The collectors: Jaime, USA

"Hello! My name is Jaime and I have lived in Michigan my whole life. I do marketing work for a local commercial real estate company and in my free time I really like to make embroidery patches by hand based on tattoo flash. I love this project you’re doing, and the idea behind it. Any platform for women to express themselves is an A+ in my book. Girl power!

When I got my first tattoo I wasn’t super into tattoos, and I always thought they had to have some super personal meaning to them. A little later in life a friend I’d had since middle school (Alex Boyko, who I have about 25 tattoos from now) started making traditional tattoos, and I started getting work by him more and more often. Through him I met my boyfriend, Brandon, who really showed me a whole world of tattooists that I never knew existed. I was instantly hooked on the culture and the community. I would say my love for artwork in general sparked my interest, and the fact that I could collect art from all my favorite artists and keep it with me forever.

My decision to get my first tattoo was very spur of the moment. I was sixteen, and just wanted something. Like I said, I always thought tattoos had to have some personal meaning, and I loved literature and I loved elephants, so I got an elephant calligram. It’s half blasted over now, and will hopefully be fully covered soon. Back then I never thought I’d become a collector, I don’t think I even knew that was something people did. 

Overall view of Jaime's colorful legs

I’ve gotten most of my tattoos in the past three years, and I found out about all the artists I have work by through the internet & through suggestions via Brandon or artists I already have been tattooed by. There is such a strong tattoo community on Instagram, and that has definitely aided me in curating my collection. I normally try to choose a design that I think the artist would specifically enjoy doing. As for placement, I just put them where I have room. As of now I only have tattoos on my legs, save for one on my stomach and one on my back. My arms are bare for the time being. It normally doesn’t take much planning, aside from travel planning.

So far I have tattoos from Josh Adams, Jeremy Ross Armstrong, Mike Aul, Tyler Baker, Eric Von Bartholomaus, Matt Bivetto, Alex Boyko, Kori Brown, Craig Chazen, Greg Christian, Chip Douglas, Cole Dunn, Tomas Garcia, Henry Hablak, Max Kuhn, Akira Latanzio, Amelia Martin, Jen Munford, Eli Quinters, DJ Rose, Robert Ryan, Ivan Soyars, Josh Stephens, Ryan Stout, Frank William, Leo Zulueta, Joe Nickley, and Lowercase J. 

I would have to say my favorite tattoo is the tribal on my foot done by Leo Zulueta. Leo has the best, most positive energy, just being around him is blissful. He has the best stories to tell. Aside from just getting to enjoy his presence. Spiral Tattoo is also one of the most comfortable shops I’ve ever been in, such a great atmosphere. Close second would be the heart vessel I have from DJ Rose or the sacred heart from Thomas Garcia (it’s really hard to choose ok!!).

Tribal tattoo by Leo Zulueta

At the moment my only planned tattoo is being done in May by Joe Chatt. There are sooo many artists I want tattoos from, some of them being Chad Koeplinger, Chriss Dettmer, Walter Mcdonald, Dawn Cooke, Jeff Zuck, Adam Shrewsbury, Chad Hunt, Josh Mason, Tomek Szumiec, Dan Santoro, Andrew Stickler, Koji Ichimaru, Jared Leathers, Lee Knight, Holly Ellis, Mario Desa, and just wayyy too many more to name!

I get inspiration mostly from tattoo books. I love all the Hardy Marks Publications a lot. Cindy Ray is a huge source of inspiration, anyone who says chest tattoos aren’t feminine need look no further than her to be disproven. I also love looking at all the photos of the tattoo community that Dianne Mansfield posts. She has seen so much and I’m so grateful to have her share that with us all! There are so many influential people in the community.

Being a tattooed woman definitely affects my everyday life, and more so than my tattooed male counterpart. People seem to walk right by him to ask me about my tattoos, to touch them, to ask me about my “tights.” As a woman, society already feels that my body is public property and I feel that the public holds my tattooed body to different standards than men’s. Usually the comments I receive are harmless and positive, and I usually don’t notice dirty looks until Brandon points them out to me. I don’t let it bother me or lead me to cover up. Once a woman came up to me at the grocery store and told me she liked my socks, to which I replied “thank you!”. At work I always wear black tights, but everyone I work with is aware of my collection. I’m constantly asked about them even though nobody sees them. As for my family, my mother isn’t super enthusiastic about my tattoos and is constantly begging that the most recent be the last, but it hasn’t affected our relationship at all. 

