She has several tattoos, but this one, on her right arm, seemed the most appropriate to share:
This is, of course, a squirrel, which was chosen because Eliza has the nickname of Squirrel.
Why Squirrel?
Eliza grew up in rural Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains. "When I was younger," she told me, "I hunted and shot squirrel".
Of course, I had to ask what squirrel tasted like. "Like chicken," she answered, and then clarified, "the dark meat".
As for the head of the squirrel, Eliza confirmed what I thought, the tattoo sports a Lucha Libre Mexican-style wrestling mask.
Eliza explained that she wanted the squirrel to be like her, kind of "sassafrass". I thought I knew what she meant, but not being familiar with rural American dialect, I asked her to clarify. "Sassafrass," she smiled, "is sorta wild and crazy".
The piece was inked at Southside Tattoo in Austin, Texas, by Michael Norris.
A hearty thanks to Eliza and her cool squirrel tattoo from us here at Tattoosday!
