It all started when I was really young. I always wanted to get a bleeding rose on my right shoulder blade. The sight and thought of a tattoo just appealed to me, even at such an early age. The thought slipped in and out of my mind, as I grew older. By the time I had turned 11 years old, my father had died. The meaning of two bleeding roses all of a sudden came into perspective. The roses would signify my love for him, the blood coming out like the tears that have fallen from my face. There is also a banner that runs through it with the initials "N.X.P" my dad's initials (well his nickname initials that he always used).
At A Glance Author Stompdkitty Contact stompdkitty@hotmail.com When Six months ago Artist Fenton Gilbert Studio Underground Ink Location Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada After running the idea around my mom a few times, she agreed to let me get my tattoo. The first time we checked out studios around Thunder Bay it was around August of 2002. We drove all over that city trying to find a nice place. None of them looked good, they were all run down looking. Almost too scary to even want to go inside (Which we never did.) The buildings had this look to them, which told you it's the same way on the inside. The second shop we found (well, drove by probably) was a hole in the wall place. Awful looking. With no such luck the quest to get a tattoo was over. I still wanted one though.
Almost a year later a friend and I drove up to Thunder Bay again, so she could go get her belly button ring changed. The place we went to told us about their good friends who run Underground Ink. Thus our story begins...
After leaving the Piercing Studio (Creation Body Piercing) we drove out of Port Arthur into a rural area, after a bit of driving around, we realized we drove right past the studio. We turned around and pulled into the parking lot, and when we walked in it was a really nice looking place. Clean, had tattoo drawings on the wall, books to look at, a video game, two couches and a table. Chad (Fenton's brother) greeted us and I told him what I wanted. I gave him my design and made an appointment. The day of my appointment came around and I called up to Underground Ink (I live in Minnesota), and learned that Fenton was out for the week on a vacation. Chad was very friendly and we rescheduled my appointment. The day I was due to arrive I called again, this time I got an answering machine and I left a message for Fenton to give me a call to see if I could get my tattoo done. Fenton called back within the hour and said he could do it today, and he would be waiting for me. I told him that'd it be awhile before we got up that way (I forgot to mention we were about 45 minutes away.) We all lazed around for a while and pretty soon it was 1:30 and Fenton called back again, I said that we were just leaving and would see him shortly. By the time we arrived Fenton was worried that we weren't going to show up. And he stayed open a little longer to wait for me (I got a tattoo on an after-hours time!)
We talked with Fenton for a bit had a smoke and away we went. My friend Lena was with me (again) and she sat in. We were in a big room towards the back where Fenton had pictures of his family and horror movie dolls on a rack on the wall. Really cool looking room. After we settled down and said "Bye" to my mom and auntie (yes, other moral support), Fenton started explaining everything to me, and showing me all of his tools. At this point I realized he was really professional (though I already knew that from my visit months earlier). He asked me to take me shirt off or wear it where it was most comfortable. In the end I ended up having my shirt around my neck and my bra unhooked and one strap pulled down. Fenton shaved my shoulder (I asked him why he was shaving me, out of surprise) he explained that even though it may look like there are no hairs there, there really is. So he was just getting rid of them to make sure. He then put the stencil on while looking at another photoc opy of it on a music stand holder. Fenton said he was going to do a little line to let me get the feel of it. There I was sitting there ready for an awful pain ("It's like the feeling of a hot razor-blade going through your skin"), and I didn't even feel a thing. I was really shocked, Fenton just laughed and said I did good and that that was all there was to it.
Fenton continued to outline my tattoo I had little discomfort and Fenton kept on chatting to me in Lena the whole time. He made me feel really comfortable. After about a half an hour Chad came in and said that there was someone just laying on the couch out there, and that he couldn't get out of the place. I guess this guy had his feet on the table as well. Chad was also on his way out to catch the bus. Fenton got really upset, and apologized and explained that he hates it when people come into his shop and disrespect his stuff. After a few minutes of apologizing he set the gun down and went up and kicked the guy out of his shop. He came back and kept outlining my tattoo talking away. I had little pain, and I just sat there and blinked at Lena and kept asking Fenton questions. After about an hour and a half Fenton asked if we could have a smoke break. I said, "sure!" and he took off his gloves, washed up, and we went and had a smoke. It felt great to be out of that chair for awhile. Lena just stood around looking at all the pictures.
After our smoke we went back and Fenton washed his hands, put on new gloves, and finished up my tattoo. My mom and auntie also came in right as we were ending and Fenton told them of how he thought I had other tattoo's as I sat there like a professional. He was amazed, and I was happy. My mom asked him questions about tattoo's and what he'll all put on one's body and this were his exact words, "I will never tattoo anything racial, a band name, Gang related signs, marijuana leaves, or anyone's name ("I'll do in memory of tattoo's, but not a guy's girlfriends name or visa versa"), and any other signs that are offensive to another human. After he got done with my tattoo, I put my shirt back on paid him ($140 Canadian Currency) I also tipped him $30 for staying in his shop so late just to ink me up. I know that probably seems like a lot of money, but I'm a generous tipper, and I was more then grateful for his wonderful work, and that I finally got my tattoo done.
After I paid, Fenton gave me my aftercare instructions verbally. He said to use unscented lotion like Curel throughout the day. And to pat my tattoo when it gets itchy. He also said not to use perfumed soap on my tattoo and just to wet it down, but not have it directly in the shower spray. I did just as I was told and it healed up well. I had no scarring or scabbing I couldn't believe it. A few weeks later I noticed that the ink was on the back of my nightgown shirt, I called Fenton up and could get a hold of him but left a message. For some odd reason he got a hold of my mom at her work place and told her that it was fine and it happens when the healing process begins (my tattoo didn't fade out at all, for those of you who think it might have.) I saw Fenton a month later at the movie theatre in Thunder Bay. He was very polite and asked about the tattoo and told me to keep patting it whenever it itched.
I will say this though; I definitely plan on going back to Fenton to get my other tattoos. I will also be posting a picture of my tattoo soon. If you have any questions or would like to get a hold of me, you can drop me an email anytime.