Tattoo Tuesday V.24

Happy 6 months, Tattoo Tuesday! I can't believe I've been doing this for half a year already. I've absolutely loved picking and choosing interesting people and tattoos to share with all of you, and I hope you've all enjoyed this feature too! I have a ton of fascinating people and artwork lined up that I'm really looking forward to sharing here. And as always, I love submissions, or even recommendations of friends you'd like me to contact about being featured. My email is on my left hand sidebar. Before I start this week's feature, I wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you for your support and excitement. I swear, I have the BEST readers ever. :)

This week I am proud to present the ever-so-darling Kaelah Bee. She is a graphic designer out of NYC, and has a lot of super neat tattoos! Her blog is also incredibly interesting and inspiring, so I recommend that all of you check it out if you don't already make it a daily stop. I'm excited about everything Ms. Kaelah is sharing with us today, and I know you will be too!

Name and blog name: Kaelah Bee of Little Chief Honeybee (www.KaelahBee.com)

Age: 22

Occupation: Art School Senior/Graphic Designer (art intern at BUST magazine in NYC), and Bartender.

Age of first tattoo: on my eighteenth birthday (a colorful sparrow on my right hip)

Favorite tattoo: I love every single one of them in their own way and for their own reasons, but I'm really in love with my full sleeve (which is still a work in progress). It started with a traditional style ship with the quote "I cannot change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails." I've always felt it was a very powerful quote and I try to live my life with the most positive outlook possible. There's a lighthouse on the upper back of my arm that is shining through the black clouds and navigating the ship through the rough seas. The inside of my arm has a Baroque style frame and my mom's 1978 senior portrait. The lighthouse symbolizes my mom and everything she's done for me. She's my guiding light, without a doubt. The bottom half of my sleeve features a Giant Pacific Octopus (which is my second favorite animal), a treasure chest, and what will soon be an antique compass.

Featured tattoo/location: Traditional wreath of roses and a vintage sewing machine on the back of my right calf.

Artist/shop/location of featured tattoo: Laura Saadati at Music City Tattoo in Nashville, Tennessee.

1) Tell us about the tattoo you are sharing with us- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?

This is my most recent piece, done just a few months ago by the wonderfully talented Laura. I knew that I wanted a piece for each my Nana and Papa on the backs of my calves. My papa passed away when I was 8 but my Nana is alive and kicking! She was a seamstress throughout her life and I wanted to showcase that with the vintage Singer sewing machine, thread and needle. I chose to have the thread done in blue as it is her favorite color. When I move back to Nashville in August Laura will be doing my other calf for my Papa. He was a stonemason his whole life and ran his own business. I'll be getting the same wreath of roses (though they'll be yellow) and rather than a sewing machine I'll be getting the masonic symbol (the compass) and a few of his tools such as a mallet and chisel.

2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?

I have a full sleeve by Jason Smith featuring a ship, lighthouse, compass, and octopus. I have "Alis Volat Propriis" written in script across my chest (also by Jason Smith) which is Latin for "She Flies With Her Own Wings". I have a half sleeve of 4 Kurt Halsey paintings, including my very favorite piece "There are places and there are opportunities." I have a colorful sparrow on my right hip which was done on my 18th birthday, and I also have the words "Art" and "Love" on my feet.

3) Do you plan on getting more?

Absolutely. So many pieces in the works currently. I'm covering up my feet with traditional roses and a teacup and teapot (I collect teacups and I'm enamored with the femininity that goes along with them). I'm saving my favorite animal (Great White Shark!) for a very large rib panel I hope to begin before too long. It's my life goal to free dive with a Great White so I think both the goal and tattoo are something I'm looking forward to working toward. I'm also planning some thigh pieces and who knows from there! I love being a heavily tattooed woman, even if it comes with it's drawbacks at times.

4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them?:

My entire family was never really fond of them, and I started becoming much more heavily tattooed. My mom and my Nana would both practically beg me to stop getting tattooed, but then I got my mom's portrait and one fateful (read: drunken 21st birthday) night, I spilled my guts to my mother, crying and ruining her mother's day surprise (the tattoo) by telling her how she was my hero and I had been planning this tattoo for months. Afterward I think she started realizing that all of my tattoos are so very significant and they all have so many meanings. Same goes with my Nana. I showed her the tattoo I got for her and rather than scold me for doing it, she cried and said it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Undoubtedly, heavily tattooed people will run into the more conservative types who think if you're tattooed then you're quite obviously in a biker gang or recently sprung from prison, but I think that's one reason I'm so drawn to the lifestyle. I wear dresses every day; I don't even own a pair of pants. I try to portray myself as a classy young lady and full of femininity. I try to show the naysayers that they couldn't be more wrong about tattooed women (or people in general). The most common thing I get is "How are you going to find a job?!" but I simply assure them that I have chosen a field which is much more understanding of body modifications and if I had to hide who I was at work, how on earth could I be happy doing that for a living?

5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?:

Research research research! I think that goes without saying. Quality over quantity! And most importantly: You get what you pay for! I think everyone should take the artwork they want to get tattooed and hang it on their mirror or somewhere they will see it everyday. Look at it for 6 months. If you still want it after 6 months, go for it. But you'll be surprised at how sick you can get of something without even realizing it.