A Couple of Artists' Stories
So, today for my story behind the ink I have chosen to talk about two of the men that put the ink to these tattoo stories. These guys are Brian Brenner and John Lloyd of one of the most popular tattoo shops in the Dayton area, Truth & Triumph Tattoo. 

Brian, the owner of Truth & Triumph, began tattooing roughly 18 years ago. He has come a long way from doing tattoos at his kitchen table to now having three locations for Truth & Triumph. He has worked extremely hard to get his business where it is.

As if he were not busy enough with marketing the three shops and shooting/producing his own weekly web show, Brian still finds time to tattoo clients. His style of tattooing is full of movement and texture, and I would highly recommend that you check out his portfolio at http://www.tattooedtv.com/brianbrenner.html.

He has also traveled the country to attend tattoo invitationals and conventions. And fairly recently, Brian even made a trip to Florence, Italy, to showcase his skills.

It was great talking to him, and he provided me with a ton of help in an article I will be writing for my Feature-Writing class (and, chances are, I will post that article once I have it done at the end of the semester…so keep your eyes open for that!)

Here is Brian holding a copy of Prick magazine, which had his shop featured in the centerfold.

While I was at the shop, I also had a chance to talk with John Lloyd. He says that he recently came to Dayton after apprenticing in Atlanta in the well-known shop of All or Nothing Tattoo, owned by Brandon Bond. But before he got into tattooing at all, John was an art teacher. He says that he loves being a tattoo artist because now he is able to put his work permanently on someone’s body. He, too, has some unique pieces in his portfolio, which can be found at http://www.tattooedtv.com/johnlloyd.html. (Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of John because talking to him was a "spur of the moment" thing, but I am so glad I talked to him and got his perspective of what it is like to work at Truth & Triumph).

Well, I hope you enjoyed hearing a little bit about these tattoo artists. If you liked this, then I can certainly do more posts like it in the future. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment or shooting me an e-mail at kimberlygarlick@cedarville.edu. Thanks!

Steve's Story
Steve’s connection to tattoos is not only on his skin, but also in pencil and paper. He did the initial designs for both of his tattoos, as well as designs for others’ tattoos here at Cedarville. (If you remember Brandon from my post on March 7th, Steve drew up the rough design for his black and white half sleeve.)

Steve says he has always had a love for tattoos and an eye for art. The art behind tattoos, as well as the permanent messages tattoos can convey, was important to Steve in deciding to get his.

“It’s mostly about the art that goes into it for me,” he said. “The only important thing that I could really find meaning in for the rest of my life would be images from Scripture, so that’s what I had done.”

When Steve was 19 he got his first tattoo, a design he had worked on perfecting for nearly 2 years. The tattoo, on his right bicep, is of the reference for Hebrews 11:1, which reads, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (NIV) He says this verse is important, not only to him but also in general, because it is by faith that Christians believe in God and the salvation He offers.

He got his second tattoo nearly 6 months ago, and it is of a cross, a crown of thorns and the words “It is finished.” These images combined represent the suffering and the ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ's death on the cross that made salvation possible. Though Steve drew the initial design for the tattoo, he says his tattoo artist changed it and made it look cooler. This immense tattoo took two sittings to complete— one lasting 3 hours and another lasting 2.

Steve says that he definitely would like more tattoos, though he is not set on any specific designs yet.

I hope you all enjoyed hearing about the stories behind Steve’s ink. And if you (or any of your friends) have tattoos and would like them up on my blog, send me an e-mail at kimberlygarlick@cedarville.edu and we can work something out. Thanks!

Ryan's Story
When I planned to do this blog, I first thought of all the people I might be able to include in it. And early on in my brainstorming Ryan came to mind, because last semester I noticed the elaborate portrait of Christ’s face on his arm. After talking with Ryan, I learned about his well thought-out perspective of tattoos.

Ryan says he always knew he wanted tattoos. And when he became a Christian at 16, he knew he had found something life-changing enough to put on his body. Therefore, soon after his conversion he got a portrait of Christ’s face on his right bicep. Then a year or two later he added the text of the verses Romans 7:24-25, which talk about how God offers salvation to “wretched” man through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In the same sitting as the Romans 7:24-25 tattoo, Ryan also got his back tattoos. They are of the words “strength” and “courage” in Chinese. He chose these words because they appear in his favorite poem, “One Day at a Time.” And he chose to get them in Chinese because he is a quarter Chinese.

