Needles & Pins Magazine

Needles & Pins Women Body Art Culture

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Interview with Nancy Harry get to know the girl behind the photographs

Needles&Pins / Contents

Contents

Meet the Team

News Feature We Love

Alice, 23

Interview Q&A

Beth, 21

Playlist Tracks that inspired us throughout the first issue

Needles and Pins The Ramones Izabella Jimi Hendrix Heads Will Roll Yeah Yeah Yeahs Spiderwebs No Doubt Because of the Night Patti Smith Group The Only Exception Paramore Stripper Sohodolls Hanging on the Telephone Blondie Rock ‘N Roll 69 Betty Blowtorch Rhiannon Fleetwood Mac Why do You Love Me? Garbage She’s In Love With You Suzi Quatro

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Our Lips Are Sealed The Go-Go’s Fever Peggy Lee Liar The Cranberries Step Back Letters to Cleo Morphine & Chocolate 4 Non Blondes Connection Elastica Dancing With Myself Nouvelle Vague And Then He Kissed Me The Crystals Sour Cherry The Kills Don’t Get Me Wrong The Pretenders Starbelly Hole Flatbeat Mr Ozio

Ellie, 23

Georgia, 24

Rachel, 24

Needles&Pins / News

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News

Cool stuff you should check out We’ve scoured the streets of Cardiff to bring you the latest tattoo news just in time for Christmas.

By Beth Kennedy

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Get Your Bling On Fancy something new for New Year’s? Head to Cardiff Ink on Whitchurch Road where you can treat yourself to a new piercing every Wednesday and Saturday for just a tenner. Make sure you’re quick, as the offer only lasts until Christmas.

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Nancy

Grrrl N&P catches up with alt. model Nancy Harry talking trends, tatts and tits.

By Alice Pattillo

S

at cross-legged, quietly sipping a bottle of water, you wouldn’t think this is the same boisterous, bad-ass looking lady who has featured on the cover of Skin Deep magazine more than once.

Nancy Harry constructed her alter-ego model name from the first name of punk icon Nancy Spungen, Sid Vicious’ groupie girlfriend, and Blondie’s Debbie Harry, who she cites as her favourite singer.

This alter ego is just that – a very different character from, Sammi Martin, the girl behind the photos. She’s on a strict diet to get ‘fit’, she says – certainly not to lose her signature curves, something men go crazy for.

Nancy doesn’t model for the attention though, despite

allegations to the contrary from catty girls who’ve clearly never met the down-to-earth lady.

Perhaps Nancy’s down to earth attitude comes from her humble beginnings.

“I never really wanted to start modeling,” she says. “I used to be in a band (Drop Dead Darlin’) as a punk singer and we split up. I thought, what else can I do?”

Nancy has always loved tattoos and her dad is covered in them. Surprisingly, her dad didn’t know about most of her tattoos for years. Nancy hid them, as she lived alone. He didn’t want her to have tattoos on her arms, despite having many of his own.

She smiles, “[He’s] got the real old school tattoos where

they’re, like, turning blue from being dark grey!”

Growing up around alternative kids and punks who always had lots of tattoos kept her interest blossoming.

Nancy reminisces, “The tattoo industry got better. I started knowing more people involved in it – that’s how I got into it.”

Nancy lost her virginity at a young age - her ink virginity that is.

“I was very naughty, I had a couple when I was 14,” she laughs. She didn’t start properly until 18. With additions to her arms and chest, it quickly led to an addiction.

As Nancy started getting more and more tattoos, photographers began asking her for portfolio shots. It was so much

Needles&Pins/ Feature

“There are so many amazing women tattoo artists” Yes. Nancy explains, “It’s always going to be male dominated, it just always has been.

Especially with magazines – it’s always going to be half naked tattooed women for the men.”

But it’s getting better. “As sad as it is to say, it’s getting better because it’s in fashion,” Nancy laments. “When I first started getting into tattoos, I didn’t know any female tattoo artists, but they are definitely more up and coming now, and there are so many amazing women artists!”

Nancy has plenty of ink by women. One of her favourite pieces, her neck, was done cour-

tesy of Chloe Black (Nu Rose Tattoos).

Sadly, Nancy still gets negative comments.

“I have definitely had a lot of shit, being a girl and having tattoos,” she says.

Despite women’s reputation in the industry coming on in leaps and bounds and it becoming more acceptable for women to have ink, the standards for men and women just aren’t the same. Men just don’t get all of the judgmental comments.

“I’ll be walking down the street and there’ll be an older women walking past as fast as they can exclaiming, ‘It’s disgusting!’” She rolls her eyes, “But in the next five minutes there will be a guy passing me saying to his mate, ‘That’s my kinda girl!’”

As far as tattooed women and fashion go, Nancy doesn’t think that following trends is the right reason to go get inked.

“My boyfriend (Dom of Raging Swan Tattoo, Cardiff) has said he’s had glamour girls come in and be like, ‘Right, I want a sleeve.’ And he says, ‘Right, okay, so what d’you want on it?’

And they just reply, ‘Anything’,” Nancy winces, “It’s like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna

regret that big time!’”

