Nouveau Tattoo Pt. 01 - Cynthia

The atmosphere at Nouveau Tattoo in Tampa radiated sophistication and style. Settled in the trendy Old Hyde Park neighborhood, the walls were adorned with an impressive collection of awards, trophies, and certificates from international tattoo conventions, showcasing the unparalleled talent of the artists who call this upscale studio their home. Plush leather seating, complemented by tasteful décor such as vibrant potted plants and thoughtfully framed prints, evoked a sense of luxury in this elegant establishment nestled in the heart of Old Hyde Park, Tampa. Owned and operated by renowned artists Thom and his girlfriend Taylor, Nouveau Tattoo stood as the premier destination for those seeking top-notch ink work that is both masterful and visually stunning.

In the back room of the studio, surrounded by drafting tables scattered with designs, printers and computers, Thom and Taylor were fully engrossed in a lively conversation between appointments. Thom's rugged appearance, complete with a neatly trimmed old-school beard and traditional tattoos, exuded a classic tattoo artist vibe. Leaning forward, he periodically sketched out a design on his iPad for an upcoming project. Taylor, about ten years his junior, sat across from him with her chestnut hair cascading around her face like a curtain. As she scrolled through her smartphone, her amber eyes sparkled with interest while she read through various news stories. The air was was crisp, with the always present scent of incense and antiseptic soap.

Taylor's voice was filled with excitement as she turned to Thom. "You have to see this," she exclaimed. "A really well known muralist spearheaded a fundraiser for a community project. The city raised enough money to fund a beautiful mural on the side of a downtown building, and then, instead of taking the money, he donated all the proceeds to a local food co-op."

Intrigued, Thom raised an eyebrow, his asked in his deep, velvety voice. "Interesting. But where are you going with this?"

Taylor leaned closer with a thoughtful smile. "What if we followed his example? We could do something like that with our tattooing, something that makes a statement."

"Okay, I think I see what direction you are going. That might be a way to get more engagement, go on..." Thom said, his interest growing.

"I've got it," Taylor exclaimed, her eyes alight with excitement. "Tattooed for a Cause!"

Thom leaned in, intrigued by his partner's passion. "Tell me more," he urged.

"So clients will come to us and choose a charity close to their hearts. It has to be a legit charity," she explained, her voice brimming with determination. "And through platforms like GoFundMe, we promote this on our social media so our followers can get behind the campaign." The mere thought of it made her heart race with anticipation. "But the client will have to do their part too, promoting it on their end," she added quickly, "and they raise money for their tattoo, and we do it for them, but the money goes to a charity." Her mind already raced with ideas on how to make this go viral. "It could be huge!"

Thom nodded thoughtfully, his entrepreneurial reflexes stepping in, "I like the viral aspect to this. This is a great way for us to get more followers and potential customers. The people who pledge into these projects will want to follow us on Instagram and TikTok to keep up with its progress. Heck, maybe we could film the sessions? It is a great way to expand our footprint, as well as use our skills to fund worthy causes. But I think it needs more of a hook? Something to really get fans behind it other than just making a donation? That's a great thing, of course, but I think they need to feel more vested in it somehow."

"Yeah, the social media part is a great idea, more views, more interest...but yeah, a hook. Hmm..." Taylor said, trying to think of a 'hook' to really make this work.

They sat a few moments, thinking.

Then Taylor exclaimed, "Giving the followers a feeling of control is key!" She began to speak quickly, her gestures animated, "So here is what I am thinking- their donations don't just support the cause. They'll directly dictate the scale of the tattoo. The more money raised for the charity, the more ink the person will get at the end of the campaign. It will then fully involve our fans and followers and make them feel like they are part of the whole process."

"That's it!" Thom said, grinning and nodding in agreement, "That's definitely the hook this needed. Without that, this would probably not generate as much excitement. This way the followers will feel like they have an interest and an investment. They will really want to follow the project, see where it goes, stay updated, maybe pledge more. Maybe we could record sessions? Live stream them? Then the fans see the end result of their pledges? It will keep them engaged! And, for the client it's...it's like they have skin in the game!" Thom said, chuckling at his turn of the phrase.

"Skin in the game! That's perfect!" Taylor nodded, her mind whirling with ideas. "The thrill lies in the commitment. Our followers will be hooked by the anticipation of how much ink each person will end up getting and how their pledges directly determine that. They will feel like they are part of it. Maybe we can even do polls and surveys for design concepts? That kind of thing? But yeah, I think we nailed it. It is committing to big ink, quality tattooing, and generosity intertwined."

