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Tattoo Tales III
Expressing yourself with ink in Bako is more popular than ever - the third part in an ongoing Bakotopia series!

By Bakotopia.com users like YOU!

Jared “JAG” George

The tattoo in the picture is on my right calf. It has multiple meanings, and is part of an “Alice in Wonderland” inspired piece. It also shows duality of a person, something harmless could be more sinister than you realize. I also drew it myself and had it done at a pivotal point of my life, so it shows me moving on. It was done by Justin at Rev. Jimmi’s Old School Tattoo in Oildale.

Ninpire

I have a total of three tattoos.

My first tattoo was given to me by Tom-Tom over at Naked Al’s at the time, way back when I was just a young kid just wanting something to express myself. I loved dolphins, and still do, so I ended up getting two dolphins around a heart on my outer right ankle. My second tattoo was a Playboy Bunny on my lower back when I was about 19 years old. I got that one over at Fountains, it pretty much speaks for itself. I love Playboy, I think the pictures are beautiful, so I support it. Go Hefner! My third and last tattoo was given to be my Dwayne over at Naked Al’s. I got that black, creepy Emily Cat but with a spiked collar (I don’t like Emily, just the creepy black cats) on my inner left ankle. It turned out great. It’s actually my favorite out of all of them because it’s favorite color black, I love cats, and he customized it by adding a spiked collar since I was wearing a spiked bracelet that day, which I thought was pretty rad. And yes, that is what I said, my last tattoo. I’ll be 28 in about three months, and I just don’t see myself getting another one.

My tattoos rarely get a second look, only because I have an obsession with boots which usually cover them up, and I don’t wear anything that exposes my lower back. When people do end up noticing any of my tattoos, it’s almost like they are shocked that I have them, which cracks me up. They say, “I never knew you had tattoos!” I don’t see what the big deal is.

I do not coordinate my clothes with my tattoos. All of my tattoos are in support of something or an expression of me already. What I think is super rad is that all of my tattoos are animals, which really worked out since I love animals and I support animal rights. I am also a vegetarian and for a great reason, I save animals’ lives every single day!

Martinidave

In the days of my youth I had the privilege of serving with this country’s elite fighting forces. On a day like any other day, a leisurely stroll in the forest turned into a nightmare that reoccurs to this day. A simple hike to a designated point that intelligence determined to be best for reconnaissance led to two days of hellfire fighting and running for our lives against insurmountable odds.

Along a seldom used trial our point man ran across a “bouncing betty,” a buried explosive that ejects upward to about waist level and blows everything and anyone in half. Behind him was a second lieutenant, a die-hard surfer from Redondo Beach who had the fortitude to see it pop, grabbed it on the run and tuck it into his belly, dropping to the ground to absorb its explosive power. The 13 of us he left behind because of this one selfless act bear the symbol of a setting sun across a surf laden beach on our left shoulders with his name across the bottom. To my knowledge, I’m the only one of us thirteen left alive.

Ask me about it sometime. I’m happy to roll up a sleeve. God bless America, God bless you all. We were happy to do it - RIP and thank you RB. I’ll always miss you.

Noelia

My tattoo stories are simple at this point in my life. I have become a world traveler so I’ll research great artists from different countries and get a tattoo as my souvenir de recuerdo when I go there. My favorite one so far are the sacred geometric flowers on my chest from Jondix in Barcelona, who also did my forearm. Bakersfield is also definitely blessed with great tattoo artists - especially Rikki de la Cruz!

Ginn Williams

I have been getting tattooed since I was 15, and I now have 15 tattoos. This tattoo was done by Jeff at In The Flesh here in Bakersfield. It is special for me because it’s a poem that I wrote called “My Art.” It says that art is something that as artists we sacrifice ourselves for and it consumes us. It is not something that we just do or are talented at but something that we must do. I think it is unique because most people choose other people’s art and vision to put on their body or they draw it themselves, I have yet to see someone write a full poem and get it tattooed on their body. Jeff also did the dragon surrounding it, and it was the first piece he did for me four years ago. I chose the dragon because it’s a side of who I am, fierce.  Altogether this tattoo is four years in the making and I plan to incorporate it into a full back piece. It has brought a lot of attention and many people wanting to “read my back.”

Jimmy “The Greek” Southerd, Kosmos
Before I turned 53 I had no tattoos. Then within couple months I got five! They all mean something very real to me: Art by Frost at Pain is Beauty, Bksfld.

-The Greek flag (my country) with the International Greek Key symbolizing peace for ever, and the word “Greece” in Greek.

-A memorial to my mother who I love very much!

-The logo of my Greek soccer team. It’s the team that represents Greece in UEFA.

-Shotokan - my martial arts style.

Story also printed in Bakotopia magazine, issue 26, 4-17-08

READ TATTOO TALES I & II
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