Jody's Story~

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A father and daughter race team make history at Bonneville.
During the 8th Annual BUB Bonneville Speed Trials Jody Perewitz became the first woman to break the 200 MPH barrier on an American V-Twin in 2012. 

From the day I was born to today, I have been around motorcycles. Some say that it is in my blood. I eat, sleep and breathe two wheels. With that being said, I have also been around tattoos, I suppose they go hand in hand or at least did in the 80s. 

 
My father has always had a lot of tattoos and I always viewed them as artwork. It's art that you carry with you everyday. 

In Jody's Words~

When I was old enough to get a tattoo, the minute I turned 18, my friend and I went to the tattoo parlor. From that moment on I was addicted. They started off small and not so unique--a butterfly, ladybug, lizard, the common things. My artists are in St. Paul Minnesota at Acme Tattoo, Nolan and Gabe. I have known them my whole life and they do artwork for my father as well. Nolan has tattooed all over the world and is very well known in his field. I am honored to say that I have a full sleeve from him. 

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I have very much progressed from the tattoos “off the wall.” My right arm is all uniquely drawn for me. Japanese artwork is one of Nolan's specialties. The Foo Dog is thought of as being a guardian and protector. Why not have a little extra protection? 

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My sleeve started off with the female on my upper arm and eventually progressed to a male and two babies. I have a Foo family! 








I am in the process of having a left sleeve as well. Gabe, who is Nolan's apprentice, is working on the left. I have a beautiful female, an owl for my nana, and my favorite is the name Perewitz on the underside of my arm. I am and always will be a Perewitz! 

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Another tattoo that I love is my hand. It is a sign of commitment. When I got it, my dad said, “Wow Jod, that’s a big commitment.” 

When you have many visible tattoo's you’ll be noticed or recognized. I think that many people know I am who I am because of my tattoos... your weight, hair, or look can all change, but you can't hide tattoos! I am a living moving piece of art and I love it!!

See Jody in an interview.

Gladie's Story~

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Meet Gladie:

I am 85 years young, and was 76 when I got my cat tattoo, my one and only tattoo. I have no plans for any more. 

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I got married at the age of 17 and became a Mom at the age of 19. I have six kids, ten grandkids, and 16 great grandkids.
 

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Besides being a Mom, I also took courses through the years: cake decorating, photography, oil painting, tailoring, out door trainer, survival, black powder shooting, tomahawk throwing (I was a sharpshooter and marksman, on both of these), camping, Red Cross first-aid and CPR, effective speaking, roller skating, hiking and back packing, beauty consultant and nursing. I’m a certified Belly dancer and hula dancer. 

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I am a domestic abuse survivor, speaking at high schools with teenagers and senior centers, talking to the elderly. Yes, I underwent special training for this, and I also was an on call person for rape victims, in the hospital, all as a volunteer.

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About her tattoo: 

Now how did I decide to get a tat at 76?  Well, this lady came into WalMart, where I worked as a greeter, and I spotted her cat tattoo and fell in love with it. She said she would take me to get it done.

I told her,  “No. I don't want a tat.”

Every week she inquired: are you ready yet?

“No. I don't want a tat.”

This went on for almost a year, and finally I decided I had to have that cat tat.

There were teenagers having tattoos done while I was getting mine done, watching me with great anticipation--is she going to yell, cry, scream, what?

Well after giving birth to six babies, getting a tattoo was a piece of cake. 

Almost forgot to tell you, before I had the actual tat done, I had named my future cat tattoo “Forest” after the kitten of a friend of mine. Guess what the artist’s name turned out to be? Forrest.

No one knew about my tattoo for a while--not even my co-workers--till the woman who took me to get it told her father that she took a 65-year-old woman to get her first tat.

When I told her I was 76, she told all her friends, and sent them into WalMart to see  the 76-year-old, with her tat!

The cat was now out of the bag (no pun intended). Co-workers had lots to say, COOL, WOW, YOU ROCK, WHEN DID YOU GET THAT?

Still, my family and friends didn't know. No, it wasn’t a secret; I am just not one to show off. My 12-year-old granddaughter was the first to notice it.  

“Is that a real tattoo, Gram?”

“Yes.”

“WAY COOL! Does MOM know?”

“No.”

“Oh, wait till I tell her.”

No biggie. My grand-kids were more impressed with their cool Gram than their mother was.