First of all, I hope 2020 is treating you all kindly. It's been a roller coaster, hasn't it? At Now or Never, we are adapting to pandemic life. Masks and temperature checks feel oddly normal now. I know that a lot of folks just want to get back to "normal." That sounds wonderful, but we're not quite there yet. My friends and family have been hit by Covid. It's real and it snatches people from us way too early. Thus, I will continue to take it very seriously.
For those of you that keep up with my newsletters and social media posts, you know that I have severely restricted booking over the last few months. It took several weeks to catch up on all the appointments that we postponed from spring. After that, I made the call to only finish up pre-pandemic projects. It always hurts to turn away new clients, but at this time, this was the right move. To my in-progress clients, you guys have been so wonderful. I greatly appreciate your flexibility and patience. I could not have managed without that level of familiarity and understanding that you guys brought to the table. As we begin to wrap up on some of these projects, I have contemplated on how to move forward. My top 3 pandemic concerns from my previous newsletter are still very much with us:
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As we watch portions of the country begin to reopen, I've received several inquiries on how long before I'll begin accepting new appointments. Overall, most clients (and future clients) are simply eager to get back to business as usual. What I want to talk about in this post is that "business as usual" for most shops and restaurants is likely very far down the road. For businesses that are health department regulated, we know that drastic changes are coming down the line. We expect and foresee that need. However, for clients and patrons, some of the safety measures being announced may seem over-the-top and dramatic. I want to bring you to our side so that, first, you know what to expect when you walk into a business post-covid. Secondly, I want you to understand why it might seem like businesses are overreacting (depending on who you ask).
What we know about covid-19 is evolving daily. My job involves not only being in an individual's personal space bubble, but also, obviously, creating open wounds on that individual. I feel that tattooers have a particular responsibility to take the virus very seriously. Tattooers have been fighting an outdated stigma that our profession is dirty and dangerous for decades. By now, it's clear that any tattooer worth a damn puts their client's safety above all else and because of this I think it's important for tattooers to look ahead. As the early studies begin to emerge, we're just now learning of what the potential long term effects of covid could be. Permanent damage to the lungs, heart and liver are among the many complications that researchers are beginning to discover. After years of giving the same old speeches on bloodborne pathogens, I believe that tattooers have the chance to step up and be ahead of the curve on preventative measures for covid safety. Watching the news this week, I can detect a hint of audacity in the coverage of salons and tattoo shops reopening. When, first of all, it is safe to reopen, I believe that industries like ours have a unique opportunity to be leaders in preventative measures. As I touched on earlier, this will look different. We keep hearing the phrase "we're in this together" and it will be just as important going forward. Businesses will need to bring innovation and forethought, while clients and patrons must bring patience and understanding. Once a tattoo shop reopens post-covid, you can expect that access will be different. Either by mandate or voluntary precautions, it's likely that lobbies will be closed to the general public and appointments will be encouraged to limit interaction. Be prepared for this. Phone calls and emails may be the norm for a while. Have patience as well because there will be an influx. Expect that there may be extra time needed for cleaning and prep. Again, pack your patience when you leave the house. Face coverings may be required for both the artist and client. If you're not a "mask person" please know that it's not necessarily about you. I know within my own pool of clients that several have immediate family with compromised immune systems. In asking you to wear a mask, I may be more worried about my next client's spouse or child. We know that this virus can be spread without showing any symptoms. Even the young and healthy should treat themselves as carriers when in public. As we move forward, know that this pandemic will have a permanent mark on the landscape of tattooing. From industry leaders down to the individual artists around the world, we're all determining at this moment what the future could demand of us. Covid-19 has and will continue to change our lives. Lastly, I want to encourage all of us, tattoo collectors and artists to move forward with open minds and hearts. Put aside Facebook, politics and anything else that might cause you to add a glaze of pre-conceived notions to this situation. What we want to do is to treat this like the threat that it potentially is. This is all so new and, as the phrase goes, "you don't know what you don't know." What will this situation look like in 5 years? I want to be able to look back and say that I was too careful rather than I didn't care enough. This won't be as easy as it sounds for a lot of people. Tattoo artists, piercers, hair stylists and the like haven't made money in weeks. Some won't know what the right path is and some will have to make some difficult sacrifices to get there. Like the spread of the virus from one city in China, we'll see decisions that set off chain reactions with long lasting effects. My advice to you (and to myself) is a concept from the Tao Te Ching, "The highest good is like water." In the face of a changing global landscape, may we all proceed like water in it's ability to flow effortlessly through, around, over and under whatever obstacle it faces. It erodes away the sharp edges and nourishes along the way. Water isn't watching the clock or wishing things weren't changing so fast. Water doesn't know what the future holds but it adapts, and so will we. Sources: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext https://hms.harvard.edu/news/coronavirus-heart https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/health/2020/04/28/coronavirus-rules-apply-barbershops-salons-reopen-nashville-tennessee/3032887001/ "Do you think people will have disposable income to get tattooed by the time we can go back?" Another artist asked as we chatted about the future yesterday. It's a legitimate concern for "nonessential" workers. Will the world remember us when it starts back up again? To be honest, I hadn't thought much about the future during this time. But as I stood at the sink washing dishes last night, the long forgotten words of my mentor suddenly hit me, "people will still get tattooed."
