A PAINFUL PLEASURE

THE PAINFUL PLEASURE

Tattoos are no longer just for lags and navvies but are works of art. Mary talks to tattoo artist Jamie Blackbourn

ATATTOO IS a permanent mark made on the body by inserting pigment under the skin. They date back to 5000 BC across many cultures and had many di erent meanings membership of a tribe, memorial or the like. Very early tattooing possibly came as a result of decorating the body with scarring. Earth or plant sap would be rubbed into the wounds to stop bleeding which caused permanent discolouration, hence a tattoo.

In early Greek and oman times tattoos were associated with barbarians and the Greeks then used them to mark criminals and slaves. Indigenous tribes worldwide used them in many di erent ways, often for tribal recognition, and even the repressed Victorians had them with ing Edward Vll having one when he was rince of Wales, hence starting a Victorian trend. They carried deep cultural, spiritual and personal meaning, and still do today.

Tattoos are a bit like Marmite, you either love them or hate them. When I was young (a long time ago!) men with tattoos (and it was always men) were either navvies or lags (sailors or prisoners) or somewhere in between. The tattoo was usually a opeye like anchor on the forearm or a blue faded mum and dad’, or love and hate’ across the knuckles, all slightly unsavoury. This was the 1 70s and probably harked back to the 1 0s when they were deeply unpopular. Towards the end of the decade the odd American film star such as Cher and eter onda started having a few. But no one really took any notice. But what starts in America always seems to make its way across the pond to the U . And so did the tattoo trend, slowly but surely.

David Beckham is probably one of the most well known British celebrity early embracers of tattoos getting his first tattoo in 1 when he became a father. And where David Beckham goes many others follow.

The era of the gap year student often drunkenly getting their first tattoo in a back street parlour in Bangkok followed, and of course the tramp stamp’ which was usually a tribal tattoo done on the lower back of a young woman. It’s a standing joke that some of the Chinese wording did not actually say what it was supposed to, but how much of that is myth I don’t know. They all became a bit of a cliché and possibly uite a few of those tattoos were regretted.

Tattoo parlours historically, and until fairly recently, were often found down a dark alley or on the outskirts of the town and took some finding. ou usually picked a tattoo from a look book, hopped on the couch and endured the pain for visual gain. These places (particularly those abroad) weren’t always the most clean so sometimes an infection followed. But those days have gone, thankfully. orty one percent of Millennials have some sort of body art followed by 2 of Generation , and 2 of Generation . That’s an awful lot of tattoos so the rise of the tattoo parlour has followed. ow prominent on high streets, most towns have more than one parlour Stamford has three and Oakham at least two.

Today tattoos are highly regarded as an art form and those doing the tattoos respected as artists. And I can see why. When you look at some of the intricate artwork that has been done you have to respect the skill of the person doing it because it must be harder to do such technical work on skin rather than paper. It’s impressive stu .

Tattoos are often done as a commemoration, a memorial, or an expression of spirituality with the desire to mark a seismic event on your body. And uite often as a homage to the artist doing the work. And of course they are a permanent show of your personal identity. amie Blackbourn along with his wife Megan recently opened the Athena studio on Stamford’s orth Street and he is one of those very well respected artists with a waiting list of months with people coming from all over the country to have one of his tattoos. amie was an artist first but was always fascinated by tattoos, having his first one aged 1 . I thought they were really cool and was intrigued by them,’ he says. But initially he followed a career in racing, training as a mechanic and following the circuit. He still pursued the art though and kept having tattoos. Eventually he decided that he could do a better job himself than some of the work he was having done so wanted to start doing tattoos himself.

It’s a notoriously hard world to break into. And each tattoo artist has a di erent style and you need to develop your own rather than copy someone.’

At his tenth attempt amie got an apprenticeship in Bourne. He built up such a following that it was time to move to his own premises. As well as tattoos amie also sells art so his studio really is that, an art studio showcasing his own art and other artists as well as o ering tattoo appointments. amie has four other tattoo artists sharing his studio space, as well as guest spots, and invites other artists to display their work on the walls.

Today tattoos are done electronically with a needle with ink puncturing holes in the skin at incredible speed, very much like a pen.’ The outline is done first and amie always follows a design. But the design is always his. Clients will come in with an idea that Jamie will adapt. And his tattoos are uni ue to every customer, he never duplicates them. ou need to book for a consultation and you know you are going to get a uni ue work of art. amie’s style is abstract realism. He doesn’t do script but is happy to recommend someone who does. His work is mainly black and grey using very little colour, but that varies. All his inks are vegan and everything is very sterile and clean.

Customers range from surgeons to students. Many professionals have them and it’s split e ually between men and women. His customers have usually done lots of research and have found Jamie because they like his style and know they will need to book him in advance. ou have to be over 1 to have a tattoo but that’s about it. ou can have a tattoo anywhere on your body, including your face.

Jamie has only ever refused to do a tattoo which was racially o ensive and he will not tattoo anyone who is obviously drunk or drugged. But that doesn’t happen as you can’t walk in o the street and have a tattoo as he’s so booked up. amie’s oldest customer so far has been an 7 year old lady who had always wanted a tattoo but whose husband wouldn’t let her. Well, as an 7 year old widow she has had her wish fulfilled.

Jamie’s tattoos are very distinctive and stylised. He doesn’t often do small ones, most of his take at least six hours many are done over a number of days as the skin can usually only cope with so much inking and needs to recover. air skin tones are usually more sensitive and the chest and stomach are the most painful, or the inner thigh, but this varies from person to person.

Does it hurt es’, say both amie and Megan. It is painful but once you get started it’s usually fine. Obviously you have to keep very still so that’s often the most di cult part. I often get a customer come in for a one o piece something like a sleeve and that’s it they’re hooked and come back for more. There’s no doubt about it, tattoos are addictive.’

Prices start at £90 an hour. To contact Jamie email athenastamford@gmail.com and visit Instagram @athena_stamford