The "A Hero With Ink & Needle" Story

Tattoo artist Eric Catalano

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in "Reader's Digest" telling about a tattoo artist by the name of Eric Catalano who helps injured and scarred patients gain confidence and pride once again.  What caught my eye was the set of photographs that showed the left hand of a fellow who had lost parts of two fingers and had the tips of those fingers tattooed with fingernails that were so realistic that most people thought they were really his fingernails.  

Fingers before (left) and right with tattoos.

Most people, including Eric's co-workers who had heard he was going to try and tattoo fingernails on a person who had his fingertips cut off by the fan belt of an automobile, made everyone in his studio laugh...until they saw the final result.  Eric worked in the automobile financing business until he decided to begin tattooing for a profession and began working at his External Tattoo Studio in Hecker, Illinois.  After more people saw the results of his fingernail tattoos, Eric decided to enter the field of paramedical tattooing.  He now is getting people from all over the world seek out his tattooing expertise so they can try and return to a normal life after having a life altering accident.  One woman had been bitten by a puppy in 2014 and had undergone several surgeries to correct a scar on her lip.  Nothing helped until Eric did his wizardry and camouflaged the scar on her lip with a tattoo.  

My son's tattooed arm showing his grandfather
with his initials and date of birth and death
done by tattoo artist Steve Lowry.

A few years ago I went with my youngest son to visit Trancending Flesh Tattoo Studio in center-city Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Tad wanted to have his Grandmother's initials tattooed on his leg inside a wreath of flowers.  The owner of the studio, Steve Lowry, who was a student of mine in my graphic arts course.  I could tell he was a talented graphic artist and he put that artistry to good use at his tattoo shop.  Steve has done several tattoos on Tad as well as a tattoo on my daughter's wrist which reads XXIII for the date she was married and the dates both her children were born.  He also has completed a tattoo on my oldest granddaughter that reads: "I am greater than my highs and lows" which relates to her Diabetes readings.  

Steve working on my daughter's arm.

He too is using his skill to help his customers share their life with others.  One of the most common tattoos that Eric now does for his customers is tattooing nipples on women who have had breast surgery.  Each Wednesday in his shop is known as Wellness Wednesday where he does medical tattoos for customers, who come from miles around, for no charge.  He doesn't make any money off these customers, but after seeing the emotions of these customers after he has done his artistry, he is well paid.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Steve and Tad outside Steve's Studio

My daughter's tattoo reading: "23"

My granddaughter's tattoo reading: I am Greater than my Ups and Downs.

The "XXIII" Story

Son Tad and former student Steve outside his Tattoo Studio.

It was an ordinary day.  Just said "Good-Bye" to my daughter Brynn, son-in-law Dave and grand- daughters Courtney and Camille as they pulled from the curb into traffic in downtown Lancaster, PA.  They were on their way back to Urbana, Maryland after spending the 4th of July weekend and a celebration of Brynn's holiday birthday with Carol and me and the rest of our family.  Before they left, they made a stop downtown so Brynn could visit the tattoo studio called Trancending Flesh.

Brynn and Dave

It is located on Chestnut Street in downtown Lancaster and is owned by a former student of mine, Steve Lowry.  Steve was an outstanding student in both the visual arts as well as my class in graphic arts.  Today he is perhaps the best tattoo artist in Lancaster.  My youngest son, Tad, has been a regular at his studio and today Brynn decided to made a visit.  She had decided to have a small tattoo on the inside of her left wrist which would be covered with her watch when she wears it.  

Steve is positioning a copy of what Brynn
wanted on her wrist.  It will act as a
guide during the tattoo process.

The tattoo is a simple Roman numeral "XXIII" which is the equivalent to the number "23". She has been thinking about it for sometime and decided to take the step and have it placed on her wrist while visiting with us over the July 4th holiday.  I told her I just had to go along with her to take a couple of photos so I could post a story here about the tattoo.  Her teenaged daughters also came along to see what is involved when you get a tattoo.  Now...why did she choose the number that she did?  It has a very sentimental meaning to it.  It was back on May 9th, 1998, at the age of 23 that she married David Mencarini and moved from our home in Lancaster, PA to Maryland where they lived in the basement of Dave's parents while they began their careers in teaching.  

