What is considered art?

Now like the title reads what is considered art? What one might consider art others might consider garbage. Where do you display your art? Well depending on what you consider art is where you or what you can display your art on. Some people collect framed pictures and paintings, some collect sculptures and figurines,I personally collect all of the above, but I have one more thing I collect, and that is tattoo's. Now some tattoos are not for me, and that is fine. There is some paintings and figurines that are not of my taste also. Now with that being said that does not mean that they are bad, they are just not of my liking. Now I can personally say there is some tattoos that I find distasteful, but there is also some paintings and sculptures that I can fill in that category too. So I am not here to judge. What ever works for you. The thing I try and tell people when it comes to tattoos is remember, never put things on your body that you would be ashamed of when you are 80. Now try and explain to your grandchildren why you have a skull with a penis hanging out of an eye socket. Now you get my point! Too many people live in the now, and don't think what this going to be like for them in 5,10 or 15 years down the road. It might have been all the rage when you were 19, and taking a stand against the world. When you are 40, and working for a company as a CEO that same tattoo might be considered distasteful. Now yes bad ideas can be removed, but it is costly and painful.

Now there is one way to cover up mistakes, but it still leaves a tattoo. That is cover up's. Now the other thing is that I really must stress you need to find a tattoo artist that you can trust your life with. I am very serious about that. In today's world of so many diseases resulting from blood and body fluid you need to make sure that your artist is very sterile in their operations. It could be the difference between catching something, and living or dieing.

I truly think that a tattoo should not be a spur of the moment idea. You need to plan. Plan on what you want. Plan on where it is going to go, Plan on who is going to do it. Believe me when I say you get what you pay for in this case! if it is a 40 dollar tattoo it is going to be a so so job. the other thing is don't think little is really the way to go either. REMEMBER in 20 or so years skin tends to break down and shrivel, and depending on how much you have looked after them, will depend how they look.

It's all about the pain, the ink and jewelery are just souvenirs! LOL Does it hurt? I am asked that all the time. My answer is no. Irritating yes, painful no! Again that is all relative though. As I have been sitting in shops and you see a 6th month old baby get their ears pierced and make less fuss then a 300Lb ugly ass biker getting a tattoo on his arm. So that tells you it all depends on the person. Now I will say there is some places that it is more sensitive then others. Anywhere there is more bone then fatty tissue it is going to be more painful. So it tends to be more sensitive on the rib area, or ankle area, or head. Unless you are like me, a crusty old ape then it does not matter where you go it as you are going to be searching for a while to find my bones. LOL Now I will admit there is some places even a crusty old ape will not get a tattoo. The tongue, eye lids, genital area(I don't care how much you pay me! I am not getting a hundred dollar bill tattooed on my penis so I can watch my money grow...it just is not going to happen!!)

Now what happens when you have tattoos, and are in a long term relationship? Then the relationship ends. Now some people find tattoos sexy, but others are not sure or turned off. Is that really fair? They are not even giving you a chance as a person. They see the ink, and think that you are some biker or trailer trash depending on your gender that is drug infested, and trying to rule the world. You know you have heard all of the stereo types. I will admit that stereo types are fading a lot. Now you see just as many seniors in the shops getting work done as you do young people. The shop I frequent Tattoo-U has done people as old as 70 something. If you are ever in the Medicine Hat area you really need to check Tattoo-U out. Drop in and buy Sue a green tea. Tell her the Big Ape sent you!

Now there is people that have piercings. I to have my left ear pierced. Yes it was a mid life crisis act, that I did when I turned 35. Some people go out and have affairs, or buy sports cars. I was different I went out and got another tattoo, and my ear pierced. Now piercings I will leave at just one. Sorry no nipple, tongue, nose or genital piercings for this crusty old ape. That is where I draw the line. For other people if that is what gets your Mojo going... to each their own!

Now branding and scarification is just another twist in the sub-culture to being different. I must admit I do not think there is much of that happening in the Medicine Hat area. Although Sue at Tattoo-U has done this stuff when she worked down south. She says it is not something she has done for a while. Now you can be like her son. He wanted to have his tongue forked. Now she decided to do it, because she has heard of people being butchered so she thought better she did it for him, knowing it was going to be done right. Rather then being done improperly, and him dieing from infection somewhere or worse bleeding out. When asked why his tongue to be forked the response was; "well everybody has tattoo's, a lot of people have piercings, but how may people do you know that have a forked tongue?" Now for the record Sue does not normally do the forked tongues in her shop. With that being said if you have a lot of money... well money talks!

So it is a case some people buy art and put it on a shelf or on the wall. I just choose to put it on my body and bring it with me every where I go. Click here and get some ideas from the tattoo blog.

Until next time remember Show me a person with a tattoo, and I’ll show you a person with an interesting past.

Cheers from The Big Ape. :-)