Salvaging Beauty

The following video, Salvaging Beauty (2012), was created during my first year at University at Buffalo as an MA student - this is my first video.  My dear friend Seth Arico assisted me with theoretical considerations.  Rise Above Classic Tattooing in Buffalo, New York were also incredibly generous in their willingness to let me enter their shop with a video camera - they also do amazing artwork.  The women featured in the video are incredible human beings, and they have my deepest gratitude for their participation (and considerable patience, of course).  If you dig this please do check out the video that follows, which is both an extension of this project and an experiment with more verite-esque elements.
Cheers,
S

Shouting Through Skin

Shouting Through Skin (2013) is my second video; it is an extension of Salvaging Beauty. It offers viewers a glimpse into tattoo culture, especially as it pertains to concepts regarding femininity, motherhood, beauty and the body politic.  Specifically addressed are the common treatments amongst tattooed women and how certain tattoos in certain locations create instances of public stigma and scorn.