TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Phoebe Moore has two grown children and seven grandchildren.
“They think I’m the coolest grandmother ever,” she beamed.
She even has something in common with a few of them. The grandmother recently got her first tattoo. It’s a little peace sign in the center of her chest.
It won’t be her last.
“For someone to come in that age and want to learn the craft that I love, it kind of blew me away a little bit,” said Mike Nanny, who has been tattooing for 14 years.
Nanny works at Dream House Ink in Tarpon Springs. It’s the first downtown tattoo parlor in the historic Florida city. Dream House also is one of just two licensed tattoo schools in the state.
Exactly what caught Moore’s attention.
“It’s either your passion or it’s not,” said Art Hazell, who has been tattooing for 27 years. “Her passion for what she wants to do is insane. I feel humbled.”
Hazell teaches at the Florida Tattoo Academy. Dream House got the license to operate as a school from the department of education in December. Students range from 19 to 66.
Moore is the 66.
“Usually people don’t ask (my age),” she said with a laugh.
The sight is a little surprising. Nanny has tattooed someone as old as 89 but never has seen anyone want to learn the craft of tattooing at Moore’s age. He’s been “blown away” by Moore’s early ability. She’ll be ready to tattoo someone within a few months.
“I have volunteered to donate some skin when she gets to that point,” he said.
Students learn techniques and tattoo history from Hazell. They start with the origins of the art form and work up to stenciling. Eventually, during the three-month curriculum, students like Moore will practice with machines on synthetic skin and then a human guinea pig.
“You’d better get it right,” laughed Hazell.
Moore got the idea to take up tattooing while walking along the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs with her family in December. She saw a sign advertising the Florida Tattoo Academy outside Dream House and inquired with shop owner Angelo Kotzamanis.
“She seems very genuine,” he said. “Unbelievable. Her main goal of helping older woman and men of going into a tattoo studio is what this industry needs.”
Moore majored in art history and always wanted a career in art. A bout with breast cancer last year inspired her to chase a new career. After radiation, she was left with a dot in the middle of her chest. It was the focal point for medical scanners perfectly centered in her chest. It’s now covered by her peace sign tattoo.
She hopes to use her new skills as a tattoo artist to help women overcome the scars associated with physical traumas and surgical scars from cancers and cutting.
“The last thing you want to do is look down at your arm and see a reminder of that so much nicer to have it covered with a beautiful piece of artwork,” she said.
Nanny is eager to see Moore complete her training.
“She’s going to change a lot of lives.”
Even at 66.
“I always liked to draw and paint,” said Moore. “I’ve still got at least 20-25 years. I can get good at something in 25 years.”
Moore lives in Florida part-time. She had planned to return to her home in Pennsylvania in March, but that would have interfered with tattoo school. She’s decided to stick around an extra month to complete the course.
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