Steve: Do you have tattoos?
Rachel: Yes I do.
Steve: How many do you have?
Rachel: Six.
Steve: What are your tattoos of?
Rachel: A cross, paw prints, the word Faith, a dragonfly, a butterfly, one for my late dad, and one for my late German Shepherd named Roxy.
Steve: What do the cross, paw prints, dragonfly, and butterfly represent?
Rachel: The cross was the first one that I got. Crosses mean a lot to me. The paw prints I got for my dogs. The dragonfly my best friend and I got as matching tattoos. The butterfly my sister and I got as matching tattoos.
Steve: Are the tattoos of your dad and Roxy portraits?
Rachel: No. My dad’s has the deer that was on the program from the funeral and Roxy’s is a banner with wings.
Steve: Were your tattoos each in six separate sessions?
Rachel: Yes they were.
Steve: What was the pain like for each?
Rachel: The paw prints, dragonfly, and butterfly are on my feet so those hurt the whole time. As for cross and two memorial pieces, the coloring and shading didn’t hurt as bad as the outline did.
Steve: What made you want to get tattooed?
Rachel: It was something that I always thought was interesting. So when I was old enough, I went and got one done.
Steve: How did other people feel about you getting tattooed?
Rachel: Most of my friends and family really like them and have some themselves. The ones who don’t like them just say it’s my body, but they would never get them.
Steve: Do you plan to get anymore tattoos?
Charity: Yes, I want to get something in tribute to my grandparents who passed away a couple years ago. But I’m not sure exactly what type of piece that I want to get yet.
Steve: Any advice for people that are thinking about getting tattooed?
Rachel: Really think about it and make sure that it’s something that you really want. Do your research and go to a good tattoo artist that’s in a clean shop.
Steve: Did getting tattooed have an emotional or psychological impact in your life?
Rachel: Neither.