Marisa Kakoulas, lawyer and author of books on tattoo artistry

Brooklynite Marisa Kakoulas, 38, is a New York lawyer who has practiced maritime law on Wall Street. She’s also a published author who holds a master's degree from the Columbia University School of Journalism. She’s also a blogger who writes about the fine art of tattoos, tattoo artists and tattoo law. In fact, she first walked into a tattoo studio at 17 and got her first tattoo in the early nineties.

“When I started getting tattoos in New York City it was illegal (until 1997). We went to tenements on the Lower East Side and you had to know someone. We would push a red button to get in.” Since then, Marisa’s gotten tattoos on her “sleeves,” back, ribs and stomach from more than seven different tattoo artists.

 

“When I lived in Belgium, I was married to a Belgian tattoo artist. It was a strange life. I wore a suit to the firm and worked on cases representing countries, then I’d go and get tattoos on the weekend,” she says. “In a pants suit, people couldn’t see them. It was kept quiet in the law firm until one weekend when I was wearing a T-shirt and someone from the firm saw me. But, when you make a company a lot of money, they don’t care. From then on, the water cooler conversation was ‘my 18-year-old wants to get a tattoo.’”

 

Kakoulas takes the art of tattooing very seriously, calling herself a tattoo nerd. She has authored two books published by German publisher Edition Reuss entitled “Black Tattoo Art” (2009) and “Black & Grey Tattoo” (2010). These books are part of a series showing the best of different tattoo genres. This spring her book on color cartoon and comic art will come out, and “Tattoo World" (Abrams) will come out this summer. “Tattoo Law” about U.S. laws affecting tattoo business and culture is also under way.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, a New York University and Brooklyn law grad, Marisa calls herself a “towny.” Her father was born in Greece and her mother is a third-generation New Yorker. While most of her tattoos are of Ancient Greek themes and folk art from the island he is from, she says that doesn’t make them any more palatable for her father. “I heard every argument: ‘You can never work in a big law office’ (she did). “Who is going to want to marry you?’ (she did that, too). I don’t have a problem with that. I’m in a committed relationship now so it’s not a question,” she says.

 

But, she says, “I will be wearing a dress with sleeves to my sister’s wedding out of respect.” She says her sister loves tattoos, but as an Upper East Side doctor, she says she probably won’t be getting one anytime soon.

 

Marisa says there are still stereotypes that go along with being tattooed, like a tattooed woman is not someone you can bring home to mom. “You do get a lot of attention and some men say, ‘I don’t know if I can handle it.’” She recently did interviews with CBS and in the New York Post in response to those stereotypes. “I wanted to show that tattooed women are moms, teachers and lawyers. Women adorn themselves. It’s just another way women beautify themselves and as I get older, I like the way I look in them.”

Her blog, needlesandsins.com, has a great following — of those that have tattoos and those contemplating one. One thing Marisa emphasizes on her blog to young people who are thinking about getting a tattoo is to look at the big picture. “Your tattoos shouldn’t own you. If you want to get tattoos, own your decision and take responsibility. Companies have dress codes. I would love to get my hands done, but I know it’s not acceptable in a corporate setting. When we got tattoos, we started small so we could cover up. I’m seeing kids today getting their hands and necks done and I want to tell them, 'Don’t get your neck done unless you accept responsibility that it may limit your opportunities.'”

 

What’s next for this lawyer, writer and blogger once she’s finished her latest tattoo books? “I’m going back to law full time for a nonprofit after the summer, but I will still work for artists on copyrights and general law matters.”

 

Check out her tattoo blog: http://needlesandsins.com
Her bio: http://www.needlesandsins.com/marisa.html