JANUARY 1 2009
AMERICANWAY 49
the courage todo it. Thishasbeen themost
amazing experience, and I’m so glad I lis-
tened tomygut,” she says.
Todistractme from thepainof the shad-
ingKim isdoing, I observe a youngwoman
across fromme who is getting a tattoo on
her ribs, known as the most painful place
to get inked. Even Kim hasn’t gotten one
there yet.
“I want to, but I just don’t know if I can
do it. I’ve seenmany a guy vomitwhile get-
ting that done,” she says.
“Really?” I ask.
“Yep. But it’s definitely the new ‘it’ place
toget one.”
For coloring, I’ve given Kim only the
guidelines of green andblue,my two favor-
ite colors— the rest I’ve left up to her. The
last fiveminutes are by far theworst, and I
find myself grinding my teeth harder. But
thepain isworth it. Thefinishedproduct is
everythingIwantedandmore.Theblendof
colors is so vibrant, and the detail put into
each line surpassesmy every expectation.
I walk out of High Voltage with a giddy
high usually reserved for special occa-
sions.
LA Ink
certainly showcases impec-
cable work, but when the cameras are off,
the dedication and precision don’t stop.
My memorable experience has most likely
spawned an addiction. I certainly see an-
other tattoo inmy future,maybeevenaMe-
dusahead.
skill of a seasonedartist.
An hour in, the pain has numbed a bit
and theanticipationofwhat itwill look like
begins. The shop is constantly alive with
people, and they come over to see what
Kim isworkingon.Everyone is friendlyand
talkative. Themusic blares a collectivemix
ofmostlyoldmetal andpunk. Theenviron-
ment is true rock and roll, and I suddenly
find myself smiling at a memory an old-
schoolMetallica song evokes.
It’seasy to seewhygettinga tattoo iscon-
sidered a therapeutic experience and why
most clients share intimate details of their
lives. In just a short time, Kim and I have
discussed everything from inspirations,
relationships, the show, and the 2009 line
she’s designing for Vans to yoga, art (her
boyfriend painted the portrait of Kat I’ve
been staring at for nearly two hours), and
just how fate can change your life in the
most unexpectedways.
“When the show camealong, I’d just got-
tendivorcedandwas living this reallyquiet
lifebymyself inChicago. I’d alwayswanted
tomove to Los Angeles but had never had
AMY SoRlIE
is a Los Angeles–based freelance writer who
doesn’tmindbeingpokedwithneedles, as longas it’s for a story.
Herwork can also be seen in
Men’s Journal
,
Los AngelesMaga-
zine
, and
Vanity Fair
.
Spa& Yoga
Center
Opening
Dec. ‘08
