Summer is upon us and the world is in bloom, what better way to celebrate the sunshine than our pick of peony tattoos?
Have you got a peony tattoo you’d like to share with us?
“Call Me Caitlyn” Caitlyn Jenner On The Cover Of ‘Vanity Fair’
Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, has made her debut on the cover of Vanity Fair.
The first portraits of Caitlyn were photographed by Annie Leibovitz. In the cover image Caitlyn wears a corset by LA shop Trashy Lingerie, with the cover line: “Call Me Caitlyn.”
Jenner came to international attention as a track and field athlete, winning the gold medal in the men’s decathlon event at the 1976 Summer Olympics, and setting a world record not beaten until 1980. Jenner was married to Kris Jenner (formerly Kardashian) for 23 years, and the couple and their children appeared on the TV reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Following their divorce in 2015, Jenner came out as a transwoman in a TV interview, initially preferring male pronouns until her transition was more complete. In June 2015 and with the launch of the Vanity Fair cover, Jenner revealed her new name, Caitlyn, and the change to using female pronouns.
“I was a dyslexic kid, I was suffering from gender dysphoria, I had all these other issues in life, but when I latched onto this thing called sports.I probably latched onto it harder than most kids did,” revealed Caitlyn Jenner in her Vanity Fair interview.
Caitlyn broke also Twitter records, becoming the fastest growing account ever – beating previous record-holder Obama. She reached 1 million followers in just four hours and three minutes. Her bio reads:
I’m so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me.
Ladies! Ladies! Art Show
Ladies! Ladies! Art Show, curated by Miss Elvia, Emma Griffiths and Pat Sinatra, promises to be extra special this year (it is now in its fourth year). It recognises generations of women tattooers, and a portion of the profits will go to a great cause.
Here’s what Miss Elvia had to say about this year’s LLAS:
This year especially we made an effort to contact a few more women who have been tattooing 20+ years, such as Vyvyn Lazonga, Debra Yarian, Jennie Peace, Debbie Lenz, Miss Roxy, Judy Parker, Bev Robinson (aka Cindy Ray), Shanghai Kate Hellenbrandt and more. Along with them, works by other well respected names in tattooing include Jill Bonny, Hanna Sandstrom, Monica Moses, Virginia Elwood, MaryJoy, Megan Kargher, Anna Waychoff, Miranda Lorberer, Sabine Gaffron, Titine Leu — and more, including new upcoming talents.
We are also very excited because this year’s art show is also a fundraiser to help Charlene Anne Gibbons — daughter of the famous Charles and Artoria Gibbons — raise money to publish the book about her parents true story. We will have many prints priced to sell, as well as originals, and other items for tattoo collectors, for example, […] original Sailor Jerry acetates, courtesy of Kate Hellenbrandt. So this is a chance to get together, meet some of the artists, view and buy tattooers’ art and support a cause!
The opening is on 11 June and takes place Forget Me Not Tattoo in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, from 7 to 11pm. It’s free and open to all. The works will be on view and for sale every weekend until mid-July. For more information visit their website.
Feminist Flash Day Sunday 31 May, start time 11am
Things&Ink and theFeminist Library present:
FEMINIST FLASH DAY
Sunday 31st May 2015
At: King of Hearts Tattoo Studio
137 New Cross Road, London SE14 5DJ
Things&Ink magazine and the Feminist Library are delighted to announce Feminist Flash Day, a day celebrating feminism, females and tattoos. The day is being held to raise funds for the Feminist Library, with the aim to buy a new building to house their growing collection.
The day will bring together tattooists and enthusiasts alike to discuss the bonds between the female body, feminism and the empowerment and ownership that tattoos can afford women. The day will start with the opportunity to get a tattoo of feminist flash from one of three talented tattoo artists: Dexter Kay, Julia Seizure and Lou Hopper. This will be on a strictly first come first served basis, and all designs will be priced between £60-£100.
This will be followed by a panel discussion comprised of some of the industry’s most knowledgeable individuals, including renowned tattoo artists Dominique Holmes and Claudia de Sabe, who curated the Time: tattoo art today exhibition at Somerset House, performers Maxi More and Ruby Jones, and feminist cultural critic Doctor Jane Elliott. The discussion will be lead by art historian Dr Matt Lodder and cult tattoo figure Blue from Into You in Farringdon.
Originally set up as an alternative to what founding editor Alice Snape felt was largely sexist tattoo media, Things&Ink magazine has worked hard to promote a variety of alternative lifestyle choices, by challenging beauty and body standards, and exploring themes such as sexuality, gender and feminism throughout its back catalogue.
As the Feminist Library has reached its 40th anniversary this year, this is the perfect opportunity to celebrate how far the library, and the feminist movement, has come as well as setting sights on securing its future.
The event will showcase the history, progression and future of women in both the feminist movement and the tattoo lifestyle, and it hopes to highlight topics such as the female body, ownership, notions of beauty, societal reactions and equality within both worlds.
Feminist Flash Day is also supported by award-winning Sacred Microdistillery. It is the first and smallest commercial distillery of its kind, and the only one based in a residential house, in north London. Sacred Spiced English Vermouth, made with English wine from Three Choirs in Gloucestershire, and Sacred Rosehip Cup – the English alternative to Campari – all of which can be enjoyed together in a Sacred Negroni, served from 3pm before the panel discussion.
For more information email hello@thingsandink.com, or head over to the Things&Ink social media pages, @thingsandink | facebook.com/thingsandink.
Frida Kahlo Mirror Mirror…
New York art gallery, Throck Morton is showcasing a rare collection of photographs taken of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in a variety of settings. Some show the true love that her and Diego Rivera shared in what look to be private moments captured candidly on someone’s camera. Others show Frida in the garden of her Casa Azul, where she was born, grew up and eventually lived with Diego. We also get a glimpse into the pain that Frida was experiencing on a daily basis due to her poor health and how her pets gave her great comfort and joy in what must have been a difficult life.
Frida With Caimito de Guayabal, 1943
Frida With Itzcuintli Dog, 1949
Frida Winking, 1933
Frida And Diego Kissing, 1933
Frida And Her Ducks, 1948
Frida Wearing Tehuana Dress, Coyoacán, 1940
Frida Seated With Globe, Puente de Alvarado Studio, 1937
Frida On The Rooftop, New York, 1946
Frida Wearing Plaster Corset, Which She Decorated With Hammer And Sickle (And Unborn Baby), Coyoacán, 1951
Frida In San Francisco, 1940
Frida With Pink And Green Satin Blouse, Coyoacán, 1938
The exhibition will run at the Throck Morton fine art gallery in New York until September 12th