"I am a person who holds a lot of sentimental value on, practically everything, from physical objects, items, and songs to actual experiences and memories, all of which have created an impact on my life in some way. Which is why I hold such significance to each tattoo piece I have on my body. It is not just art to me, these are my memories in certain times of my life that I hold dear to me, and no one will ever be able to take that away from me".
Name: Raquel May
Profession: Horse Trainer.
Residence: Voula.
I grew up in the country in Middleburg, Florida, USA. I was raised on a farm with lots of animals and horses and not a store in sight for miles and miles away. It was perfect. I have competed in rodeo competition from a very young age and still compete when I travel back to the states from time to time. I started training horses around the age of fourteen I began with training my very own horse who I still have. This is been my work for years now and still is. The sleeve on my left arm is the history of my “horse life” Starting from the top of my shoulder showing my three prideful horses whom I took everywhere with me traveling to rodeos. And goes on down representing my rodeo event “roping” and a rodeo horse representing me training horses, and so on.
I am part Mexican which everyone know came descendant from the Aztecs, therefore I have an Aztec Indian on my right arm and wish to complete my right arm in the future. I have a Mexican skull as well representing the first time I quit smoking cigarettes it reminds me the death caused by smoking, I have quit once or twice before but hope to completely stop soon.
I have many more as you will see but my most significant is my timeline I have made for myself on my left side, it will never be finished and continues to grow, I must add to it soon as I have reached another milestone in my life having a second child. (I have two children, both boys) This rose vine represents the storyline of my life and each rose bud or bloom is representing a time in my life that is very important.
All of my tattoos have been completed in the states, my main squeeze, Mike Woods, such an amazing artist! He has done quite a few on me. He has moved far away from where I live but I plan to fly to him just to get tattooed again by him. I had a good friend of mine do a touch up on my back from a previous tattoo and did a great job and he is from here in Athens his name is Abe and he is the owner of Fetish Ink tattoo Athens. I plan to go back to see him for a piece soon.
HeartbeatInk Tattoo Magazine would like kindly to thank Tasos Milonakos for the realization of the photoshoot and El Paso horse riding school at Vari for the hospitality. We would aslo like to thank Nikos for his help.
Photos by Ino Mei.