It was late 2007 when I sat in the back drawing room of Billy Jack's Tattoos in Bristol, TN. I was not far from the official start date of my tattooing apprenticeship under Billy Jack Trivett. I, a naive and stupid 20 year old, sat while Billy told me all the ways in which tattooing was the best career path that anyone could choose. I listened wide-eyed about how tattooing gives you the freedom to live a fast life on your own terms. I'm more of a "slow life" person, but the "on your own terms" part still sounded like a win. "Even if the economy's bad," he said, "people will still get tattooed. They can take your house and your car, but they can't take your tattoos away, and that's important to people." Billy passed away on March 21st this year. I hope his spirit will forgive the infrequency of my visits over the years (or lack there of) but I feel he would be glad to know that his guidance on navigating the tattoo world will live on. Yes, we do decorative, humorous and joyous art for people, but often, it's the hard times in a person's life that tattoo artists end up memorializing. These are the times that change and define who we are as people, the pressure is what turns us in to the diamonds we are meant to be. This is the true underlying healing that tattoos provide. You fought your way over the mountain and we will give you that image to look back on. Psalm 34:18 says that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and, while we cannot save the crushed in spirit, the tattoo artist and the brokenhearted often find themselves in company together. With Covid 19 on track to deliver enormous devastation and heartache, I believe that there will still be a place for tattooers and our 12,000 year old craft in the future. On Monday, Governor Bill Lee issued a "Safer at Home" order, shutting down all nonessential business in Tennessee. This extends Now or Never Gallery's closure, and that of all other Tennessee tattoo shops until the order is lifted. As Covid-19 cases continue to rise in our area and across the country, I cannot say with certainty when we will be back. All I know is that we will. In speaking for the artists that I know, tattooing is as much a part of us emotionally as it is physically. Being separated from the craft has truly been hard on us because it's not just our job, it's our way of life. We decorate the world and heal souls, and that matters to us. So, remember us as we remember you. I hope that you and your family are safe and well. I hope that you have everything that you need to sustain you through this strange journey that we're all on. Lastly, I hope that the time will fly by until we get to gather again and share our stories in person. Until we meet again, may you all be incredibly blessed. Some of you may have seen on social media that Now or Never Gallery has temporarily closed our doors due to the recent covid-19 outbreak. I wanted to talk a bit about the closure, what that looks like for clients and my humble thoughts on the whole situation.
