Graphic by Vivian McPherson ’22
BY REILLY DENNEDY ’23
There is something valuable about art that is truly inclusive. Anyone with the will can give or receive a stick-and-poke tattoo simply due to how cheap and simple they are.
There is a stigma surrounding stick-and-poke tattoos because of their association with jail tattoos. However, these tattoos are beautiful and valuable because they are created through real relationships and important moments in our lives.
Getting a stick-and-poke from a friend, or giving one to yourself, is a unique experience.
Gina Pasciuto ’23 said that she was drawn to a stick-and-poke tattoo — versus a tattoo done at a parlor with a gun, for a few reasons — including the price and healing process.
“There’s something really personal about a stick- and-poke, there’s a story behind each one,” she said.
Pasciuto got her tattoo from another student on campus and watched a movie as a distraction while getting tattooed, due to her fear of needles. Pasciuto’s experience speaks to the more personal, homey environment these tattoos are created in.
My tattoo was done by my friend’s little sister the summer before I left for college. Like Pasciuto, I am afraid of needles, so we listened to our favorite One Direction songs and drank iced coffee as a distraction. These experiences are valuable and important, at times more important than the design itself. Stick-and-poke art is composed of skill and design.
Stick-and-pokes foster personal relationships and allow those with do-it-yourself body modifications to connect through art. It’s hard to forget the people who put art on your body.
Maeve Driskill ’21, a student at Hampshire, was drawn to the idea of a stick-and-poke because of price, but also because “[I know] these people and it’s cool being able to contribute to the local artist community,” she said.
The stick-and-poke is a fantastic mixture of journaling and art. In his article, “Letter of Recommendation: Stick-and-Poke Tattoos” for The New York Times, Wes Enzinna described his experiences with giving and receiving stick-and-pokes as a way of stating, “a lot of things had to happen . . . for me to be me.” For Enzinna and his friends, homemade tattoos can be a collection of sometimes random doodles collected over time.
Jessica Contrera described stick-and-pokes as permanent versions of “what you used to doodle with a pen in the seventh grade,” in the Washington Post.
Homemade tattoos are inclusive, help to create great moments and relationships and allow for fun in a way I had not experienced before. They have artistic value and deserve respect.