Exiles from the Music Room

Did you know our house had a music room and an art room? Well, it does, in fact, the music room is the largest room in the house. Mykle and I do not often go in it though, and even now are sitting outside both on computers for what has seemed like ever. Pete. Luc, Jordan, and Jesse are jamming. It's awesome.

Music is a communal art. Art is solitude. Except for tattooing

I was musing to Mykle today about the benefits of being a lady tattooer.
Macho and very straight men feel more comfortable about you touching them, for example. There seems to be a happiness that people get from being the center of attention, and a female tattoo artist can give this kind of attention. Male artists cannot. It seems the boundaries, the "tough" facade of tattooing really hamper them. It's just not natural. However, I shave people daily, wipe them with Dettol, look critically and press my hands to all parts of their body, and I don't think anyone is even the slightest uncomfortable. I have developed my spiel: little jokes, self-effacing comments, caring words..... that make people laugh and puts them at ease with me. However, I know I am also helped in this by my gender.

I think that many women in our culture find this solace and ritual and pampering (dare I use that word) in a salon or day-spa. We offer a more hard-core alternative (haha). The outcome of all of my care and Jessica's expertise is a catalyst of pain, of endurance, that is tempered by our caring, and our art, and how we work with each person to draw exactly their vision (I can't imagine working in a non-custom shop. I have tattooed many copies of people's OWN artwork on their bodies, but if I had to do flash off a wall...woah...my apprenticeship is so weird. Most people DON'T start doing custom work). The payoff is amazing. I see people go through this experience every day. It's a ritualistic experience, and an experience that men can enjoy as well as women. I would not say that men are more accustomed to it. Females and Males are equal in their ability to bear the pain of the tattoo.

With female clients we have a benefit as well. The all-girl thing opens women up. We chat about kids, families,....women feel more comfotable exposing their bodies and very often tell us horror stories of other tattoo experiences. Many tattoo parlors have a no-children policy. We are very pro-children (except for babies crawling/vomiting on the floor. That happened recently. Not a big deal, but I was more worried about what the baby came in contact with. Good thing we use so much bleach!), especially because of Bella, Chris and Jess's beautiful 8 year old.

I think I notice these things from being female in a traditionally male profession. I could list things that are negative about being a female tattooer, but there are NOT that many. Even when I was apprenticeing in a very bro-ed out all male (except for Jess) shop, we were treated with respect personally. I couldn't say the same for the female clients.