The super cool tattoo-inspired embroidery patches made by Jaime

I feel more and more confident in myself each time I get a tattoo. That’s not to say I wouldn’t be confident without my tattoos, but who wouldn’t love looking at beautiful artwork by their favorite artists on themselves every day? 

I would say the thing I love most about tattoos is the people they have led me to meet. I am forever grateful to know the people I have met through collecting, and all of the people I will meet in the future."

Thank you so much, Jaime! I'm so happy to have you on the blog <3

For more, follow Jaime on Instagram @condolore

The collectors: Carolyn Schoerner, USA

All of the times I've read the interviews of the women I've featured on the blog, my love for tattoos has been reassured. And thanks to this project, I met Carolyn. She wanted me to know the story behind her tattoo sleeve, and what a wonderful surprise it was. I feel so lucky and honored that she wanted to share it on my blog, and I'm sure all of you will love to read this moving story about tattoos and friendship.

"My name is Carolyn Schoerner and I am a freelance ballet dancer along with the director of a nonprofit called Books for All. I publish artists books solely with artists with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities.

As a ballet dancer it was a bit rebellious of me to get my first tattoo. I had always been the traditional bunhead and never even did something like dye my hair. But I was in college and taking a break from dancing and as my friend was getting one I decided to get a tiny little dancer I used to always draw on my hip. It was so small and I ended up covering it up. It was about 12 years ago. I had no intention of getting anymore, but then ended up getting a side piece in of an Egon Schiele drawing that I loved. It never really occurred to me to seek out artists to do original work on me, I just knew so little about tattoos. After that piece I decided I was completely done.

It wasn’t until about 6 years ago that I decided to get a small little lock heart on my arm (my first real visible tattoo) because my maiden name is Lockhart. It was through this that I ended up dating the artist who did it. The relationship wasn’t very great, but he knew Sue Jeiven and the whole crew at East River Tattoo and introduced me to them. The shop was on my way home from work, so I started stopping in there frequently to say hi to Sue because she just had this amazing energy about her. We would watch Soul Train videos and try to imitate them in the shop and it just felt like home. It was also around this time that we learned that Sue had breast cancer. A lot was going on and I decided I wanted to get a tattoo to honor my grandparents and decided to have Sue do it. It was small and on my back - a tree with two love birds. Next I had her do a portrait of my late dog smoking a pipe and wearing a derby hat. I was hooked!

Tattoos by Sue Jeiven

Over the course of six months Sue and I rapidly became best friends. I would just hang out at East River Tattoo during most of my free time and then started to become more interested in other artists such as Liam Sparkes, Maxime Buchi, and Mark Cross. I started to get the itch to get more work. But I still stuck with Sue. I felt so comfortable with her and it felt like a real bonding experience. So the next thing that I got and it is my favorite tattoo of all time is a woman inside a tiger’s head. Sue would draw flash sheets and just give them to me every time I would come in. I saw this and it immediately reminded me of the struggle she was going through. It looked hopeful yet scary and I knew I had to get it. It said “Fight the Good Fight”, but once I told Sue that I wanted it, she said it was her version of the pink ribbon. At this point I still did not have any intention of getting a full sleeve, but wanted it in a prominent place where everyone could see it.

All tattoos by Sue Jeiven

It wasn’t until that summer when Sue had major surgery, and I was sitting with her while she was recovering, and we were talking about tattoos and her wishes that she said she never had done a full sleeve on anyone with work that she really wanted to do. She said people usually already had some work on the arm or it was stuff she wasn’t as into. So it was then and there that I decided to give her my whole left arm. Life is short, I didn’t know how long she would be around and I thought I have to do this now.

So over the course of the years she has created the most beautiful sleeve. Each piece I can remember exactly what we talked about, were going through, laughing about, and the pure joy of getting to spend this time with her. Sometimes she draws something and says, “you have to get this!” and I do, and other times I will wake up and think, “oh I want a goat,” and I text her and she is just as excited about it as I am. She has created an artwork of memories for me from silly things like a palm tree that says "vacation" to a heart for my dog when he passed away almost three years ago. Every time I look at my arm I laugh, smile, and feel so honored to wear her art.