With the broad outline of "Tattooed for a Cause" fleshed out, Thom and Taylor spent the next few hours working out the finer details. Releases, contracts, how and if funds would released to the charity had to be thought out in advance. Finally, the next day, Thom and Taylor set up a camera in their upscale studio and recorded a video of the two of them introducing the world to "Tattooed for a Cause." and invited the public to bring their causes to them for consideration. They posted the video to the studio's Instagram and TikTok, and waited to see what would come from it.

----

Cynthia let out a tired sigh, her eyes scanning the endless emails and spreadsheets before her. As the dedicated leader of the local native plant society, she was overwhelmed by a pressing crisis: a precious tract of land, home to a rare fern, was in danger of being destroyed by relentless developers. Her attempts to invoke the Endangered Species Act and garner support from the local wild lands conservation board had been met with indifference. The thought of this beautiful natural space being replaced by buildings and pavement filled her with despair and a sense of impending loss.

The financial hurdle to save this land was daunting. They tried to raise funds, appealing to their members and other conservation groups, but were still short by nearly $100,000, a figure that seemed insurmountable. Even worse, she had put a deposit on the property for purchase in the amount of $40,000 from Native Plant's funds - money they could not afford to lose. The deadline to close the deal was in a month, and she was in serious danger of losing that precious deposit money as well as the sensitive land. She felt like she had personally just dug Native Plant into a deep hole financially.

Feeling overwhelmed, Cynthia rose from her chair and splashed some water on her face, hoping to wash away the stress, if only for a moment. She caught her reflection in the mirror: even without makeup, her petite frame, delicate features, and sandy blonde hair gave her a gentle, pretty appearance. Her normally vibrant green eyes looked weary and red, a clear sign of the emotional toll this battle was taking.

Seeking a brief respite from her worries, Cynthia returned to her desk and began going through the news on her phone. After a few minutes of endless doom scrolling, she stumbled upon an article - "Tattooed for a Cause? Local Artists Trade Art for Charity" Curious, she idly touched the story and read it with increasing interest. It was about a studio not far from her in Old Hyde Park called 'Nouveau Tattoo' and their 'Tattooed for a Cause' campaign. She seemed to recall seeing the place while shopping and meeting friends in that trendy neighborhood. Tattoos weren't really her thing, but the novelty of the idea intrigued her. She thought about it -- the idea of raising $100,000 through tattoos seemed like a long shot. But then again, what did she have to lose? It didn't hurt anything to look them up.

With a shrug born out of a mixture of desperation and curiosity, Cynthia opened her Instagram, searched, and found Nouveau Tattoo's page. She looked at their feed and was quickly enthralled by the vibrant colors, creative and extremely well-executed tattoos showcased on their feed. She was no expert, but these guys were the read deal. She hesitated, clicked 'follow', and then paced around the room.

"Would I really get tattooed for this?" she wondered, and went back to the mirror, studying her reflection.

Her inside voice answered 'Maybe...if it came to it.'

She sighed heavily, pulled out her phone again and composed a message to Nouveau Tattoo, her fingers hovering over the screen a moment before sending it.

@NouveauTattoo

Hi, I stumbled upon your "Tattooed for a Cause" campaign and it gave me a shred of hope. I'm an environmental activist and am the local president of the Native Plant Society. We are desperately trying to save a precious plot of biodiverse land, the habitat for an endangered species of fern, from being demolished by developers, but our efforts have been met with apathy and we're still short on funds - $100,000 to be blunt. Our small charity cannot afford to lose this battle or the hefty deposit of $40,000 that we have already put up for it. To make matters worse - we need to close on this property in less than a month or we lose our deposit and the land. Could a bit of ink be the unlikely savior? Please, let's talk, the deadline to close or lose the deposit is in a little over four weeks. - Cynthia @cynthia_floridanatives

----

In the bustling heart of Nouveau Tattoo, Taylor scrolled through their Instagram direct messages, a familiar routine that had recently taken a frustrating turn. "Well, we got another one..." she announced, her tone laced with a mix of weariness and skepticism.

Thom, busy with a sketch on his tablet, looked up. "Oh?" he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation. Their innovative 'Tattooed for a Cause' campaign had unfortunately attracted a slew of jokesters and hoaxers, turning their well-intentioned project into a sorting game of sincerity.

Taylor's eyes scanned the message more closely and her eyes narrowed in thought. "Wait, this one actually seems legit," she said, a note of surprise creeping into her voice. "It is from a woman named Cynthia, she's an environmental activist. She is fighting to save a rare fern habitat from developers, but they're short $100,000. She wants to use 'Tattooed for a Cause' to raise the funds."

