What’s your plan to vote? I’m ready to use my fully-healed tattoo of Thor’s hammer in the name of justice tomorrow by casting my vote for the midterms. I hope you will, too. NY doesn’t have early voting and I expect long lines in my district so I will be there as soon as the polls open. Get to the polls. Help other people get to the polls. Stay in line. Care. Be heard. Participate. Vote! (And thank you Mehai Bakaty of fineline tattoo nyc!)
Tag: tattoo
A Year of Yes: My first tattoo!
No one told me about the rush I would feel after getting my 1st tattoo tonight. I literally feel like I could take over the world right now & do a damn fine job running it. With this tattoo of Thor’s hammer, I feel like Daenerys, Queen of the Dragons on Game of Thrones. Ink is powerful. Thanks to the amazing artist, Mehai Bakaty of Fineline Tattoo, all of our fantastic speakers: Stephanie Tamez, John Wyatt, and Efrain John Gonzalez, New York Hardcore Tattoo’s Sweety & Dean for being our flash artists, Caveat for letting me set this stage, and to the incredible audience. What a night! There are MANY more pics and video of the entire event that I’ll post once I get them all. I love you all and our city.
A Year of Yes: My first tattoo will be part of the Illegal Ink show at Caveat
I picked my tattoo design that I’ll get on stage (!) at Caveat when we host incredible speakers at the storytelling show Illegal Ink. They’ll discuss New York City’s 36-year tattoo ban. You can get inked, too, by our flash artists! Storytelling + a tattoo = best #SundayFunday ever. Come hang with us next Sunday, Sept 30th, at 7pm! (Getting a tattoo is not required.)
A Year of Yes: My storytelling show about NYC’s tattoo ban
I became enamored with tattoos and tattoo history a few years ago when a friend of mine found getting a tattoo as a way to give meaning to a grave injury. Then a few months ago, I learned that tattooing had been illegal in New York City, the city that gave rise to tattoo culture in the U.S., for nearly 4 decades in recent history. The more I learned about this prohibition of ink, the more fascinated I became with the reasons behind it and the characters who played a part in it.
I considered making it a part of my secret history storytelling show, New York City’s Secrets & Lies, at Caveat. However, the more I learned, the more I realized that the topic was too big to be a segment of a show. The complex history and all of the people involved needed and deserved a standalone show.
The idea of doing this show, coupled with flash tattooing, just wouldn’t leave me alone. So I reached out to Caveat with an email titled “Is this a crazy idea? Tattoos…” Ironically, one of the co-founders of Caveat had just gotten a tattoo and was talking about the ban with her tattoo artist the day I sent the email. And so we were off to the logistical races to make this event happen.
And it’s happening with an incredible dream lineup of historians and artists who have lived in the swirl of this chapter of NYC history, along with flash tattooing at Caveat, on Sunday night, September 30th. I’d love for you to join us! Grab a ticket to the show, or a ticket that includes a tattoo.
A Year of Yes: NYC’s tattoo history
Paging tattoo artists, lovers of good ink, and history nerds in New York City: I’m looking for 4 people to help me unravel New York City’s long and complicated tattoo history on stage with a packed audience. Are you that someone? Do you know someone who fits the bill? Let me know.
Christa Avampato 