So, I for the life of me could not get Jon Clue to answer any of my questions, he is very difficult and likes to be impossible. Last night, my friend Dakota and I took a cab to Jon Clue's apartment/tattoo studio/ bachelor pad in Bushwick for her appointment to get her FIRST tattoo. Which happens to be a rain forest sleeve. O__O
We get there, Jon is finishing editing the drawing of the outline (because we complained about a phallic flower and ball-like protrusion), and then I begin to try to sneak in questions about how he began as an artist and how he refers to his art/tattoo style. I ask "Did you do art as a kid?", he just says "No." and laughs. I call him an asshole and tell him that its not for the blog that it's just me asking him.. he responds "You're creepy why are you interviewing me?" He likes to make me frustrated.
I ask him what he considers his art.. he answers "I don't consider it, I don't even think about it, you wont get any normal answers out of me." I told him that I didn't want normal answers, just for him to answer however he felt.. he rolls his eyes and I call him an asshole again. He likes it. He puts the stencil on Dakotas arm, here are two pictures of it, pre-tattoo.
Dakota is obviously really nervous and excited. She has NEVER had a tattoo before, she has had a lip ring that she got re-pierced once.. I hype her up, tell her she's tough and she can do it, and show her more pictures of Jon Clue's work. I explain to her how rare it is for someone to get their first tattoo drawn by an amazing artist. How rare it is to get a sleeve outline as a first tattoo. She is a crazy lady for doing this, her parents are going to be in SHOCK! She needs a couple of drinks and a cigarette and then the four hour tattoo session began. As Dakota is getting tattooed, I talk (a lot) and DJ awesome tunes and we all vibe, Jon keeps bitching about how he's jealous that he cant drink with us, I tell him to shut up and work ;)
Dakota handled it like a trooper. The middle of her arm around the elbow and tender area where the arm bends was the hardest. She laughs when the pain gets to be too much, she demands a couple of shots.Mizu is hanging out with us, hes being such a good kitty, for once, probably because he was kind of sleepy from just waking up from a nap..
And here it is! The outline of the flowers are red.. that isn't [all] blood.
We wrap it up in plastic wrap and tape it, I tell her how to take care of it (with antibacterial soap and aquaphor), and we go to a bar a couple of blocks away and meet up with Dakotas older cousin Anderina, who has been sending Dakota supportive and hilarious text messages the whole time, for example, "Aye mami! Dakota has bigger cojones than I do!".. after the bar we went home.
I have a video interview of the pre-tattoo jitters, but Im trying to figure out how to upload.. I can't save it because I don't have Pro, so ill figure it out and put it up soon!
Here is a link to Dakota's Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=517302701
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ReplyDelete"FIRST tattoo. Which happens to be a rain forest sleeve. "
ReplyDeleteDamn, thats, erm, ambitious, no?
Also you maybe can infer that the artist thinks of it less like an art and more like a trade (woodcarving vs carpentry) but that just me trying to make meaning out of chaos
Cant believe i have a sleeve! Its somthing that i wanted A LOT so im so happy about!! It did hurt though and i think i'll have to wait just a little while to grow more,as Andi puts it, cojones before i go for all the coloring in. :)
ReplyDeleteSince i got it i've been really taking in all the reactions. From friends and family its usually at first glance you can see it in their faces what their thinking, these are some -1."hmmm shes really gonna regret that in a few years"
2."Wow thats big! Couldnt of gotten a little thing like a butterly"
3."See but now she has this certain image and it will prevent her in particular areas of life"
4."First tattoo a sleeve?!? wow hardcore!"
5."but what about when your all old an wrinkly?"
....Actually people have voiced all these things to me lol. Most from my mom..imagine that. Although i did wake up today and she came over to me like she wanted to touch it and said "Wow! it really is amazing, wish i could do somthing like that" Little bit of a shock. I know she'll love it more and more each day.
BUT ANYWAY back to the reactions. Heres what i either say or how i feel when i get these reactions-
1. Yes it is a possibility that in the future i will think "i shouldnt have gotten this tattoo" but heres the deal...I DID! so im just gonna have to fucking deal with it! AND i understand that this is now a part of my body just like my toes, knobby kneees, and big jew nose...I dont like any of those parts of my body but im not gonna remove them!
2.No im not getting a butterfly...way to girly for me and boring. This sleeve is just so me.
3. Yes this is true..it will prevent me from getting certain things...prolly like a boring office job where i make no real difference in the world and hate waking up to go to every day. BUT i could always put on a long sleeve shirt! This is why i didnt get a tattoo on my forhead! lol
4.This is awesome...makes me seem way more hardcore then i am :D
5. ANNND for the "how will it look when your old" It will prolly be the only thing on me that wont be wrinckly due to all the sunblock i need to put on it. Ooorrr i'll be rich and nothing will be saggy :P. Also when im old the least of my worries will be about my tattoo. Plus i need everyone to recognize my badass 80-year-old ass! :D
As for strangers reactions, i've gotten just a lot of stares but since ive had colored hair for so long im kinda used to it. But i know i'll get all sorts of reactions, i'll just have to wait and see.
Thank you Nina for introducing me to Jon Clue!!
-Dakota