Tattoos on Carolyn's sleeve by Sue Jeiven

I think this project has made our relationship even stronger. Just through the amount of time I get to spend with her and those sessions of just talking about dogs and the silliest things that no one else in the world would get, to real serious issues that turn into an amazing therapy session. I never really believed in the idea of having one person as your best friend, but now I totally do. She is my soulmate.

Carolyn's sleeve by Sue Jeiven // Carolyn and Sue

I also have work by Liam Sparkes, Mark Cross, Spider Sinclair, Rob Banks, and Jessi Preston (she did a friendship tattoo on Sue and me of a horse with a horseshoe). I actually have gotten all my tattoos in New York, except for one, at East River Tattoo. That place feels like home. I really want a tattoo from Mike Adams, Alexis Hepburn, Christian Lanouette, and Jenna Bouma, and many many more. My right arm still needs work but that is the one that I am collecting other people’s work on. Most of the time Sue will text and say that a guest artist has an opening or cancellation and that I should come in. So I’ll run to Greenpoint and pick something from the artist’s flash and get a spur of the moment tattoo, and I love it!

On her right arm, Carolyn collects pieces from other tattoo artists // Horseshoe by Jessi Preston

At first my family was hesitant about me getting so much work done but now they totally accept it, and I think even like it. Since I work in the art world it hasn’t had much of an impact on my work life, but it is very interesting with ballet. I have been mostly doing my own work lately, but other things I do I usually have to wear long sleeves. I think its beautiful seeing the arms move in graceful ways with the tattoos.

One thing I did not expect was the amount of attention I would get from strangers because of having so many tattoos. Everyone makes comments, some sweet and very welcomed, others I could do without. There is this assumption that since you have tattoos that you should want to talk about them to every stranger and that I do not like. However, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

This process of getting tattoos, and especially from Sue, has been the most amazing experience. I have met people who will be friends for life and I feel very honored to wear such amazing pieces."

Thank you so much, Carolyn!

The collectors: Ashley Adams, USA

It is with great pleasure that I bring to you an interview with the lovely Ashley Adams. Tattoos are such a meaningful part of her life, I'm sure all of you will be fascinated by her testimonial—as well as by the beautiful pieces that adorn her body—and relate to her love for tattoos.

"My name is Ashley. I'm 26 years old and live on a farm in Maryland with my husband, Mike and pup, Jack.

I'm not sure how I first got into tattoos exactly. Growing up I loved punk and hardcore, and was pretty involved in the music scene at that time. I remember going to shows, seeing people with beautiful tattoos and thinking I would eventually have some too. I was always finding ways to "express myself" and eventually I think tattoos just became a part of the equation.

My first tattoo was a small "forget me knot" on my finger. It was a friendship tattoo, and a small reminder to not forget things. I think I may have been twenty years old at the time. I always knew I wanted to eventually have a collection of tattoos, but I didn't rush out right at eighteen. I waited until I was sure of what I wanted, and luckily it's prevented me from having any tattoos that I really regret.

Several tattoos by Antonio Roque

I don't feel that my tattoo collection has much rhyme or reason, however they all go together in some way. I usually choose the artists because I feel drawn to their work. I feel that anyone can simulate or replicate a style or tattoo, but only few can really evoke an actual feeling or unique style in their work. My inspiration for tattoos usually comes from the past. I have an immense amount of respect for the tattooers who really paved the way for modern tattooing. I like to reference a lot of classic imagery, wether it be from old flash, or from an old painting, book, postcard, etc. As far as placement goes, I just like to put things where they fit best. If it flows with the body or won't look too odd when I'm bending a limb then it works. I don't plan on having my chest or face tattooed- I just like the way they look bare. I do plan on having the tops of my hands tattooed, once I feel truly successful being self employed, as a gift to myself. 

I've been tattooed by Antonio Roque, Christian DiMenna, Gary Royal, Christian Peters, Alexis Hepburn, Heather Bailey, Ivan Antonyshev, Joshua Solomon, and of course by my husband, Mike Adams. I may be missing a few but I'm currently wearing long sleeves and pants. I'm basing this list off of memory and if I forgot someone it was not intentional. 

Ashley's favorite tattoo of her pup Jack

My favorite tattoo of all time is a very small portrait of our dog, Jack. This tattoo was done by my husband.