Ryan has plans for another tattoo. He says it will be a cross made of nails with some script to accompany it. He is holding out on getting it, though, until he can finance it. He says he has more important priorities right now and that he wants to be a good steward with his money. 

In addition to being mindful of the money aspect of tattoos, Ryan is also mindful of where he puts tattoos. He says that he wants to avoid putting tattoos in places that have negative connotations. Also (especially with being a Christian), Ryan has his tattoos in places he can cover, attempting to not to offend people unnecessarily.

“I do know that I don’t want to offend anybody on purpose, and so I can cover them up,” he says. “But, in the end, if someone has a problem with [his tattoos], that is between them and God.”

Ryan says he has encountered criticism about his tattoos. The most extreme criticism came when he was in high school. Ryan says that people took verses of Scripture out of context to say that he was wrong to get a tattoo. Though Ryan believed (after seeking the counsel of others in the faith) that getting tattoos was not wrong, he says he did not have a clear defense to give other people for why tattoos weren’t sinful. But now Ryan has a clear answer: the verses of Scripture that seem to oppose tattoos speak of pagan practices of the time the texts were written, so the commands do not fit the present context.

Though Ryan says tattoos aren’t sinful, he would advise people to get tattoos that are important or meaningful.

“Don’t get a tattoo just because you want to get a tattoo. Really put thought and prayer into it, and think about what you would want to do. Don’t just impulsively get a tattoo, because that is not a really wise thing to do.”

Thanks for reading the stories behind Ryan’s ink. Feel free to leave me a comment below on what you think of tattoos in general. I would love to hear from you!

Lindsey's Story
Lindsey and I go way back. I have known her since we were babies, growing up in the same church (the church that both of our families are still at today). Lindsey, her sister, my sister and I would all draw “tattoos” on each other with the markers we found in our Sunday School classrooms when we were kids. Despite this early fascination with body art, Lindsey says she never thought she would actually get a tattoo.

Well, fast-forward to today: she has two.

Lindsey got her first tattoo when she was 17. It is of the words “four twenty-two” on her left foot. She got this because, to her, it shows how close she and her mom are: her mom’s birthday is April 22 and Lindsey was born at 4:22 p.m. (though not on her mom’s birthday).

Likewise, Lindsey’s second tattoo is one that represents another family member she is very close to—her older sister, Sara. Sara is in the United States Navy, and Lindsey had the opportunity to visit Sara while she was stationed in Japan. During Lindsey’s visit, they went out and got matching tattoos on their left hip bones. The tattoo is of cherry blossoms with the branches forming an 18. Lindsey says they got cherry blossoms because they were in Japan, and that the 18 represents the fact that they were born 18 months apart. Lindsey has the symbols for “younger sister,” while Sara’s stand for “older sister.”

For Lindsey, the beauty of tattoos is not skin deep.

“I love the stories behind them…They can be so personal.”

And like almost all the people I have talked to about tattoos, Lindsey admits that tattoos are addicting. She says she has future plans to get one on her ribs for her brother who is in the Army. Though she is not sure of what the design will be, she is set on getting something.

When it comes to the idea that tattoos are addicting, Lindsey doesn’t see that as a problem.

“If you don’t go overboard, you can still have them and look classy… I honestly think that if Audrey Hepburn were young now she would have one; I really think she would.”

Though she says a person can still look classy with tattoos, she would also warn people to respect themselves and others in getting them.

“I still think you need to have respect for yourself and your employers…People look at you, and they do read books by their covers.”

Thanks for reading these stories behind the ink. If you have a tattoo that you would like me to write a post about, I would love to. Just leave me a comment or e-mail me at kimberlygarlick@cedarville.edu. Thanks again!

Brandon's Story
Brandon is not a newcomer to tattoos. He got his first soon after he turned 18. The tattoo is on his left bicep and it is of piano keys and flames with the initials “UJ.” Brandon says he got the initials for his Uncle Jamie soon after he passed away and that he had a great influence on Brandon’s life. Directly underneath the initials is the Scripture reference of Psalm 118:17, which reads, “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.” (NIV)

Brandon also has a Celtic Trinity knot on his left arm, and in the middle of the knot is a cross. Though the design is not what Brandon initially wanted, he thought it looked cool so he stuck with it.

He also has a sizeable tattoo on his right side. He says the tattoo is of the design of an album cover of his favorite band, Brand New. The design says “fight off your demons" several times.

