Fresh Ink

Slowly but surely I am getting my sea-leg. (Its just singular for the time being... not sure if/when it will ever be sealegs). My Kansas City tattoo artist, Scott Schickmann totally set me up by turning my modest request for a simple goldfish into a sprawling art work begging for additions... so here I go adding on. The design is something I have been working on in my head for a couple of years. I have been wanting a classic pin-up girl, but then realized that even better for me is a mermaid, in part because of my undying love for the water... Tattoos almost always mark a time in my life, or are pieces of the story of my life- and this one is my major statement about my time in New Zealand. It was drawn up and inked on by my friend Ashley Howell, who was my neighbor when I lived in Ponsonby... what can I say it was meant to be that we met, and that he happens to be an incredible artist specializing in sailor style Americana tattoos...my favorite. (And funnily enough he is also an American and is married to the lovely Ashley Howell (not himself :) Its Ashley and Ashley the couple, and they are awesome!!!)
I find it hard to fully explain all of the meaning involved with tattoos, in part because they speak for themselves mostly, but I will say that this one symbolizes a season of discovery, self-reflection, beauty and spiritual anchoring. I love it, and am already trying to figure out what to add next...