I met Mike about five or six years ago, when he was doing a guest spot at Thicker Than Water in NYC. I was living in New York at the time and he was living in Michigan, where he had a private studio. I had emailed him about getting tattooed and of course he was already fully booked. Months went by and I suddenly got an email out of the blue, he had a cancellation! Of course I jumped at the chance to get tattooed by him. He did a tattoo of a Maryland blue crab on my right leg. Maryland is famous for blue crabs, and it's my home state so I had always wanted to get this as a tattoo. I was just waiting for the right person to do it, and I'm glad it was him. We didn't hit it off, we didn't flirt, actually I think we barely even spoke during the appointment. Several years went by and eventually we reconnected on Instagram. One day we realized we had a lot in common, and began to chat a little. Suddenly a little became a lot and I couldn't get enough! We decided to get dinner one night and the rest is history. We were quickly engaged and got married a few months later. I'd like to thank the person who cancelled on him for that day in December years ago, because if it weren't for that person I may have never gone on a date with Mike a few years later. 

Being married to a tattoo artist... well it is definitely interesting. He has to travel quite a bit, and I try to go with him as much as I can, but I've been spending the past year or so turning my side hustle into my full time gig. I have always loved sewing, and I make handmade bags, clutches, wallets, etc. It truly is my passion and getting to share that with other people is amazing. We also have an elderly dog at home, so I skip out on a lot of trips in order to take care of our little pup. Mike is definitely a perfectionist (as most tattooers are) and I'm sure it's nerve wracking to tattoo your wife. The tattoos that he has done on me have so much sentimental value, and are just totally irreplaceable. It's a testament to our life together, to the memories we've made, and the journey we're on together.

Ashley getting tattooed by Mike Adams // Ashley and Mike's marriage

Ashley's tattoos done by her husband Mike

Some artists I hope to be tattooed by in the future are Dave Halsey, Danielle Rose, Jenna Bouma, Arianna Fusini, Zach Nelligan, Harriet Heath, Jack Ankersen, Rachel Hauer, Chris Fernandez, Justin Olivier, Florian Santus, and a lot more. Didn't even realize how many people I'd like to be tattooed by until I started forming this list! Unfortunately many of them are international artists so I need to start traveling more I guess.

The next tattoo I'll be getting is from Myra Oh at the tattoo convention in Scranton, PA in a few weeks. She's so talented and I really admire her style, I'm looking forward to getting a piece from her. I'd also like to finish my back tattoo this year, with Antonio Roque. He is easily one of my favorite tattooers. He is extremely talented, but also a great person and very humble. He has done many of my other tattoos and it has been quite an awesome journey over the past few years. I plan to get some other smaller tattoos from him in the future once we've completed my back. Some other future projects include finishing my right arm, which will all be tattoos from Mike Adams (although I had a few preexisting tattoos on that arm when we began the project). I think overall I will be sticking to somewhat traditional tattoo styles, although I love Japanese style tattoos.

Tattoos by Heather Bailey, Ivan Antonyshev and Alexis Hepburn

My everyday life has definitely been affected by being tattooed. I've had people grab me in public, startle me, cat call me, etc. One of the most defining moments that I can remember was after I had my back outlined. I was sitting in a cubicle (I used to work a 9 to 5 in an office atmosphere) and a male coworker grabbed the back/neck of my shirt and pulled it all the way back so he could see inside- to "look at my tattoo". I felt absolutely violated. In what scenario would that have been alright? You wouldn't peer down a woman's shirt who wasn't tattooed so why is it suddenly justified because you're "looking at a tattoo"? It isn't any different. I've had a lot of unnecessary conversations about my tattoos while I'm trying to do basic tasks like get an oil change, go to the bank, etc. Sometimes I feel like I can't go through a normal task without someone wanting to discuss the tattoos (even if I'm wearing long sleeves and you can barely see any of them). I realize many people would say "Why get tattoos if you don't want the attention?" I didn't get tattooed to gain any attention. I got tattooed because I love art. I love tattoos. I love supporting tattooers and their work. I love the confidence getting tattooed has given me, but I don't love the people trying to touch me, grab me, yell at me, etc.

Collection of leg tattoos // Back piece by Antonio Roque

Being tattooed has changed my life completely. Although of course I am just a normal person like everyone else, I have found an extraordinary confidence through my tattoos. I had been in several emotionally and mentally abusive relationships in the past, and found my self esteem just totally depleted. I hated my body and the way I looked. I felt worthless. Over time, and through a lot of self care and with the help of tattoos I felt like I was taking control of my own body, of my own skin. I felt comfortable in my skin for the first time in years. Every time I get tattooed I feel more beautiful, and more confident. 