And lastly, Brandon has a half sleeve on his right arm. This tattoo represents God and His Word. The tattoo begins with a banner at the top which reads, “in the beginning”—the first words of the Bible. And at the bottom is a banner with “the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all, Amen.”—the closing words of the Bible. Brandon says that his mom actually gave him the idea for what the banners should say.

Then, in between the banners, there is a ship on Brandon’s bicep, along with an anchor. He says he likes these images because both the ship and the anchor were symbols of Christianity during the early church. These symbols were found on the walls of the catacombs where Christians gathered during times of persecution in the first centuries of the church’s existence. And on the inside of Brandon’s bicep is a lighthouse, which he says represents God being the light to the ship.

Along with the tattoos he already has, Brandon says he has plans to get more. First, he says he is going to finish his left half sleeve with tattoos for his family. These will be in color. Then he has also thought about maybe getting one on his upper back sometime down the road.

Thanks for reading those stories behind the ink. I would love to hear from you if you have any questions, comments or suggestions. Thanks again!

Emma's Story
Emma knew from a young age that she wanted a tattoo. Initially she thought she wanted a blue star on her left wrist, but when she learned of a connotation that tattoo holds she decided to find another design. So instead of the star, Emma decided to get the word “grace” in her own handwriting.

She was 16 when she came up with the idea of the tattoo. And though her dad was willing to take her then, her mom wanted her to wait until she was 18. So on her 18th birthday, Emma went and got the tattoo.

Emma says that she can handle pain well, it is just needles that make her apprehensive. However, the tattoo artist she went to took about an hour explaining the process of tattoos and what she should expect with the pain. Emma said that she really appreciated that.

During her freshman year of college, Emma says she did some “stupid stuff,” which now solidifies the significance of God’s grace in her life. She says that God not giving her what she deserves—“God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”—is something she sees all the time.

“I see it so much in my life where “that” should have happened and “that” should have happened and it didn’t, or I got “this” and I got “that” and I shouldn’t have. Pretty much everything I have ever wanted I have received in some form or some capacity. And I just think of how wonderful that is when I am deliberately disobedient.”

Soon after her freshman year, she went to a Christian apologetics camp where she says she was able to better understand grace. She recalls singing the song “Jesus Paid it All” and having the concept of grace just click.

Emma has plans for more tattoos. In fact, she says that she was thinking of what else she could get while she was getting her first tattoo. And she says that most of her future tattoos will pertain to Scripture or the Lord because they are constant, and she sees that as being appropriate with the permanence of tattoos. She loves the concept of tattoos so much that she thinks everyone should get at least one.

“I think everybody should get one,” she said. “For me, it is like a life experience.”

I hope you all have a great week. Thanks for coming with me for this story behind the ink!

Casey's Story
Sorry that this post is coming a day later than promised. Things have been crazy with my Spring Break coming up this weekend, but I am so excited to share Casey’s story with you now. Just like Austin (from the previous post), Casey got her tattoo to be a permanent reminder of God’s goodness in her life.

Casey says that these past 3-5 years she has been in and out of depression and experiencing anxiety and hopelessness. But throughout this time, God’s promise in Scripture to take care of and love her has been such an encouragement...one she felt was important enough to represent in a tattoo. So, last April she got a tattoo of the silhouette of a sparrow on a branch with the reference to Luke 12:6-7 beneath it.

In this passage Jesus says, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

“If God takes care of that worthless little sparrow,” Casey says, “then how much more does He love and protect me? And He died for me, so …it’s just a really good encouragement for me.”

Casey says that tattoos weren’t really something her family talked about, because her grandfather is a Baptist preacher who is not fond of body art. However, after explaining the significance of her envisioned tattoo to her parents (because she did not want to go behind their backs) Casey got it.

She says that her dad does not really acknowledge her tattoo now, but she also knows that he is not ashamed of it. She says it is just “better for him to pretend that [she] doesn’t have it” because of how he was brought up.

On the other hand, Casey says her mom has absolutely fallen in love with her tattoo. Her mom went with her to get it, and Casey says that now her mom will show it off to people she meets.

Though Casey says she felt “complete” after getting her first tattoo, she says that now she is thinking of others she may get. She has thought about getting something small on her foot, but she isn’t sure yet. All she knows is that she would definitely be up for another one.

“It’s true what they say: tattoos are addicting!”

What a great reminder to have as the story behind the ink. Thanks for checking it out. I hope you all enjoyed it!