She laughs, but the sad reality is that this fleeting fashion trend is permanent, “It’s just all pretty much about getting guys’ attention – fake tits and tattoos. That isn’t art!”

One of N a trib ancy’s fi ute t r o he st tattoo r dad s, .

fun that she kept on modeling.

“It can be disheartening, but it’s brilliant,” she says. “I’ve met so many friends, so many people, so many nice people… horrible people!”

What about women and tattoos? Is there still a lack of ladies in the industry?

All photos © Alice Pattillo

RoTrue e film, urite k magazin o v fa er oc with h Vive Le R d ls out y chil mance an Nanc

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Lips

Needles&Pins / We Love

Contrast dark eyes with a bright pout. Nancy loves to use Lime Crime Opaque Lipstick in Sepentina or try their Velvetine’s for a long lasting velvet finish, £12 each.

Eyes In order to achieve Nancy’s sultry eyes, draw on 1950s style flick with Mac Fluidline Eyeliner, £15. The thicker the line, the better! Finish off with lashings of black mascara.

We Love...

N&P gives you the lowdown on how to look like Miss Harry

By Georgia Hathaway

Style Nancy wears a variety of brands such as Kissing Bomb, Thieves of Thunder and even celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D’s Wonderland LA brand. But, if you want to really nail her look, then what about this tee from Dirty Ruckers Clothing featuring the lady herself?

Nails Long, pointed nails have taken the beauty world by storm and Nancy is a big fan of lengthy talons. She gets hers done at Cathays Rehab Nail Bar, where prices start from £10.

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Needles&Pins / Interview

Behind the Camera From tattooed nurse to boudoir photographer: The many faces of Carly Llewelyn

By Eloise McLennan

Carly Llewelyn has made her career out of making women feel confident about their bodies. Image: Lucy Purrington

I

n a dark nook of a bar in Cardiff surrounded by a myriad of hanging lampshades and Christmas wreaths, sits Carly Llewelyn. She is dressed in a loose fitted black top adorned with miniature foxes, with tattoos of every colour weaving their way up both arms and across her neck.

She draws eyes from couples drinking around her who blend into the dim haze of dark wood and dim lighting.

Carly had already completed a nursing degree at Cardiff University and was working as a qualified nurse on the surgical ward of the University Hospital of Wales when, following the suggestion of a colleague, she bought a cheap camera and taught herself how to use it.

The 26-year-old fell in love with photography and has been building a portfolio online with the help of her friends’ who pose for shoots.

A speciality for Carly is boudoir shooting. The style focuses on woman posed and photographed in a sensual way, usually with the implication of nudity rather than having everything on show. She explains that a high percentage of her boudoir clients are curvy women.

“I want to get a David Attenborough tattoo. I just love him” “In the first half hour they’re really stiff and the pictures aren’t good.” says Carly, “But by the end they’ve warmed up to you and they’re so relaxed they don’t really care.”

Having had boudoir shots taken herself, Carly understands which poses are flattering for curvier women and takes extra care to make sure that her subjects feel comfortable, “You can’t crunch so there’s a lot of

stretching,”she laughs. She pushes her chin up to elongate her neck, and positioning her hands across her chest, “A lot of careful hand positioning to lift things and the clothing, as well, because if it’s too tight you’re going to see bulges.”

Publishing boudoir photos on Facebook as an online portfolio has led to Carly being contacted by a number of women looking to have boudoir shots taken of themselves. She explains that when women see photographs of parts of their body that they didn’t like shot in a flattering way, they often see themselves in a more positive light.

She and her husband plan to get matching tattoos to mark their wedding, which took place in June, alongside one slightly unusual additional idea for new tattoos. “I want to get a David Attenborough tattoo.” she says, “I just love him, he’s like the Grandpa you always wanted.”

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Q&A: Two Hearts Tattoo Needles & Pins HQ sat down for a chat with tattooist Katan Costello, owner of new Cardiff studio Two Hearts Tattoo

N&P: So, can you tell us more about the new studio?

K: My husband and I decided to open the business, as it has always been a plan of ours to run our own studio. Two Hearts Tattoo is a professional and friendly studio with experienced tattoo artists, just a short walk from the city centre of Cardiff.

N&P: What were you up to before you opened Two Hearts Tattoo?

K: Before I opened the studio, I was working in London for five and a half years as a tattooist in a busy renowned studio. I have also travelled the world and guested in several countries.

N&P: What inspires you and your work?

K: Inspiration for the artwork that I do comes from various sources. I love to travel and I think that is always a good muse!

N&P: Do you think female artists in the industry are marginalised?

K: No, I don’t think women in the industry feel marginalised. Tattooing is about the art, it doesn’t matter what sex you are, only skill and experience are important.

N&P: Any tips for other women looking to get into the tattoo business?

K: Do not buy a shit machine from the internet. It’s disgusting and disrespectful to the industry. Do it right, get an apprenticeship under an experienced tattooist, practise painting and detail, and work on your artwork and skill.

76 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff. CF14 3LX 029-2022-8165 @TwoHeartsTatto1 Facebook: Two Hearts Tattoo Studio