Being the arbiter of tattoo newsiness isn’t easy. I mean, who the hell am I to decide if Christina Ricci’s new tattoo is less significant than the erosion of a marine’s right to expression via body art?

I don’t even tattoo. I’m just a lawyer with, what some would say, an unhealthy obsession with the art form. With two sleeves, a backpiece, my head tattooed, random patchwork and a full body suit planned out, you’d think that would be enough satisfy my body art bent, but I never do anything half-assed. It’s full ass for me. So I married a tattoo artist, spend my weekends at tattoo conventions, and during the week, in between writing arguments to the European Court of Justice, I interview artists, like SG’s own Tim Kern & Nathan Kostechko, post listings to the fine art shows of tattooers, review the myriad of books and films I have piled up in our home on body art, and of course, pontificate over the tattoo news.

Which raises the existential question: Why?

Nothing I do will cure cancer. My views on tattoo news will not save those in Iraq. Global warming will not instantaneously reverse itself because of my musings.

My motives are wholly selfish. I love looking at finely decorated bodies. Art on skin is not only visually exciting to me but stops me from falling into a daily rut. It wakes me from my To Do list and gives me at least a moment’s appreciation of beauty.

When I was 16-years-old, I followed my then 18-year-old boyfriend as he went to get tattooed. Tattooing was still illegal in NYC, and we had to press the button of a basement apartment in the East Village to get in. I initially found it all sexy and rebellious, that is, until I saw Andrea Elston finishing up a sketch of the half-sleeve my boyfriend was getting. She had the design propped up on an easel; it was an incredible rendition of a dream he once had. It was, in essence, a work of art, one that he would wear for the rest of his life. And that realization--one could be a walking work of art--has stayed with me.

You’d think that many people would get it, that tattooing itself is an art, but even with all the tattoo media out there, the idea remains obscured by the notion that every mark that you put on your body must mean something. Art for art’s sake has yet to fully translate to tattooing in mainstream consciousness.

Thus, Needled.com was created. The fabulous Josh Rubin and I were discussing tattooing as fine art over Chinese in May 2005 and Josh said, typically, “Let’s blog it.” Later, I wrote the first post as Josh worked on his laptop, bent over on all fours while my husband tattooed his back. It was a propitious start.

Josh and I created Needled out of a shared passion for tattoos, and following one’s passion must earn one some Karma points because it lead me to my favorite Lingua Diva Helen Jupiter, lead editor of SG, and this column. I’ve had a blast writing every Monday about the tattoo news and reading your comments. I thought I’d be educating the masses on tattoo culture and instead, I’ve learned more than imagined from y’all and become part of this kick-ass community.

Some of my favorite columns with your comments include:

Tattoos in the Workplace: Should you Cover up?

An Ode to the Tramp Stamp

The Tattooed Hipster Evangelist

Russian Prison Tattoos

The Original Suicide Girls: America’s First Tattooed Ladies

And, of course, my Tattoo Copyright Obsession

Now, I’m taking on a new opportunity: bringing tattoo videos to Needled.com as well artist photo galleries, forums and more community features. There’ll even be a marketplace to buy the artwork, t-shirts, and other products from tattooists. I’ll keep blogging but I’ll also be presenting a team of writers whose life’s work has centered on tattoo art.

The new Needled will launch on May 1st.

This project has become my baby, one that needs constant attention and effort to grow. Sadly, I have to focus all my time on it and must take a break from this column. I will still remain part of this community, write in my personal SG blog, and keep up with all you works of art. You make the Internet more beautiful.

Much love,
Marisa


Me and SG at the London Tattoo Convention