Thank you so much for thinking of me for your blog, Heloisa! I enjoyed the opportunity to share some of my experiences. I hope that you all have enjoyed reading what I had to say. Feel free to follow me on my personal instagram @a.e.adams or check out my vintage and handmade shop @adamstradingco. Thanks!"

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Thank you so much, Ashley!

The collectors: Vera Delgado, USA

Vera is a gorgeous girl from California, whose traditional tattoos perfectly complement her style. I hope you guys enjoy the interview and her beautiful pictures. 

"My name is Vera, I am 25 years old and I am a barber in San Diego, CA.

When I was about 16 I had plans of waiting until I was in my late 20's to start getting tattooed because I figured by that age I would be able to make conscious decisions. Obviously, I did not wait until my late 20's like I had planned. I got my first tattoo when I was 18. I was working at Starbucks and wanted to get a traditional style "Mom" tattoo on my wrist, but I wasn't allowed to have any visible tattoos at work, so instead I got a big piece on my ribs. It's a girl head with wings and a weird bird head. I never finished it and I plan on covering it up someday. When I first started getting tattooed I told myself, "Oh, I'm only going to do this rib piece." And then it was, "I'm only going to do my right arm." And so on and so on...

Some of my tattoos are planned and some are spontaneous. I knew I wanted a crow on my chest for the past 5 or so years and I finally had it done by Chris Conn last year. If I'm getting a smaller piece, I think it's fun to just pick something off the wall.

I've got works from Chris Conn, JasonStewart, Jake Miller, Cole Strem, Joshua Blatchley, Milford Barnes, Mykil Zep, Britney Goodman, Jacob Doney and Thor. My favorite tattoo is one of the matching tattoos my boyfriend and I have on our hands. It's two hearts with an arrow done by Jason Stewart.

I'd love to be tattooed by Paul Dobleman, Sway, Ben Rorke, Steve Byrne, Tony Nilsson, Jessica Swaffer, Grez, JavierBetancourt, Marie Sena, Eli Quinters, Andrea Giulimondi, Alix Ge, Stizzo, Spider Sinclair, the list could go on forever. I think I'll always try to squeeze a new one in if I can. Sometimes getting a tattoo is like my own little souvenir.

My family doesn't even notice them anymore. At work I get a lot of clients that want to talk about them, usually it's the same questions every single time, "does it really hurt?" "do they all have a special meaning?" "what did your parents think?" It gets old after a while.

I think people with a lot of tattoos almost always get categorized into the same group, like we're all the same because we have a lot of tattoos, and it's not the case. I'm just a simple lady who loves cutting hair, hanging out with my boyfriend and our two kitties, and getting tattooed when I can."

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Thanks a lot for the interview, Vera!

Follow her on Instagram @vera_d_

The collectors: Jade Michael, USA

"It's a part of who I am," says Jade about being tattooed. Although it's no different from what any girl on this blog would say, to Jade it truly means a lot, as she's found herself completely immersed in the tattoo world, and it is a pleasure to me to feature the story behind her beautiful collection. 

"I'm actually on a plane home to Brooklyn, NY from the Bay Area Tattoo Convention as I write this.  My boyfriend was tattooing there, so I went for a few days to help him set up and to hang out with a good amount of our friends who also flew in to work the convention. Right after this convention he is headed to the New Zealand tattoo convention for close to a month, so this was a way for us to spend some time together before he left again. And in that sense, tattooing has a bigger role in my life than most people's and that I ever expected it to have.

Rewinding a bit, my first spark with tattoos came from my dad I suppose, who in his day was a badass punk with a mohawk and a flaming skull tattoo on his shoulder. When I was old enough to get my first tattoo at 18, I was living on my own, unable to live any longer under the extremely conservative, christian rules of my mother and step-father, and definitely channeling my dad's younger spirit. At this time I was very close with a tattoo artist and decided, after spending some time playing with the idea, that I would go to his mentor to get my first one done. It was a decent sized anchor on my thigh.

