30 Till 30 | The Gay With the Flower Tattoos

Seven so far, an eighth on the way, and dozens to go.

This week has been murder at work, so here’s another look-book/short form post for y’all while I gather myself well enough to write something that requires complex sentences.

While i’ve come around to the idea that “tattoos don’t have to mean anything, they just have to make you feel something”, I wasn’t always like that. In fact, I had strict rules for my first few:

1. They had to relate to life lesson.
2. They had to match stylistically.
3. I had to have wanted the tattoo concept for 1+ years.

Now, I’ve become less strict. I still want most of my tattoos to have a meaning, they are, after all, permanent art on my body and on top of looking pretty (which I know they do), I want them to represent parts of me. The floral pieces relate to those in my life: friends, heritage, home. While the words and symbols relate to who I am: witty, strong, continuous.

I know at some point I’ll run out of concepts that make me feel so deeply and just make me giggle (I do still want one of a personified clove of garlic stripping somewhere on my body), but for now I’ll stick with meaningful pieces that take hours to imprint and leave an indelible mark on my body and soul.

(L-R) A trio of sampaguitas above a ray from the Philippine flag (2021); ‘Brevity is the soul of wit’ (Hamlet)(2020); ‘Stay Strong’ (2012)

(L-R) A bouquet of flowers, dedicated to my friends (2021); A branch of cherry blossoms for DC (2022); ‘Ampersand’ (2018)

If you’re in DC, go to David Cavalcante at District Tattoo Co. at Union Market!