Our conversations at the shop over the last couple of weeks became more serious as we watched (along with the rest of the world) how quickly the virus was spreading. Last week, we began to see other states mandating the closure of hair and nail salons and tattoo shops. After discussing the risks, the difficult decision was made to close our doors for a minimum of two weeks. This is not a decision that was taken lightly. Tattoo artists only make money when we're tattooing. We have no sick time, no vacation days or paid time off. 7 artists and 2 managers chose to push the "pause" button on life to do our part in containing the spread of covid-19. For our clients that had appointments booked, we concluded that the best method was to have everyone "on hold" until we're able to confirm a safe date to reopen. I knew that we were making the right call, but still worried about everyone that had an upcoming appointment. I know booking isn't an easy process and I always try to show the same level of dedication in the work I do for you. I dreaded giving the bad news, but I have to say, you all have been so wonderful. Not a single one of you were upset. In fact, several of you said we made the right decision and offered to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this process with no income. I feel safe in speaking for the other artists in saying that Now or Never has a truly amazing client base and we can never thank you guys enough for your support during this chaotic time. Like many of you, my household has been practicing social distancing. I must admit, as an introvert, I'm not hating it. Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely prefer to have the world go back to normal. I know many are suffering and deaths are in the thousands as of the time of this post. This is our reality, the hand we were dealt. Now, we must figure out a new normal. A few months back, I read (very slowly) Carlo Rovelli's The Order of Time. In a very poor summary, Rovelli discusses the physics of what time really is and, in short, it should be measured more by events and not a clock. Time is relative. I can say that during our isolation at home, I've had a couple of days in which the clock had no meaning. I moved from one task to the other. The sun was up at one point and later it was down. It was actually quite profound. How often in 2020 can we go a day without looking at the clock? My home has stopped being just a place to eat and sleep. We live here now. I have actually stopped to notice the cobwebs in my corners. As I plan what school from home is going to look like for the next few weeks (or months), I realized that I needed a lot more info from my son than I thought. What is it that he does all day at school? I really didn't know as many specifics as I expected I would. On Thursday, we experienced a death in the family. At this time, we have space to grieve and contemplate the impermanence of all things without having to quickly put a bookend on it. Let me be clear, I do not wish illness or tragedy on anyone, but for those of us lucky enough to simply be stuck at home for days on end, don't waste it. I looked out my window earlier, watching the birds hop around, completely oblivious to our pandemic and impending financial crisis. I could see new bright green grass begin to grow into my neighbor's gravel driveway. It seemed rather timely. Beautiful new things will push through this heavy, harsh situation that we're all in. Winter passes into spring without humans needing to lift a finger. As Ian puts it so eloquently in Jurassic Park, "Life finds a way." What will 2021 look like? 2025? Very different, that's clear. What I hope for the future is that we will learn to forget the clock a little more. We will stop to take a deep breath and be thankful to do so. We will be kind and remember how quickly our circumstances can change. We will learn the lessons and take them to heart from the time when the world stood still. Be safe and take care of each other. As of the time of this post, the state of Tennessee nor the federal government have indicated that normal operations of tattoo shops should cease. However, I would like to communicate with you guys should things take a strange turn (as they have been for most of 2020).
Normal Operations During Covid 19 Coronavirus If tattoo shops are allowed to continue to operate as normal in the following weeks, I do want to ask clients and visitors to the shop to use your very best judgement. It appears that this virus can be passed through the air by people that are showing no symptoms. It's unsettling, as some of the artists at the shop do have family members with compromised immune systems. Tattooing isn't an occupation that offers any sick days or paid time off, so most tattoo artists will still be working until we're told not to. It's our livelihood. If we're not tattooing, we're not making money. That said, if you are feeling under the weather, please, do reschedule your appointment. During this time, no one that has left a deposit with me will lose it. I will move your deposit out as far as we need to. You may be strong and healthy but the person walking in behind you may not be. We do our best to keep the shop clean and orderly, but there really is nothing we can do about airborne illness. Now or Never management has also asked that our clients limit the number of guests that you bring to your appointment. If it is possible to only have yourself present for the appointment, that is preferred at this time. If Normal Operations Are Not Possible If federal or local government mandate that business as usual must temporarily halt, please note the following.
For the 18th time, I hope that we don't have any interrupts and that life will begin to normalize quickly for all of us. If you're like me, though, you enjoy knowing the "but what if?" and that's what this post is about. As we move through this crisis, there are a few things that I want to point out.
Be safe and take care of each other! Loss visits each of us at some point, often without warning and discrimination. Death is certain and tattoo artists will be forever intertwined with this process. After 11 years of tattooing, I couldn’t say for sure how many memorial tattoos I’ve done (we’ll say “an abundance”). Memorial tattoos are so common and widely accepted that their true significance is often overlooked. What can a visual representation of a lost loved one do for those who are left behind? I feel this is a topic worth exploring.