My first couple of tattoos were a stretch towards symbolism in my life at the time and were more specific, but the more I got tattooed the more my understanding of the art and culture of it broadened. As I matured so did my taste in tattoos. I never intended to be heavily tattooed and I still don't think of myself as having that many, especially not when I see people working on entire full body pieces. But I've always been an all or nothing individual, so once I got one I had to get more. I tell people with no tattoos all the time to never get one because of that very reason.

Jade's arms and legs adorned with ink // Reaper tattoos on the back of her thighs are by Jacob Neumann

Most of mine were done after I moved from California, back home to Vegas when I was 19. I was going to school to be a hair stylist and looking for an artist that specialized in American Traditional, but I kept finding artists that were tracers or that tried to pass off extremely simple, screwy designs as "American Traditional." Then I found Ross Henry. We immediately clicked, and he and I came up with designs together that we thought were rad and fun and just did them. At this time I was working at a very corporate job that didn't allow me to show any of my tattoos, so I wore makeup over them every day to hide them. It was this job that helped me decide that I wanted more visible tattoos and that I never wanted to work somewhere again that didn't accept me for the person that I was, tattoos and all. I had to take a break from getting tattooed for a bit here because my priorities were to pay off my schooling and remain debt free. As soon as I was done I was back to going on road trips, exploring the wilderness, and attempting to see the whole country. This enabled me to get tattooed by friends while I was traveling or while they were guest-spotting near me.

It was around this time that I met my other half, Beau Brady, who happens to be a tattoo artist. He was living in New York and working at Invisible NYC in the Lower East Side. It wasn't even six months after meeting him that I moved to New York (a place that seems to be the center of passion and talent for artists especially). Because my boyfriend has been fully submerged in the tattoo culture for most of his life, his knowledge on tattooing has greatly influenced my newer pieces and the artists that I've chosen more recently.

Snake by Eric Zona // Lady by Claudia De Sabe // Eye by Beau Brady

Collectively I've been tattooed by Ross Henry, Jacob Neumann, KC Lange, Nick Colella, Eric Zona, Claudia De Sabe, Brad Stevens, Mina Aoki, Grez, Rose Hardy, Bryan Lavish, Adam Warmerdam, and of course Beau Brady.

Every time I get a new tattoo, it's my new favorite, and currently that would be an eagle I had Grez do on my leg at Kings Avenue.

Getting tattooed by Grez at Kings Avenue // Eagle by Grez

My back piece is a tiger that is about four sessions in. It's been an interesting experience having Beau do it for me. It's awesome because he knows me very well, I trust him, I'm comfortable with him, and he knows what I like and what I don't like. On the downside though, because of how well he knows me, he definitely pushes my pain tolerance. It's pretty hard to find time to get it worked on because Beau is always traveling and when he is home his schedule is pretty packed, so my piece definitely gets put on the back burner. I'd potentially like to finish it before next year though.

Jade's back piece // Getting her back worked on by Beau Brady at Invisible NYC

I'll be going to Italy with Beau in April to go to the Bologna convention and then in May I'm hoping to get tattooed at Blue Arms in Norway. I'll hopefully have Grez do a few more fun things on me as well, and I'm saving my right arm for a specific style in the future. I don't really have too many people that I'd like to be tattooed by specifically, but rather artists that do work that stands the test of time. I don't see myself ever getting my chest tattooed, or my hands, as I feel it's more of a feminine attribute to have them clean and bare.

Being a lady and being tattooed is unfortunately an easy way to receive a lot of unwanted attention. I think that being tattooed is becoming more acceptable socially and more common, but I still get those strangers that come up to me and try to touch my arm or that stare at my legs on the subway, and it sucks. I'm also quite the introvert, so I don't like any attention usually. As a hair stylist, my clients always tend to ask me about them and it definitely gets old answering the same five questions, but I'm polite and nice about it and I'll answer their questions to an extent. Typically when someone randomly brings them up it takes me a second to understand what they're referring to because I don't even see them anymore. I'm so used to tattoos, all of my friends have them, and my boyfriend is a tattoo artist, so I'm surrounded by them. It's a part of who I am.

I think covering parts of my skin with adornments in any form does, in a way, improve my self-esteem because it pulls the focus away from other aspects that I don't exactly like about my body. I also think that it's a day and age of comparisons. Everyone is always comparing their life or how they look with the person next to them. It's a black hole of personal negativity, but I'm confident enough in the person that I am that I try to avoid falling into that. When I get a new tattoo, it always helps me feel more like an individual, more like myself.

