News

May 02, 2023

After working with blind client, Lancaster tattoo artist to donate proceeds from Friday's sessions to VisionCorps

In September, tattoo artist Christian Anavitate had a client with a big request.

In September, tattoo artist Christian Anavitate had a client with a big request.

Jesse Miller walked into Anavitate's Lancaster city shop — Beautiful Sin Tattoos & Body Piercing on Queen Street — seeking help with a major coverup.

Miller, of Smoketown, was interested in a tribal art piece spanning his chest, shoulders and entire right arm.

There's a level of trust necessary between a client and artist when getting any tattoo. But Anavitate needed to achieve a level of trust he's never reached with a client before.

That's because Miller is legally blind.

Miller is both an employee and recipient of services from VisionCorps, a local nonprofit organization that provides employment, resources and services to visually impaired individuals. Miller lost his vision and became legally blind after suffering a stroke in his eye in 2018. He had previously lost sight in his other eye.

After initially reaching out to VisionCorps years ago for help, Miller started receiving mobility training from the organization to learn how to become more physically autonomous. He now works as an employee in VisionCorps’ manufacturing division.

Anavitate was so moved by his connection with Miller that on June 9, he’ll donate all proceeds from his tattoo sessions to VisionCorps.

The donation will coincide with VisionCorps’ annual EyeDrop event occurring the same day. EyeDrop, in its fourth year, will be happening a block down from Anavitate's studio at the corner of Queen and Chestnut streets where participants will rappel down the 10-story Holiday Inn.

Rappellers must commit to raising $1,000 to support the visually impaired prior to the event.

At first, Anavitate found the idea of tattooing Miller slightly daunting. In his 13 years of tattooing, Anavitate had never worked with a blind person before. Coupled with the fact that Miller was giving him free artistic reign besides asking for a "tribal design," Anavitate felt great pressure to make an impressive piece.

"That definitely made my job even harder, because sometimes it's already hard when people can see what they’re getting done," Anavitate said. "Jesse can't see what he's getting done, I definitely had to go above and beyond."

After fruitless attempts at using stencils and printed patterns to create the design, Anavitate decided to put faith in the Sharpie and went to work creating a custom piece entirely by hand. Miller got a sense for the design by feeling the pen making lines on his skin.

A coverup tattoo entails an artist tattooing a new design over a previously existing tattoo that is no longer wanted, faded or blown out. (Miller said the tattoo he covered up was personal, and declined to share details.)

Often, black ink is used — since it most easily disguises the older ink — and the artist may use blocks of color and shading techniques to mask the original design. Anavitate implemented these techniques with the tribal design's sweeping lines extending along Miller's shoulders and arm.

The tattoo took about 26 hours of work.

Miller said many people have asked him why he wants to get a tattoo in the first place if he is unable to see it.

But for Miller, it's not about being able to see the art — it's about how it makes him feel. Finding a unique way to express himself, receiving compliments on it and just knowing it's on his skin gives him confidence.

After so much time spent together, Anavitate says it was clear just how much VisionCorps’ services transformed the lives of Miller and others in the visually impaired community.

"He expressed how the program had helped him out and I was like, that's a beautiful thing," Anavitate said. "You guys are really going and working with people in need and I love to be a part of things like that, I love to help out the community."

On June 9, Anavitate invites anyone who is interested in supporting Eye Drop by getting some fresh ink to stop by his studio between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. He’ll offer small tattoos starting at $100.

Walk-ins are accepted, and patrons are welcome to come with their own ideas or choose from pre-drawn art. He expects the tattoos to take 15 to 30 minutes each.

Anavitate wants other people living with disabilities to know that they are always welcome at his studio.

And as for Miller, he hopes that events like EyeDrop and Anavitate's donation day will encourage the community to learn more about how they can support their neighbors. He also hopes they help visually impaired individuals learn about what services are available to them, including mobility training, supported education groups and resources to make their homes more accessible.

"It doesn't matter who you are, they’re there to help," Miller says of VisionCorps. "All you have to do is just walk through that door."

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Beautiful Sin Tattoos & Body Piercing is located at 245 N. Queen St. in Lancaster. For more information or to see examples of the shop's work, visit instagram.com/beautifulsintattoos.

To learn more about VisionCorps’ services or its EyeDrop event, visit visioncorps.net.

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