Steve begins his work.

Then on March 23, 2002, her daughter Courtney was born.  On June 23, 2005 another daughter, Camille was born.  We all have special numbers in our lives that are either sentimental or memorable and Brynn wanted that special date, the 23rd, to be with her for her life.  It will be a visible reminder that she can share with others that I'm sure will bring about many conversations and more happy memories.  I'm glad I had the chance to witness the occasion and take the photos to share with you.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Here you can see the tattoo being administered.

Finished result!

It will take a few days for the swelling and soreness to go away.  This photo
shows the number from the opposite side that she will hold up to show people.

The "Is Your Skin Copyrighted?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened Facebook and there it was for all to see.  Steve Lowry's amazing artwork was displayed in full-color on his son's arm.  

Steve's finished creation done on
his son's arm.

Just beautiful!  Steve graduated from high school with my oldest son Derek and has become one of the best tattoo artists in south-eastern Pennsylvania.  While in my graphic arts class for two years in high school, I knew he would keep art in his life for a long time.  My youngest son Tad has been one of his biggest boosters with tattoos covering just about every inch of his body.  I have written a few stories telling of Tad's tattoos including the story of one tattoo that honors his grandmother which I had the chance to put the final "dot" in place on the creation done by Steve.  Tattoos are inked ornamental body art which has been in the news recently.  Seems that video game makers have been under scrutiny recently for producing video games that feature athletes that are covered with tattoos from head to foot.  

Tad's back done by Steve at Transcending Flesh.

And, it is the athlete's tattoos that are in question.  The tattoo artists that draw the ornamental body artwork claim that the video game companies needs their permission before their games can be sold to customers.  The athletes who sign off on having their images in the video games don't own the rights to the tattoos that are displayed on their bodies.  Tattoos have largely been considered as outside the realm of copyright laws for many years, but that may be changing.  Seems it is something similar to the lawsuit brought in 1973 by Hugo Zacchini who claimed that television did not have the right to broadcast his being shot out of a cannon on TV since people will not take the time to come to see him in person.  

Tad and Steve outside his studio in downtown Lancaster, PA

He said it was costing him money.  Case went to the Supreme Court and he won!  Seems the same thing is happening once again with tattoo artists.  Can video game makers display athletes covered with their artwork and not be reimbursed for their use.  Infringement of a copyright occurs when someone displays a copyrighted piece without permission of the author or artist.  

Steve working on Tad's leg with a tattoo to remember his grandmother.

An artist's work, be it written,  drawn or sung and is protected by copyright the instant it is written, draw or sung.  A notice of copyright, or the "c" enclosed in a circle, is not required for that protection.  But, the artist cannot sue someone unless the copyright has been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office and the artist has five years from the completion of that work to apply for the protection.  Once copyrighted, the artist's protection lasts for 70 years after the death of the artist.  But, there is also a different twist on all of this.  Seems that some tattoo artists may be infringing on others with the artwork they are doing on their customer's body.  

Tad's arm before the color had been added.
This tattoo honors his grandfather and namesake.

With more and more people receiving tattoos, the artist must obtain permission before they ink it onto their customer.  My son has the image of a ice hockey goalie on his chest.  That goalie is wearing an Edmonton Oiler jersey.  That Edmonton logo on that jersey more than likely carries a copyright.  Now what?  I don't know and I'll bet Steve didn't even think of it when he did the artwork.  Now, can Steve obtain a copyright for that artwork that is now on my son's chest?  Under current law, some tattoos could infringe on copyrights, but which tattoos?  Steve's son's tattoo which he just finished is beautiful and carries the images of eagles.  Nothing in the tattoo stands out as having a copyright so Steve is safe.  