So here I am presently, a 23 year old lady with some tattoos by amazing artists, but more importantly, I've managed to make a few awesome memories on the way with more friends than a girl could ask for.

Thank you so much, Heloisa, for thinking of me for this blog! It was a pleasure getting to share my experience."

Thank YOU, Jade, for such a great interview!

Follow Jade on Instagram @dominafortuna and see more of her incredible tattoos.

The collectors: Lauren Cody, USA

After Stephanie's colorful tattoos, I present to you Lauren and her flawless black and grey collection. Her tattoos are not only undoubtedly beautiful, Lauren's testimonial is a great read for anyone who loves tattoos. I hope you all enjoy it! 

"My name is Lauren Cody, and I'm 30 years old. I enjoy life with my husband, Michael, my cat, Cleo, and my golden retriever, Kingsley. I'm a New Mexico native, but I've called California, Italy, and now currently, Virginia, my home. I studied Graphic Design, and I'm currently a buyer for a local consignment shop in a quaint, historic area in the city I live. Veganism, travel, and tattoos are just a few of the things that make me happy.

I have adored tattoos ever since I can remember. In my childhood, I was drawn to tattooed people for their beautiful skin. In my youth, there was a time I went to this little shop with my mom, and the counter girl had this large snake tattoo on her shaved head and I thought, "I love the way she looks." I used to spend a lot of time in high school and college in photography dark rooms, and often, I photographed heavily modified and tattooed people. My interest in tattoos grew through my teenage years as well as a love for piercings, which took precedent over tattoos when I first turned 18 for a few reasons. I didn't know a lot about tattoos, what I wanted to get or more importantly, who I wanted to do my tattoos. So, I put my first tattoo on hold and delved into the world of piercing. I went with friends when they got tattooed, but I always felt a little apprehensive about getting tattooed myself. During that year, I met one of my best friends, Sophia, who is funny, beautiful, and heavily tattooed. We talked a lot about tattoos when we first met, and we even got friendship septum piercings. She was with me when I got my first (tiny) tattoo from her husband and was greatly supportive from the start.

I got my first tattoo in 2004. It was a little heart outline on the back of my neck. I thought it was going to be so painful, but I was relieved by how little it hurt. I have a high pain threshold, and I've breezed through most of my tattoos. Most people think I'm a little peculiar when I tell them I think the healing process is worse than getting tattooed. When I first started getting tattooed I got several tattoos that are somewhat regrettable now, but I think that's pretty commonplace. Many people have confided in me that they have at least one disappointing tattoo.

A couple of the first tattoos collected // Friendship Friday the 13th tattoo

When I first started getting tattooed, I wanted to be heavily tattooed, but I thought, eventually, I'd reach a finite point. Now, I feel like I won't ever stop. I thought I'd have more coverage by now, but I'm glad I've taken my time. I hope to get most of my coverage in the next ten years, but even once I'm mostly covered, I think I'll still be squeezing in little sentimental pieces. Honestly, I hope I never stop getting tattooed.

There were three years my husband and I lived in Italy, and during that time, I was only tattooed once. Those were years of tattoo contemplation for me. It gave me time to think about what was really important for me, what kind of tattoos I wanted, and what tattoo artists I liked. I had gotten quite a few tattoos in my teenage years that weren't meaningful or that I even really liked much, and I wanted that to change.

These days, I think concept and artist are most important to me. I have general ideas and placements in mind I'd like to have tattooed. I choose an artist whose work I like, and then I decide on a tattoo that I know will complement their style. There's a lot of spots I'm "saving" for different artists, waiting for our paths to cross at some point. I know a lot of people prefer to work on a certain body part until they have full coverage, but that's not how things have unfolded for me. Most of my tattoos are spread out on my body, but I know someday, it will all come together. I do think about placement because of aesthetics, but also because I try to leave adequate space for future projects. 

Butterfly and strawberries by Mike Adams // Beach babe by Marie Sena // Vintage camera by Tony Talbert // Flower by Jacob Neuman

I've always loved the look of black and grey tattoos. When I first started getting tattooed, I got a couple black and grey tattoos, but the artist that worked on me preferred color so I got talked into quite a few color tattoos. Once I branched out and started getting tattooed by other artists, I went back to black and grey, and I'm so happy I did. Once I get more coverage, I'll probably end up lasering or blasting over all those old color tattoos. I have had quite a few people, including tattoo artists, tell me that if they could do it all over they'd do all black and grey. I know I would. However, while I enjoy black and grey for myself, I do like color tattoos on other people. 