I’m interested in doing a “write up” of sorts to highlight the many facets of memorial tattoos. If you’ve had a tattoo done in memory of a lost friend, family member, etc., I’d love to hear about your experience. Here are some questions that I’m looking to explore:
I’d like to stress that these don’t have to be tattoos done by me. I’m hoping to capture the bigger picture, so please feel free to share this post as I’d like to collect many different experiences. I would also like to keep all the responses that are shared anonymous, so I won’t be publishing any names, dates or other identifying details. Please email your responses to inkandartbysummer@gmail.com and with the subject line “remember me project” so that these messages don’t get confused with actual memorial tattoo inquiries. I know that this is a very sensitive subject, so I appreciate any and all participation. Brian Connatser and his team at the Sleepy Owl Brewery have played a huge part in the revitalization of downtown Kingsport, TN. After Brian recently experienced a medical emergency, Kingsport rallied together to show it’s support. Now or Never Gallery is doing a $500 tattoo and painting (by the talented Joseph Maye) giveaway to contribute to the fundraising effort. Tickets are $5 each and they can be purchased at Now or Never Gallery through October 20th. The winner will be announced at the event. Please consider buying a ticket (or a few) and coming out to the Howl for the Owl fundraiser on October 20th at 5pm on 151 E Main St.
I just wanted to make a quick post about booking. Our shop manager typically handles our emails and phone calls (you could say I’m a little spoiled). Unfortunately, she is out for the summer so I’m now handling all of my correspondence. “What a tremendous burden!” you must be thinking. I know, right? I’m kidding, of course, but I do want to say brace yourself for a little slower response. My time with my family is important, so emails are checked and responded to during business hours. The same goes for phone calls. Please know that there are some days in which I’m tattooing from open to close. On these days, it is unlikely that I’ll be free to respond to messages. All messages will be responded to at my soonest opportunity for downtime. At this time, visiting the shop is truly the best and fastest way to book an appointment or discuss a project. I’m typically in the shop Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10am-6pm. I appreciate any and all interest in my work and am always enthused to hear from clients, both new and returning. Thank you for your patience and have a happy and safe 4th!
It goes without saying that this is a controversial topic, which is truly why it should be talked about. As a Christian and a tattooer, I feel like I walk between two worlds on a weekly basis, and I love it. I spend so much time listening to stories from every walk of life and it's by far the most interesting aspect of my job. The vacations, the jobs, the cross-country moves, coming out, incarcerations, getting married; everyone has their own novel and it's almost always a delight to hear a part of it while we're working. The thing that I don't enjoy is hearing about, though, are the instances of discrimination that clients have to endure simply because they are tattooed. What makes it worse, is when the hatred comes from a community that I'm a part of.
Before I get too far into this, I want to say that this isn't an article just for Christians. I hope that tattooed people of any religion, or none at all, can benefit from this information. The more we understand about each other, the better our chances of co-existing in a civil manner. What Does The Bible Say? Ah, Leviticus 19:28, I know you well. Now, depending on the translation you're reading, Leviticus 19:28 says "You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord." Seems pretty clear right? Well, if taken out of context, then, yes, it does. What's happening before and after this verse is very important to understand. In Leviticus, Moses is leading the people of Israel into a new land and he's giving instructions on how they will conduct themselves in their new surroundings. They'll be exposed to a lot of new customs and ways, including other pagan religions which practiced body modification as a form of worship. Some of this ritualistic marking is referenced in 1 Kings 18:28 as the Canaanites make a plea to Baal. If you take even just a few moments to browse over Leviticus, there are a lot of other rules that God passed to Moses, such as not trimming your beard, not eating flesh with blood in it and not wearing garments made of more than one material. It's also important to note that even though the English Standard Version (ESV translation) uses the word "tattoo," don't let this throw you off. The English language did not adopt the word "tattoo" until the end of the 1700s. The King James translation, nearly 1,000 years earlier is likely more accurate when it reads "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you." It's entirely possible that this could have non-permanent markings like paints and dyes. As with anything, I urge you to read for yourself. In my study of the text, when taken in context, I do not believe that God is forbidding tattoos. So, I'm not going to Hell for my tattoos? Oh, friend, have you been misled! I'm sad to hear depictions of Jesus as an angry and wrathful God, especially when it's geared towards people who don't know the difference. I'm not a teacher or a scholar, but any of us can pick up the text and read about how he treated people. Here are a few examples of how Jesus engaged with people that society looked down on:
I hope this has been helpful to you whether you believe or not, or whether your faith is huge or the size of a mustard seed. "And on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." Revelation 19:16 |
AuthorSummer Hamrick at Now or Never Gallery |