Q3. Is there a meaning behind your first tattoo and what is it if you
care to share?
A. It was a music note, and music was always such a huge
part of my life that I knew my first one had to represent that in some
way. Today, I have a few different musical ones - and they're
all important to me for that very same reason.
Q4. What is your favorite tattoo, where is it and why?
A. I don't know that I have a favorite. One of my
older ones (the angel on my shoulder) needs touching up so at the
moment that's probably my least favorite - but I love all my ink.
My doctor asked me if I've regretted getting any of my tattoos and I
told her 'absolutely not.'
Q5. What advice can you give people who are looking to get ink for the
first time?
A. Only to make sure that it's something that you will
still want on your body a year from now or five years from
now. I went thru a Wiccan phase & wanted to get a pentagram
tattoo - but knowing how I am I decided to wait and now I'm glad I
didn't because it was just a phase and I'm not sure I would still like
it as much today as I had at the time I was thinking of getting
it. I've heard people say things like, "I can always get it
lasered off later." And that's true, you can, but it's
expensive and painful - I think you should go into getting a tattoo
with the mindset that this IS permanent.
Q6. What is your inspiration behind your body art?
A. They're all aspects of my life in one way or another.
I have a lot of different kinds of tattoos but I am into lots of
different kinds of things. I like to be able to carry these
things around with me - have pretty pictures that symbolize them and
have them be a part of me, physically and mentally.
Q7. What would you say was your most memorable piece getting?
A. The fairy on my back - it's the biggest piece I have
and my back is way more sensitive than other parts of my body, so it
hurt like hell and of course took longer than any of my others.
It's the only tattoo I have that actually made me a little
light-headed.
Q8. Do you have any new ideas for any more work lined up?
A. Lots. I have two different designs by architect
Louis Sullivan - so I want an arm band out of each one. I have
an anklet that's a music staff and multi-colored music notes and clefs
- so I think for that foot I'd like to get the first line of a piece
of music by either Bach or Mozart. I have a moon on my other
ankle and a trail of multi-colored stars on that foot, so I'd like to
add more stars - different styles on the inner-ankle and on the
back...and who knows, maybe even running up my calf eventually.
And a few other odds and ins that will probably end up on my back.
I'm also in love with Japanese waves, so I'll have to incorporate that
in eventually.
Q9. Who was your favorite artist that has tattooed you? Plus what did
they do.
A. Frank Wilson at Family Tattoo in Chicago does all my
ink now. He did the initial touch-up on that first tattoo
of mine a few years ago when he was working at Rhino's Quad City
Tattoo in South Elgin, Illinois. And now he's done several of
mine - my music anklet, all the stars and moon on my other ankle,
and all the new ones on my back, shoulders, and collar bone.
Q10. Do you like staying with one artist or do
you like trying to go to new artist each time?
A. I'm not a very trusting person, and I don't think trust
with your body is something to offer up easily, but I have total faith
in Frank Wilson's abilities - I have no reason to go to
anyone else.
Q11. Do you believe tattoos are addictive? Why do you like getting
tattooed?
A. Totally! I've actually been teased by my
coworkers about how I need to find a support group. I think you
have to have the mindset for them however. Some people get one
or two tattoos in their lifetime and that's all they want - and that's
fine. I was always interested in tattoos however. No one
in my immediate family had any but my mom was friends with some of the
firemen in our neighborhood and I believe that was probably my first
exposure - and I was just fascinated with the ink they had.
Q12. When would you say you like getting tattooed the most is it at a
certain time in your life or when you get that itch to get one done.
A. Any time is a good time for a tattoo. I like
being a the shop - there's a feeling of acceptance there that you
don't find in too many other places.
Q13. Any additional comments?
A. Come check out some of my rock star interviews, CD
and DVD reviews and more at: Http://RockStarSass.com
And also come check out Family Tattoo on MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/familytattoo