I get a lot of inspiration from the artists that tattoo me. I choose artists that I truly respect and trust. As far as subject matter, I pick things that are significant and meaningful to me. Vintage things, nature, and music have all acted as muses for my tattoos. Also, I love lady heads. I don't think I could ever have too many lady heads. I love traditional flash, but while I'm vastly influenced by those pieces, I generally get tattoos that are personal and special to me.

Picking a favorite tattoo is kind of like picking a favorite song or a favorite book. I have a lot of favorites, but I love my lady on my upper arm with the birds and laurel crown.

Lady by Marie Sena (fresh and healed)

I have work from Marie Sena, Josh Stephens, Ashley Love, Myra Oh, Marina Inoue, Tony Talbert, Jacob Neumann, Antonio Roque, and Mike Adams.

I usually travel to Albuquerque, NM annually to get tattooed by Marie Sena. It's my hometown, but I always plan my visits to coincide when she'll be there, too (she's a Santa Fe native, but currently based in Dallas). I love getting tattooed by Marie. I just visited Frederick, Maryland to be tattooed by Mike Adams and Antonio Roque. Last time I was in New York, I skipped getting tattooed in favor of having my stretched ears (1.25in) reconstructed. So, next time I'm in New York I look forward to getting tattooed. There are many other places I plan on traveling to so I can collect tattoos from all the different artists I like, but it can be frustrating waiting to make that happen. There are just so many talented artists tattooing right now; I want to get work from all of them.

Heart locket by Antonio Roque // Lady head and flowers by Myra Oh

This list of artists I wish to be tattooed by is way too long and could be much longer, but the top 10 people I'd most like to be tattooed by are Cassandra Frances, Matt Houston, Jemma Jones, Katya Krasnova, Ibi Rothe, Bob Geerts, Becca Genné-Bacon, Rose Hardy, Ryan Cooper Thompson, and Ivan Antonyshev.

I just found out I made Cassandra Frances' list for her New York visit in October. I also have plans with Josh Stephens to work on my other elbow and plan on continuing work on my stomach with him. After that, the Richmond convention is in November, and I'll definitely be collecting a couple from traveling artists there. Next year, I'd love to have Rose Hardy do a big back piece for me.

Stomach piece and elbow by Josh Stephens

As a contumacious teen, I thought my tattoos would ward off most people. I don't think I could have been more wrong. I get a lot of attention because of my tattoos, almost always positive. A lot of people do stare, but I don't necessarily think it's negative. I think a lot of people are just too shy or find it rude to talk to a stranger about their tattoos. Sometimes when I'm in forced interactions with people, like say in a doctor's office, my tattoos are generally met with surprising positivity. I get compliments from people I wouldn't expect to like my tattoos or tattoos, in general. There are the people who stop me on the street, in stores, or restaurants to tell me how much they like my tattoos or ask who did them. I occasionally get asked those cringe-worthy questions like "did that hurt?" or "how much did that cost?" or my personal favorite "are your tattoos real?" I've gotten so used to it though that it doesn't bother me. The attention can be tiresome at times, but regardless, I would not change being tattooed even if I could.

I love my tattoos so much. I love everything about getting tattooed, and I know it's unwittingly become a big part of my identity. But even though tattoos are a part of me physically, they haven't changed the person that I am intrinsically. I think there's an assumption that having tattoos changes you, and even though I may look different, I'm the same person I've always been. It wouldn't be completely honest if I didn't admit that they make me feel happy or beautiful because they absolutely do. Tattoos are one of my favorite things in this world. 

Globe by Marie Sena // Heart by Ashley Love // Girl and cat by Marina Inoue

Becoming a tattooed lady has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. I feel lucky to be involved in tattoo culture, even in a minimal way. It's allowed me to connect with so many wonderful, audacious, and interesting people. I'm indebted to the artists I've been able to be tattooed by thus far, and I can't wait to continue adding to my collection. I still have a long way to go. Thank you so much to Heloisa for including me in this project. I'm looking forward to reading about all the incredible lady collectors out there."

Thank you so much, Lauren! I'm so happy I've met you, and this is why I love working on this blog.  

And you, dear readers, go follow her on Instagram @heroinebunny to see her future additions.