Check out these veggie tats from Christopher McKenzie, the gm/chef of Steamboat Restaurant Group in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. They have been a work in progress.
“I started them four years when I was living in Philly. You get to a point where you stop counting how many tattoos you have and you start logging hours. On the sleeves I have 70-plus hours in a tattoo chair. That doesn’t include two smaller pieces on my back”
So, how did you come up with the idea for the produce ink? “About 10 years ago I was meditating on a boulder in the middle of a Colorado waterfall and I asked for guidance and purpose in my life. In a moment of clarity on that bolder I decided to follow my soul to become a chef. My produce-themed sleeves remind me everyday of that gift of clarity and purpose.”
Any plans for more tats? “Any one who has been bitten by ink knows that there are always more on the way. I’m just not sure if I want to continue the food theme or take on another project. The food is fun, though.”
They do attract attention. “Mad amounts of attention. I can’t even go out on a dinner date without being approached by strangers. So I wear long sleeves on nights when I want to be left alone. I think the theme lends itself well to approachability. It’s not dragons, daggers and naked women. How harmful can a guy be with fruits and vegetables tattooed on his arms?”
What else should people know about your tattoos? “It’s just important to remember that wearers of tattoos are just a canvas to an artist. So, my special thanks go to Shane Munce in Philly (redrumtattoo.com). You rule, Shane!”