Name: Cherry Dollface // YouTube - Facebook - Twitter
Age: 29
Occupation: film production
Age of first tattoo: 19
Favorite tattoo: My back piece, still in progress!
Featured tattoo/location: Chest piece-- cherries, "No Rainbows Without Rain", a boombox and a dictionary
Artist/shop/location of feature tattoo: cherries and heart originally done by Jason Bradbury at Atomic Art in Portland, OR. Everything else was added and retouched by Eno at Guru Tattoo in San Diego, CA.
1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story about why you chose it, or maybe a special meaning?
My favorite tattoo was a work in process over a span of 8 years. My first tattoo ever were the cherries all by themselves-- my nickname was Cherry growing up. I then added the sparkles around them and the scared heart in the center because I have a heart condition. Right before I moved to LA, I was going through a really rough time in my life so I got the quote tattooed to give me inspiration that brighter days were on the horizon. When I moved down here, Sink or Swim by Gaslight Anthem was my soundtrack and Boomboxes and Dictionaries was the song that I had on repeat as I drove from LA to Portland in a blizzard. I had the whole piece put together and finished when I was working with Eno at a shop in Venice. It is probably altogether my most meaningful piece.
2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?
Yes! I have both arms covered with various things, I have stars filled with leopard down both legs, a coffin with bats on my stomach, I have a vintage 1950's atomic china pattern behind both ears, a lock and key on my thumbs, and "uh uh!" on the inside of my index finger. I have also just started my back piece with Eno-- it is going to be an amazing mermaid/ship piece.
3) Do you plan on getting more?
Once I finish my back, I think I am done. I don't want to be the illustrated woman! Definitely no neck or hands.
4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them? Do you have a significant other? Does he/she have tattoos?
When I started getting tattooed, there were very few heavily tattooed females and tattoos were still not socially acceptable. It was long before the days of LA Ink. Now that tattoos are more mainstream, I feel that it is less shocking to people. But when I first started, my mom cried every time she saw me, and I got stared at constantly in public. I am still very aware of them when I am in a professional setting-- I never want to be judged first by my skin, so I make sure to cover up when I am working or going on interviews. I have a boyfriend that has tattoos-- but he also only has one eye, so he gets stared at more for that. We actually play the "who are they staring at" game-- it cracks us up.
5) What's the most interesting experience you've ever had in regards to your tattoos?
It still blows my mind that people think that just because I have tattoos on my skin, they can touch me without my permission. It was worse when all I had was my chest-- people would come up and just start touching away. Now it is usually my arms, but it still infuriates me. It seems that because my skin is tattooed, people don't need to respect my personal bubble. You wouldn't go up to a painting in a gallery and start putting your mitts all over it. And you wouldn't start touching a person without tattoos. So keep your hands to yourself! Sheesh.
6) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?
I am still of the old school mind that hand and neck tattoos are earned. If you want to look heavily tattooed-- then be heavily tattooed. It always blows my mind when I see someone that looks all covered and then they take of their hoodie and just have a tattooed neck and tattooed hands. I know it is all about personal taste, so that is just my opinion. And research your tattooer-- I see so many young kids that want cheap tattoos and they end up covered in horrible work that costs more to cover up than it would have to start off with a good tattooer. Good tattoos aren't cheap, and cheap tattoos aren't good. These things are forever!
