Natalie Roelle applies flourishes to Cleveland flesh: My Cleveland
23.05.12
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Natalie Roelle considers herself an artist with a special canvas: your skin. Roelle, 38, co-owns Voodoo Monkey on the Near West Side. By appointment only, she has tattooed a couple of top chefs and all sorts of other locals.
I see you wear lots of your wares.
I've got bees and flowers and a bat. I love bats. There's a honeycomb and a little bee larvae. I've got a scarab, a lotus, a bird, cherry blossoms. I just got a fox and these roses on my ankles. They're still tender, but I love them.
Do you tattoo yourself?
Some artists do. I don't. I'm usually focused on getting tattooed or on tattooing. They're two different things.
Do many customers want tattoos with Cleveland themes?
We see a lot of the outline of Ohio, with a star where Cleveland would be. We've seen multiple transportation gods [from the Hope Memorial Bridge]. Occasionally a Browns or Indians tattoo. Several Cleveland skylines. So, yeah, a good amount of Cleveland pride.
Source: Plain Dealer