A  young man I met in Hawaii had an
arm filled with a design by the artist.

He in turn could obtain a copyright on the artwork that he just finished on his son's arm.  Therefore, since I put it online in this story, am I violating copyright laws?  In my case, I called Steve and asked if he would mind if I posted a picture of it.  His answer you might guess was positive since you have just looked at the artwork.  Seems like a vicious cycle, but it will never end.  Everyone wants credit for what they do and want compensation for it.  Has always been that way and will never change.  I guess it is up to the courts in the United States to decide what is right and what is wrong.  And, how do they decide?  I don't think they have any idea at times!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Totally Gross Tattoo Preservation" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about what I may be asked to mat and frame in the near future.  Since retiring from teaching in 1999, I have worked at Grebinger Gallery in Neffsville, PA matting and framing a variety of items; everything from historical documents and family portraitures to swim caps and sheep's wool.  Now it seems I may be asked to mat and frame ... you ready for this ... human tattoos.  Seems it all started back in 2014 when Peter van der Helm and Judith van Bezu began the foundation for the art and science of tattooing.  The foundation was based in Amsterdam and exists largely to preserve tattoos after a person dies.  These tattoos can be given to relatives or displayed in exhibits of tattoo art.  

Charles Hamm showing his NAPSA certificate

Not much more was heard about the procedure or how it was done, until recently when a Cleveland, Ohio accountant, 60 year old Charles Hamm, formed a new non-profit known as the National Association for the Preservation of Skin Art (NAPSA).  Mr. Hamm has developed a process by which tattoos and the skin surrounding them can be removed from your corpse and preserved, allowing your friends or relatives to literally keep a piece of you forever.  My youngest son has covered close to 75% of his body with skin art and some of it is beautiful.  I wrote a story a few years ago telling of my trip to the tattoo parlor with him to watch him get a tattoo on his leg in honor of his grandmother, my mom.  

My son Tad (left) and and tattoo artist Steve

The artist, Steve, was a former student of mine who was an extremely talented artist in high school.  Just as Steve finished, he handed me his tattoo tool and asked me to put the finishing dot on his work.  I was honored and did just that.  I'm not quite sure what my son would think of Mr. Hamm's idea, but if he chose to have one of his tattoos preserved and passed on to a friend or relative, he would first have to join NAPSA.  There is $115 fee to join NAPSA with yearly dues of $60.  

LDub working on the tattoo

If you have more than one tattoo you want to will to someone, the cost is $100 for each additional tattoo.  If you sign up when you are older, and perhaps your tattoos have begun to wrinkle, your $60 may not have to be paid too many years before you die.  But, for my son who is just over 40, it could cost him plenty for the yearly membership fee.  The beneficiary does get a stipend of $2,000 to defray the costs of preserving the tattoo.  Mr. Hamm, who has invested thousands of dollars on his tattoos, believes his foundation will allow people carrying tattoos on them to will their artwork to whomever they may wish.  So, just how does this procedure work.  Well, after paying your fee to join, and the yearly dues, you take photos of the willed tattoos and upload the images and story behind the tattoo to the NAPSA website.  

This is the framed piece of preserved skin.  Don't
count of me to do this for you.  Totally gross!

After death, your beneficiary contacts NAPSA who overnights a kit with instructions for removal within 60 hours; usually to the funeral home.  The tattooed skin is returned in a prepaid package and within six months the tattoo is returned to the beneficiary.  Now, it becomes my job to finish the job for you.  What color mat and what style frame do you want to display the dead friend or relative's skin?  Pretty gross, right?  And, I have to handle it!  Not sure what I will do when Keith, the owner of the shop and a former student of mine, tells me what I am framing.  Certainly will pull a pair of gloves over my hands.  And, what about the smell?  Does preserved, yet still dead, skin smell?  If so, does it smell like death?  And, exactly what does death smell like?  I'm beginning to freak myself out right now ... so this is the end of the story.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.