Throughout generations, body art has been connected with culture and tradition. In the United States, tattoos have been both reviled and adored. They usually represent a permanent artistic commitment and their purpose can be both personal and to make a statement for all to see.
It wasn’t too long ago where tattoos were widely considered trashy or wildly illicit. According to a Pew Research Center survey on tattoos in America there has been a resurgence of tattoos among younger generations, who display them in different shapes, forms and inks. The survey found that among adults with a tattoo under 50 years, 41% of them are between 18 and 29 years old.
Those who embrace this trend feel there is no better way for someone to express their story or personality to the world than through body art with permanent ink.
It’s understandable that tattoos aren’t for everyone, but body art can mean anything to the wearer.
While some employers have dress codes requiring employees to cover their tattoos at work, Los Medanos College embraces this artistic and expressive trend. Inking Between the Lines showcases stories from students and employees at LMC who explain what their body art means to them.
A heart of compassion: Rachel Ruth Corona
Tattoos can be a symbol of a strength gained or a reminder of the person they strive to become.
Rachel Ruth Corona, an LMC peer tutor for Ethnic Studies and Social Justice, was 18 when she got her first tattoo.
“Peace, love, energy, strength, and length” is a quote she strongly lives by, which made her decide to get the words placed on the inside of her right wrist, marking the beginning of her body art journey.
The heartbreaker tattoo on her left shoulder, “is a symbol in order to be more compassionate,” which is a goal she strives for in her everyday life.
“I’ve always had autonomy over my body and just was ready for it,” she said.
When it comes to her experiences getting inked, she said she tends to be nervous because of the pain. But that has not stopped her from getting more.
She has six tattoos, each one with different meanings that she feels represent her. Corona said her favorite tattoo is of Marilyn Monroe.
“I love her representation of feminism and speaking of the way women are treated in society.”
Bouquet of rememberance: Jayden Hawkins
For some, the choice of a tattoo is a permanent reminder of a loved one lost. At 18 years old, student Jayden Hawkins decided to get a bouquet of flowers, with a bee buzzing around it tattooed on her right forearm.
“The bouquet of flowers is baby’s breath and petunias. The baby’s breath is the flower I got from my first-ever acting role,” said Hawkins. “The petunias are because those were the flowers planted over my dead dog.”
Her other tattoo stands alongside the first representing a person who is also important to her.
“I got my tattoo also to represent my Godmother who passed. She loved Winnie the Pooh and I wanted something to remember her,” Hawkins said.
She loved the experience and getting inked would recommend others go for it and even has ideas on what to do next.
In the future, she said she will be using an ink box subscription to figure out other designs that she can have applied to her body.
Tigers, tattoos, oh my: Angelina Valdez
Most get tattoos to demonstrate their personal style, image, or even way of life. But, not all have deeper meanings, some are whimsical ideas that come to life. When some think of tattoos, monochromatic illustrations come to mind but not all tattoos are black and white. But tattoos with color can represent the colorful personalities of those who wear them.
For student Angelina Valdez, her tattoo represents her love of tigers and love of fun colors. The inking experience can become addictive.
“(Tattoos) are fun and expensive and it’s like a drug,” Valdez said.
Traditional Japanese tattoo art style is called Irezumi and it maintains thicker and more natural lines and contours while American tattooing is simple and puts less attention to those details. Irezumi also relates to the stories, folklore, and history of Japan.
Valdez’s tattoo is a form of Irezumi and is demonstrated through the dynamic illustration of her tiger tattoo.
“I would like to do either Traditional American/ Japanese a little the same, but Japanese is more strict,” she said.
Together we conquer: Zach Sullivan
From interests, to love life, to even family, the choices for tattoos are limitless. For many, it can be a trophy or even a representation of a goal.
In LMC Soccer Coach Zach Sullivan’s case, each tattoo he has is a meaningful representation of who he is, especially the milestones and accomplishments he has achieved.
Sullivan currently has three tattoos, all of which are located on his arm.
He was 26 years old when he got his first tattoo, a lion mascot. It represents his love of soccer, and of the English Premier Soccer League. It also a daily reminder of his first job as a soccer coach at Merritt College.
On the back of his left arm he has a tattoo in Hebrew text that translates to “we can conquer.” His wife has a matching tattoo and the phrase defines their bond in both spirit and mindset in their relationship.
His third tattoo is of the Bay Bridge that connects San Fransisco to the East Bay. It represents his own identity as a Bay Area native, highlighting the place that impacted him as he grew up.
All three of these tattoos hold a special sentimental value to Sullivan that he said he will always cherish.
Appreciation for culture: Rainier Yutuc
Tattoos can come in any shape or form, but for cultural and traditional tattoos, it’s important to note that there is a fine line between appreciating and appropriating them.
Student Rainier Yutuc carefully showed appreciation for his Polynesian contemporary tribal tattoos, located on his left forearm and front leg.
Yutuc spoke about how he was hesitant about getting these tattoos at first. He went on to add that he understood why tattoos like these aren’t supposed to be open to everyone.
He’s always seen himself as an Islander and highly values the Polynesian culture and its traditions.
However, he didn’t want to “copy and paste” any traditional tattoos as they held greater significance. A lot of research and collaboration with a tattoo artist from Bay Area Ink Spot was done to study the tribal style to implement details and symbols that reflect his life and personality.
He sought it as the best way to showcase appreciation and himself in this style.
Recently he had a touch-up done on his forearm to add more personal meaning.
With just five tattoos collected, he plans to get more tattoos.
“Since I already did one spot at a young age, I feel like the only thing left to do is fill it all out,” said Yutuc. “I’ll be taking my sweet time thinking about what I’ll get next.”
All about family ties: Michelle McQuaid
Whoever said that tattoos in general were inappropriate in a workplace must have been under a conservative mindset. For LMC’s accountant clerk, Michelle McQuaid, this mindset has never been a setback for her in the 15 years of working here. With tattoos covering almost all over her anatomy, she has considered herself quite lucky to have found a community that is very welcoming and open towards that.
McQuaid got her first tattoo when she was 15 years old of an infinity symbol inside a sun, located upon her lower back.
Over time after her first tattoo, she’s collected more tattoos that contain horror themes, and ties to her family.
And over time she has gained much valuable experiences and lessons for tattoos 101. For instance, from her very first tattoo, she learned that to get a specific tattoo, she’d have to do much extensive research over the tattoo artist, otherwise the wrong tattoo artists could mess up on the design or their skin.
“You want a cheap tattoo, you’re gonna get a cheap tattoo,” said McQuaid.
Two of her favorable tattoos are designs of a cannon and an anchor in dedication to her two sons, Gunnar and Barrett, which are located on her forearms.
She prefers the traditional tattoo style with thick lines so for many of her tattoos, she’s done extensive research for tattoo artists that specialize in the art styles she prefers.
She plans to add more to her collection, and fortunately she works in an environment where there’s no judgment against it.
