to Kate for baring her back and sharing her snakes with us here on Tattoosday!

Update: "Anonymous" commented that this looked like the Auryn from The Neverending Story:



It certainly does! Thanks Anonymous!

Austin's Sleeve Pays Tribute to His Grandmother

Austin was visiting New York when I stopped him on 7th Avenue right in front of the Fuse studio.

He offered up this sleeve on his left arm:


























This was inked by Amanda Grace at Truth and Triumph Tattoos. She now works at Smartbomb Tattoo. Both shops are in Dayton, Ohio.

The playing cards are a tribute to his grandmother, who was a card player. She also tended roses, so these flowers also pay homage to her.

Of the other elements, Austin says he just likes skulls, artistically. Also, the words "Never Again" are there to remind him to remain strong his sobriety, and not to go down that same road of dependency.

I appreciate Austin stopping and chatting with me, and thank him for his forthrightness, and for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Tattoorism: Kelly's Backpiece for Her Daughters

It's been a while since we've had a tattoorist in this neck of the woods, so we ought to enjoy a lovely submission.

For those of you new to Tattoosday, or unfamiliar with the term "tattoorist," that refers to someone who is visiting the blog from out of town, sending us their tattoo from the blogosphere and beyond.

Generally, I don't want to encourage e-mail submissions, especially during the summer when my coffers are full of great tattoo photos from people I meet in New York, but I will generally post something if it's particularly awesome.

Enter Kelly, who sent me this phenomenal piece at the end of July:



I'll let Kelly tell us about this:

"It is of the Norse goddess Freya - with her blue cat she got from Thor. She is standing on a bed of Lilies. It is actually a partial cover up that I will add a few more leaves too to even it out a bit.

I got it because I have two daughters - Lilly and Freya. Freya absolutely loves cats - and actually both of their first words was cat. Odd I know. But I think its pretty cool and has real personal meaning. Hope you like it!

Oh yeah - and the pink in the shading is just my angry skin - its just grey now."

Kelly is doing a pop culture/diet experiment called the Hot Pocket Diet. She jokingly admits that this is evidence that she is "just marginally crazy".

This wonderful tattoo was inked by Jeremy Miller at Screamin' Ink Tattoo in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.

Thanks to Kelly for sharing her awesome tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Laugh Now, Cry Later

I met Rico outside of Madison Square Garden and he offered up this, one of his fifteen tattoos:


There's no real story behind this Comedy and Tragedy mask design. The added banner "Laugh now, cry later" resonates with me as a favorite saying in my family, from my wife's oft-quoted Grandmother Sadie Liss, is "You start out laughing, you end up crying".

Rico just liked the design from Island Avenue Tattoo in Pittsburgh.

Thanks to Rico for sharing his ink with us here on Tattoosday!

Josh's Black Widow Tattoo Dangles on His Arm

Not much to elaborate here on Josh's black widow spider tattoo. His girlfriend was nicknamed Spider, so it seemed appropriate to have one tattooed om his left forearm.

This was inked by Pat at Pat's Tattooing Studio in Farmingville, New York.

Thanks to Josh for sharing his Black Widow tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Tracy's Indian God

I approached Tracy in Penn Station to ask her about the large Shiva tattoo on her right arm.

However, the piece wasn't finished, so she rolled up her left pant leg to display this intricate tattoo:


She couldn't remember which god this is, in the Hindu pantheon. I'm going to guess it is Brahma, the Creator, but I will entertain corrections, especially if I'm wrong.


Tracy loves Asian art and similarly loved this design.

It was inked in about four hours at Brooklyn Tattoo by Robert. Work from Brooklyn Tattoo has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Tracy for sharing her amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!