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Meghan’s Burning Man Tattoo

I went to Burning Man in 2003 and 2004. My first year (2003) I was only 16 years old. It was a life changing experience for me. Burning Man taught me that I was an independent women who shouldn’t allow herself to be controlled by people around her. My second year was a chance at freedom and I built my first Art Project called “Freedom to Peace”.

The symbol of the “man” in my tattoo is the Burning Man symbol. The ring around the man stands for Unity among the human race and the sun over the man is my Native American Tribal sign.

I didn’t get the tattoo until 2006. I was in a relationship with a very controlling person and I wasn’t allowed to get one. Once I finally broke free the first thing I did I was get a tattoo, for me the tattoo is more than just a reminder of Burning Man but also a reminder that I am strong and can stand on my own two feet, it is a constant reminder that I am powerful.

My Step Dad David Breen hand designed it for me.

- Meghan

Inked by Angel at Tat Magic in Fairfield California

Greg’s Centaur Tattoo

First things first: it’s a centaur, and there’s more to it on the sides. This is the unfinished pic; the rest is currently healing up.

Now, as to the why… The short and sweet version is that I’m a Sagittarius. The long version is a bit more complex, as well as revealing: To start, I’m Greek and a fan of greek mythology. In said mythology, centaurs were nasty, vile creatures, who spent the majority of their time engaged in unsavory pursuits, such as murder, pillaging, marauding, rape, and drunken lunacy.

There was one, however, who was different. His name was Chiron, and he was wise and peaceful. He was the personal tutor to some of the greatest heroes of ancient Greece, including Achilles and Ajax, famed from the Trojan War.

The tattoo serves as my reminder that, regardless of what others may think we will be, or what assumptions they make in regards to how we will conduct ourselves, it is possible to be other than what we are considered to be, to rise above our base natures and strive for the betterment, not only of ourselves, but, more importantly, those that are around us.

The tattoo was done by my good friend Tom Kiernan, owner of Mean Machine
Tattoo, Tampa, FL., in two sessions, totalling about 6:30 hours.

-Greg

Inked by Tom Kiernan - Mean Machine Tattoo, Tampa, FL

This tattoo is about my first heartbreak. When my first love and I permanently split I decided to get this tattoo, both the cleanse some of the pain, mark the time, and to make a promise to myself. I decided that no matter how much it hurt I wasn’t going to be bitter or give up my dream which is this tattoo. A complete circle created by two complimentary elements, that of the masculine and feminine.

I designed this one myself, but it was a combination of artists who created the final image you see here. First I described it to a friend named Bernie who drew it out. The first tatto artist to work on it was a guy named Kelly, a Mormon biker in Reno. He filled in the male side really well, but only traced out the female side minimally. I sat for him about 2 hours.

Years later in Seattle I went to see an artist named Magenta in a shop on Broadway and she put another 2.5 hours of ink into it. She basically did the female side herself - sort of freelance. I just let her go. I liked her work so well, I trusted her to do it right. She also put back in the yellow which had faded from the fiery parts. The photo I have here is years after Magenta’s work, so a lot of the yellow has faded again.

I really enjoy this tattoo and I have absolutely no regrets about it.

-Daerice