Personal Info:
Date of Birth: May 30, 1973
Marital Status: Happily married for 16 years :)
Children: 2 beautiful daughters
Pets: One dog, our beautiful Alaskan Malamute, Julius; one kitty, Sophie; and one hedgehog, Hedgewig.
Favorite Movie(s): A Knight's Tale, Hitch, Stargate, The 5th Element
Favorite Band(s)/Singer(s): Disturbed, Three Days Grace, Godsmack, Seether, Theory of a Deadman, Kamelot
Favorite Book(s)/Authors(s): I am a HUGE Harry Potter nut and fan of J.K. Rowling, plus I read a lot of Star Trek series books.
If I Had One Wish, What Would it Be: A cure for Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes!
When/How I Became a Guide to This Site:
I signed on as the guide to this website in August of 1999. I was already writing about the things I was learning through my tattoo apprenticeship on a free webpage I had created for fun, and I was recruited by About.com to share my knowledge about body art here. Since then, I have created over 6000 pages of content on this site!
Am I a Tattoo Artist/Where is My Shop:
No, I am not a tattoo artist - but that is by choice. I served an apprenticeship and I did do a few tattoos, but then I started writing about it and got my position here at About.com. It was then that I realized that writing about body art - not performing it - was my true calling. But the things I learned throughout my apprenticeship is what drove me to begin writing and realize why I was placed on this earth. There are hundreds of excellent tattoo artists out there, but only a handful of safety and acceptance advocates.
My Personal Body Art Collection:
Yes, I do have several tattoos and piercings myself. I have had to remove a few of my piercings over the years due to migration/rejection, but I have loved every one of them and would feel very plain without my body art! You can see my tattoos here.
Future Plans for More Tattoos and Piercings:
I'm working on a few ideas! I recently got my feet tattooed with sugar skulls, which I absolutely love. Now I'm working on a plan for a Zen/Buddhism spiritual theme for my right arm. I am also throwing around a few different ideas for a tattoo on the back of my neck that centers around my strong Gemini personality. Always something in the works, and never enough money for it all!
Tattoo Artists Whom I Admire Most:
There are so many fantastic artists out there, but my personal favorites have to include Megan Hoogland, Brandon Bond, Henning Jorgenson, James Kern, Pat Fish, Deano Cook, Paul Booth and Kat Von D, to mention only a few. I also have a few favorites that aren't famous like my own artist, Kym Tongate. An artist doesn't have to be famous or have a TV show to be good!
Contemporary Artists Whom I Admire Most:
I'm a big fan of Luis Royo - his fantasy art is just stunning. I also love H. R. Giger, Brian Froud, David Bollt, Mark Ryden, Amy Brown, Myka Jelina, Salvador Dali,
Other Interests/Hobbies:
Too many to count! I love riding my motorcycle, cooking/baking, entertaining, scrap-booking, singing/karaoke, making jewelry, gardening and lots more - never enough time for it all! I also love to travel and have many destinations I hope to visit some day including Scotland, Ireland and Australia.
Ways to Connect With/Contact Me:
Email: tattoo.guide@about.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenlhudson
MySpace: www.myspace.com/klayzee
Twitter: www.twitter.com/karenlhudson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenlhudson
MySpace: www.myspace.com/klayzee
Twitter: www.twitter.com/karenlhudson
Personal Thoughts:
I have just as much enthusiasm about being the guide to this site as the day I signed on over 10 years ago. This is not just a job for me - it's a passion. I saw a need back then, to educate people about body art safety and the difference between bad and good artwork - and I feel that need still exists today. The more people I reach and the more people learn and come to expect nothing but the best, the more we all contribute to a positive evolution of this art form and the industry that supports it.