Ang
 I didn’t waste any time when it came to getting my first tattoo. A few friends and I cut class on my 18th birthday and headed down to Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, CA. It was something I had been planning for long time. I was the first of my friends to get a tattoo, so no one really knew what to expect. I’ll never forget how hard my friend laughed when she yelled out, “They’re shaving your back!!!”…which we later learned to be a standard prepping procedure. Beforehand, I had drawn up several different versions of the sun & moon tattoo for my lower back. The fact that I had created it myself made it that much more exciting. I used to buy a new tattoo magazine every time I went to the store. I would stare at them for hours just looking at the colors, lines, shading, and the outstanding artwork. I was so mesmerized by what a perfect canvas the human body could be.
Each one of my tattoos holds a special place in my heart. I think about where I was in my life when I got them and how much I’ve grown since then. The sun & moon takes me back to being a carefree high school kid. My biggest concern was to graduate so I could have the summer off. The dove on my ankle is in remembrance of my brother who would have been 21 on June 1st of this year. I have boot prints on my hip that I got on my first trip to Maui to remind me to never stop moving, and to leave my mark where ever I go. I love to travel. The design came off of an old air force bag that’s been around the globe more times than I can count. I’ve already been half way around the world and intend to see the rest of it. The mermaid on my side is my favorite. It was done by Stash at Zebra. Most people forget that mermaids lured sailors to their deaths. They may be pleasant to look at, but like all women, should never be judged based on their exterior.
I’ve always loved art. My apartment is covered in Dali, Van Gogh, and pieces from various local artists. Tattoos are an art form that you get to take with you and keep forever. You always have the original on you. Instead of wall space for new paintings, I find myself saving limbs for the works of tattoo artist that I admire. Needless to say I am a collector, and there will be many more works of art in my future.
~Ang
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Gretchen Anne
 I was sixteen when I first fell in love with tattoos, and the affair is far from over. Tattooing is a truly incredible form of art that is completely unique in the sense that the human body is the canvas. For that reason, it is also the only form of art that permanently belongs to its owner. I think that tattoos are a bold, powerful form of self-expression that say a lot about the person who has them. I designed and drew my tattoos, so they not only hold the meaning of what they represent to me, but they also show others that I am an artist.
Tattoos have had a tremendous influence on my life. My interest in tattoos opened my eyes to the fascinating subculture surrounding them, including music, fashion, art, hot rods, and, best of all, the modern world of pin-up modeling, which I had no idea even existed before. I was a Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page fan, and an admirer of Alberto Vargas and his pin-ups since high school, so I could hardly believe it when I found out that people were recreating this sort of art using the modern medium of digital photography. I started modeling shortly after this discovery just to see if I could even pull off the look, and have been booking 1940’s-50’s pin-up style photo-shoots ever since. I also met my sweetheart looking for a tattoo artist to do my lower back. Needless to say he was the perfect artist for the tattoo since we’ve been together ever since.
I currently have two pretty large tattoos. The piece on my lower back holds a great deal of meaning to me. It is my favorite tattoo for a lot of reasons, but mainly because I consider it an "unconventional self-portrait." My name, Gretchen, means "little pearl" in German, hence the pearl in the middle. The seashell and flowers all have meanings of their own having to do with my heritage. The queen's crown on the heart is a reminder to myself that I am the "queen of my own heart," meaning I am in charge of my life, my future, and therefore my own happiness. My boyfriend Captain Dan did the tattoo in San Diego.
I got my tattoo on my stomach when I was eighteen. I chose to put it there because I wanted my first large piece to be in a place where I could look at it. Although it doesn't really have a deep meaning like the tattoo on my back, the lock and keys are beautiful yet at the same time pretty suggestive, which I love because there's definitely an element of humor present.
I’m currently working towards my bachelor’s degree in art, and I’m definitely planning on learning to tattoo in the near future. So hopefully next time you see my name in Skin & Ink, it won’t be next to a picture of me but instead by a picture of a tattoo I did!
Gretchen Anne
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