I’ve been fascinated with tattoos as an art form for some time now. I’ve watched as small tattoos for women have given way to sleeves and full body designs. Closer to home, we have friends and family who add body art as funds allow – some for simple enjoyment, with no specific theme or overall plan, while others have a finished canvas sketched out in their mind.
Full disclosure: I don’t have any tattoos.
The closest I came was the night before a nephew was heading out to Marine boot camp a few years back. I almost rose to the challenge of a group event where we all were to get solidarity tattoos. Even though I had a design in mind, and I liked the idea, I just couldn’t get past the needles (machine) and the recovery time.
My aversion to the tattoo gun doesn’t stop my appreciation and fascination with tattoos as an art form and adornment. I always wonder about the story behind the designs I observe, and mostly admire, on the women and men that cross my path during everyday events: ball games, grocery store shopping, walking in the park, attending conferences, heading to airports and parties.
My curiosity led me to asking how many women in the US have tattoos? (A 2015 Fox News study estimated that nearly half of all women under 35 have tattoos). When did tattoos become fashionable for women and who led the charge? (Think high society and Victorian Era.)
How many women are tattoo artists (tattooists)? (Approximately 1 in 6, with the gap closing quickly).
And, of those, who and where were the pioneers in the US? I figured that if I knew some history, learned how to look more critically at different types of tattoos, and became even more curious about the story behind women and their ink, I would be able to appreciate the work in a different, more meaningful way. (Remember those art history classes and learning about the medium and the work? Similar concept here.)
A (Small) Bit of History
As the East Coast hub of art and cultural movements ranging from modern dance, hip hop, and punk rock to film, theater, and visual arts, it’s not surprising that New York City is credited as the birthplace of modern tattoos. It was in New York that Civil War soldiers came to be tattooed for identification purposes and where, only a few decades later, the electric tattoo machine was invented. It was New York City that was recognized for the first permanent tattoo shop, owned and operated by Martin Hildebrandt in the mid-1800’s. Then a few decades later, Mildred Hull, considered the first woman to open a tattoo shop on the Bowery (New York City), began working out of the back of a barbershop, as did others of the time.
More recently, in 2012, New York City became the location for Ink Master, the American reality competition television series. Now in its tenth season, 66% of its two million viewers per episode are women.
Tattoos became a fashion statement as New York’s high society followed the trend of Britain’s Royalty. Lady Randolph Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill’s mother, had a snake tattooed on her wrist, while many other women favored butterflies, flowers and dragons. Three of four of New York City’s “high society” ladies had ink at the turn of the century.
Women Who Ink: Maud and Kate
The First
Maud Stevens Wagner is the first known female tattoo artist in the US. In the early 1900s, Maud agreed to a date in trade for learning how to tattoo. The date evidently went well, as Maud later married Gus Wagner and continued as his tattoo protégé. She learned quickly and her own work became well known, as she mastered handheld needles rather that use a machine. The legacy of tattooing reached down to their one daughter Lotteva, who applied her first tattoo at the age of nine and rose to prominence without being tattooed herself.
The Godmother
More than half a century after Wagner made her mark as a tattoo artist, and not long after James Brown recorded “It’s a Man’s World”, Kate Hellebrand entered the tattoo scene and made a name for herself as “America’s Tattoo Godmother” in the still male-dominated tattoo industry. According to Inked magazine, “Shanghai Kate” responded to opposition to her being a woman in the tattoo industry with increased motivation. “Being told she couldn’t do something because she was a girl, was the “biggest firecracker you could put under my ass.” It did not matter that she was seen as an economic threat to existing tattooists when her looks made her more attractive than other artists to the sailors seeking tattoos. And, even though she was attacked, ridiculed and called crazy, she persisted rather than quit. Named as one of the 101 Most Influential Persons in Tattoo History, she has inked celebrities and locals in her Austin Texas shop.
A Rough Road – Still
The path for women in the industry has not been easy. Even with pioneers like Maud and Kate, and others in the early part of the 20th Century, women entering the industry are stereotyped and underestimated for their skills and abilities still. The Ink Master show has expanded and worked to involve more women as the stories behind the artists and their passions become known. A recent article on Broadly – Vice, the website and digital video channel that focuses on issues that matter most to women, introduces you to a few of the women tattoo artists that have joined the industry over the past 20 years. At the same time that Elton John, Jewel, Puff Daddy and Faith Evans, Toni Braxton, and Puff Daddy claimed the top 5 spots on Billboard’s 1997 list, women entering the tattoo industry were experiencing name-calling, along with being closed out of job opportunities and certain markets. This same ostracization goes for women who are heavily tattooed, according to author Beverly Yuen Thompson, noting the “social sanctions” of women who are heavily tattooed and exceed accepted feminine boundaries.
Ever Curious and Appreciative
Knowing more about the history and the women artists of today, I am even more appreciative of different types of tattoos. I pay more attention these days to the art form and to those who ink. I appreciate women who blaze trails for others and hold firm and band together when the going gets tough. But, even more, I stay curious and try to learn about the stories and inspiration behind the tats on those I meet. And, once again, I am seriously considering getting some ink myself. I’ll keep you posted.
While there are still some areas in life where we encounter a male-dominated situation, strong women are ever hopeful to achieve the same status as men. They continually push their limits, expand their boundaries and show the world that women can be just as hard-working, influential and successful as our male counterparts.
If you are struggling to find your direction or are seeking help to break through barriers, consider reaching out to me and I’d be happy to share my advice and experience. Looking for more inspirational resources? Check out our podcast, No Labels, No Limits, where we interview powerful women who experienced transformational change. We release a new episode each week, so listen in now: www.nolabelsnolimitspodcast.com.
