This is Eyre Symons Koekemoer and it was her work that I recently added to the ink I have accumulated over the last 30 years.
I got my first tattoo at 40 and when I turned 70 in 2023, I wanted something special to mark that occasion and it has taken me more than 9 months to decide on both what I want and who I want to do it.
Eyre was recommended by the tattoo artist who did my tiger leg piece, and I trusted his judgment.
But why was I so keen on having a tattoo done in this fashion?
This is the reason…
This is the tattoo that I watched Lars get in Episode 9 of The Tattoo Hunters on the Discovery Channel.
The design fascinated me, so I wrote and asked him if I could copy it. I did not expect a response, but eventually one did arrive in my inbox.
He asked me NOT to copy it, as all his tattoos were created especially for him and he asked me rather to design my own.
I honoured his wish and to date, all my tattoos relate to my life story.
This is the story behind this piece…
“This Hawaiian-style tattoo was designed and created, specifically for Lars, by hand-tapping master Keone Nunes of Wai’anae, Oahu, and hand-poking guru Elle Festin.
It is meant for a traveller: the triangles represent the ocean, the lines are the earth, and the sea bird (I will keep that knowledge to myself!) is a type that always finds land. In short, no matter where I may I journey I will never lose my way”.
Lars Krutak is an American anthropologist, photographer, and writer known for his research on tattoos and their cultural background.
This visit marked two firsts for me when it came to this piece…
1] It was the first time that I had been tattooed by a woman.
2] She was going to use the stick-and-poke method. Something I had read about, but had not experienced before.
The set-up is similar to that of a machine tattoo, with hygiene being the top priority.
The only thing missing, as you might notice, is the tattoo machine.
The needles come in various sizes and are used for different parts of the tattoo. I have to say that they did look intimidating, but as I was to discover, they were not at all to be concerned about.
Hand poke tattoos have a rich and diverse history spanning different cultures and civilizations. Egyptian mummies, some dating back to 2000 BC, bear some of the earliest evidence of this art form.
All of the work would be on the underside of my left forearm and it would bookend an existing piece that I have of a cat’s paw that I had done 5 years ago to mark the death of my 12-year-old ginger companion.
Hence there was to be very little shaving involved.
For those who have never had a tattoo done before, this is done to make certain that the ink has direct access to the skin and that hair does not get in the way.
Making certain that the tattoo is positioned correctly is as important for the artist as it is for the recipient. In this case, there was a LOT of discussion about the placement of the lower tattoo.
I got everyone in the shop to weigh in with their suggestions and luckily, their comments were unanimous and aligned with what I had in mind as far as placement was concerned.
As this was not going to be a freehand tattoo, the stencil had been prepared before my arrival.
It was only left to discuss the size of the work and the exact placement.
This was probably the most important decision that I had to make.
Again, many opinions were solicited and luckily all agreed that the ‘escaping’ barb should be facing down my arm.
Sitting and watching Eyre at work was mesmerising and to anyone considering this type of tattoo, I would recommend using her skills.
Most of the articles that I read about this process mentioned P.A.I.N and as I am not partial to that in any shape or form, I did sit down with some foreboding.
But I need not have been concerned!
There was an absence of the vibration and sound of a regular tattoo machine, making this experience a calm and relaxing one.
The thought of a single needle did make me think of injections, but that could not be further from the truth.
Part way through…
This tattoo took about an hour to complete.
Unlike a machine tattoo, this method uses dots that look like a solid line.
Given that only one drop of ink is picked up by the needle, this method of tattooing does take longer than expected, but I found it so relaxing, that I ended up dozing off during the procedure.
With part one done, it was on to the second and possibly most meaningful part of this 2-piece work.
“D.L.T.O.M.I”?
When he turned 90, Clint Eastwood was asked how he was able to continue his work in the film industry. He seemed to be showing no signs of slowing down and was, in fact, working on a new movie at that time.
His response?
“Don’t Let The Old Man In”.The late country music legend, Toby Keith, wrote a song in his honour: https://youtu.be/yc5AWImplfE
Now my mantra, even though I am 20 years his junior, it is forever etched onto my arm to remind me of that fact daily. This part of the tattoo also took about an hour.
