Ahoy there, matey, I like your tattoo: Sea of Ink opens at Ships of the Sea

 'I love hearing all those different stories and it is amazing to me to hear both the tattoo artists and collectors.'

THE Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum will be hosting a brand new exhibit, Sea of Ink, on September 19th. This unique exhibit will feature Savannahians from all walks of life displaying their maritime tattoos. 

Executive Director of Ships of the Sea, Molly Carrott Taylor, created the Sea of Ink exhibit. She was getting a haircut last summer and her stylist showed her a new maritime tattoo.

Her stylist found the design online on a piece of scrimshaw, which was a piece of baleen whale tooth that someone carved in the 1800s on a piece of whalebone. This was in a beautiful vase design, and Taylor thought: who else had a maritime tattoo?

After she began at Ships of the Sea in March 2023, the board requested that Taylor make the museum a destination for the people. 

“We have lots of different people, everyone has a different community, a different little core group of people. And to me, this seemed sort of an interesting way to cut across a section of Savannah. They're maritime people. Maybe they're people who just happen to love tattoos or being on the coast, or they love the water,” Taylor said. 

                                                      Tania Simmons

Curator of Ships of the Sea, Tania June Sammons, assisted Taylor with her vision. Sammons remarked she didn’t know much about tattoos initially, but the research she did helped her to realize that tattooing has a long history.

Knowing this, she decided to focus on Savannah’s story by reaching out to locals with maritime tattoos as well as tattoo artists. 

“I love hearing all those different stories, and it is amazing to me to hear both the tattoo artists and tattoo collectors. We are a coastal city, and it covers all that territory, but then also to talk with tattoo artists and hear their stories about how they bring people's visions to life. And it's been very fascinating to me to learn both and hear both sides of that story,” Sammons said. 

                                                Dre Edwards (photo by Michael Schalk)

Featured tattoo artist and the first Black licensed tattoo artist in Savannah, Dre Edwards, stated that he’s respectful when it comes down to a client’s views and ideas. He says that he thinks about how the design will flow on their ligament and other parts of the body.

He said there will be times when he will have to tweak a wave so that it has a better flow to it. Edwards has been a tattoo artist for the past two decades! 

“It's not just the image in itself, it's the property where they want to put it,” he said. 

Tattoo owner and marine scientist Kristafer Howard got his first tattoo at 17. His other tattoos are connected to a shark he has on his arm. After moving to Savannah, he went fishing on Tybee and caught a shark. He took a picture of it and decided to have it as a tattoo.

                                            Kristafer Howard (photo by Thomas Sanders)

Howard likes fishing and wanted to have a special way of showcasing that. He most recently got a ship tattooed near his shoulder. He plans to add waves crashing underneath, and eventually to add in more for a sleeve tattoo. 

As a marine scientist, Howard remarked that his tattoos relate to his field of work. 

“I have always loved the ocean growing up my entire life. And I love fishing, that's what got me into Marine Science as a whole. I always liked being around the water,” he said. 

Selecting tattoo artists and collectors for the exhibit began with choosing the photographers. Tom Sanders photographed the tattoo collectors, while Mike Schalk photographed the tattoo artists. Simmons wanted local photographers, and both of them had unique styles.

                                            Olivia Thompson (photo by Thomas Sanders)

Schalk created a narrative with the tattoo artists in the spaces where they work. As far as the criteria for the tattoo collectors, Sammons wanted maritime to be defined a bit more broadly. 

“I started to use the terms 'maritime' and 'nautical' because I wanted it to include anything related to the sea and including mythological,” she said. 

According to Sammons, this exhibition will highlight the bridge between personal expression and maritime heritage. Ships of the Sea loves getting people to view the world a little differently. There is a huge culture surrounding tattoos and unfortunately it’s not always viewed as an art form.

She hopes that tattoo artists and those with tattoos will see the exhibition as a good representation of themselves. Also, she hopes those without tattoos or who don’t see it as art will walk away with a greater understanding of tattoos and see it in a new light. 

Essentially, maritime heritage is Savannah’s history and everyone involved in the new exhibition is excited to give the people something to pay attention to. 

Opening Celebration of Sea of Ink and kickoff of the Savannah Tattoo Arts Festival

 Thursday, Sept. 19, doors 6pm, closes 11pm

Tickets $10 at shipsofthesea.org

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum, 41 MLK, Jr. Blvd  

Stardust Pixxies – aerial artists and fire performers, signature cocktails, tarot readings, DJ, and more!

Related Events: Ships in the Dark

Tickets $10 and free to members/ cash bar with mixologist Ashley Simeone

5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

October 11: Tattoo Artists’ Panel Discussion

Tattoo artist and designer Jimmy Butcher will host a discussion with fellow tattoo artists to debate the ever-changing landscape of tattooing, its history, and place in American culture today. Jimmy and his fellow artists will give attendees insight and new perspective on the artistry versus the craft of tattooing. This contemporary analysis of an ancient practice is not to be missed!

November 8: Sailors’ Songs in the Garden

A music-filled extravaganza headlined by Andrew Sovine, a musician, writer, and producer who has worked with Grammy award-winning musician Ashley McBryde among others. A guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, Andrew and his band will be playing an array of music to include sea shanties (traditional work songs for sailors) along with his own original music.

December 13:  Holiday Celebration of Sea of Ink

This event not only will celebrate Sea of Ink as a one-of-a-kind exhibit, but also rings in the holidays! People will leave with a gift bag, and sweet treats will be served. Guests can slip their hot toddys into a specially made Satchel Savannah koozie. And who knows, the Tattooed Santa might show up!