Attached to the message was a photo of Cynthia, a petite woman with honey-blonde hair, looking to be in her mid-20s. "She's quite cute!" Taylor remarked, a small smile breaking through her initial skepticism.

Thom whistled softly. "$100,000 dollars..." he mused aloud, the figure hanging heavily in the air.

Taylor nodded, her mind racing with the logistics. "We can give it a shot, but we've got to be upfront with Cynthia. We have a lot of fans, and their generosity is untested, but for that kind of money I figure they'll expect a significant commitment from her. And I mean a lot of ink."

Together, they crafted a response:

@cynthia_floridanatives Hey there, Cynthia! We were touched by your passion and dedication to saving the rare fern habitat. Your proposal is definitely the kind of reason we created 'Tattooed for a Cause.', We're excited to discuss taking up your crusade with you!

We appreciate your willingness to get tattooed and be a part of our unique charity. With a fundraising goal of $100,000 we want to be very clear, it would have to be more than just a 'bit of ink' as you put it. Our fans will be expecting something big and impressive for such a huge goal. And who knows, the design might even get bigger as we hit fundraising milestones.

Transparency is important to us. We understand that this project requires a lot - not only in terms of permanent ink on your skin, but also in donations from our followers. And unfortunately, there's no guarantee we'll reach the goal. But if you're up for the challenge and commitment, we'd love to work together and make a real impact through this project.

Looking forward to hearing back from you and saving this land together!

Taylor & Thom @NouveauTattoo

----

Cynthia heard the notification chime on her phone and sat at her desk and pulled up her Instagram, staring at the DM from Nouveau Tattoo on her small screen. The words 'something big and impressive' and 'get bigger as we hit fundraising milestones' echoed in her mind, rendering her momentarily speechless. The reality of what she was contemplating -- getting a sizable tattoo, or possibly more than one, depending on the fundraising -- began to sink in.

She got out of her chair, her nerves and determination battling as she paced relentlessly in her small office. The enormity of her decision weighed heavily on her mind, each step bringing her closer to the edge of uncertainty. She questioned the practicality of such a wild plan. "Is it even possible to raise $100,000 just by getting a tattoo? Who would pay to see that?" she muttered anxiously to herself. But then she thought of the endangered fern, a symbol of the cause she was fighting for, and felt a surge of determination that pushed away her doubts and fears.

After a few moments of pacing, a determined look settled on her face. With a slight shrug and a muttered "fuck it," she sat and opened her Instagram again. It was a bold move, but the cause was worth it. Her fingers hovered over the keypad before she began tapping her response:

@NouveauTattoo

Thank you for your quick response and for considering our cause. I won't lie, the idea of getting a tattoo that is 'big and impressive', as you put it, let alone one that grows with donations, is pretty daunting. But then, so is the thought of losing that fern habitat forever.

I'm in. If it takes a large tattoo to save this piece of nature, then I'm ready to commit. Let's do this. I've seen your work and I trust your artistic vision and am open to discussing this further.

Here's to making a difference!

Best,

Cynthia

Cynthia quickly hit "send" before she lost her nerve. Her heart raced with a mix of adrenaline and nerves. This was completely new for her, but she couldn't back down now. She believed in this cause so deeply that she was willing to get tattooed for it if it came down to it. This was a big step, and part of her was still unsure if it was the right decision.

----

The next day Cynthia stepped into Nouveau Tattoo, her heart racing with a mix of nervous excitement and apprehension. She had never even been in a tattoo studio and did not know what to expect. To her surprise the shop, located in bohemian Old Hyde Park, resembled a high-end salon, with upscale décor and trendy ambiance. The walls were adorned with framed artwork that showcased a wide range of tattoo styles and designs, from delicate watercolor flowers to intricate geometric patterns. Soft music played in the background, creating a soothing atmosphere that eased Cynthia's nervousness. The waiting area had plush leather couches and magazines arrayed on end tables. A little framed sign had the studio's wi-fi in hand drawn calligraphy that had that old school tattoo lettering style; a quaint and whimsical touch for those in the know. A tall bookshelf filled with tattoo magazines and art books stood against the far wall, offering inspiration to anyone seeking it. It was clear that this was a far cry from her original impression of what a 'tattoo parlor' would be like.

A few moments after walking in Thom and Taylor emerged from the workspace behind the main counter to meet her in the lobby. Thom, with his weathered but handsome face, looked every bit the part of an old-school tattoo artist. His arms were covered in traditional looking tattoos and he had a pair of swallows on each side of his neck. His beard was neatly trimmed and flecked with hints of gray, adding a touch of wisdom to his rugged charm. Taylor, on the other hand, had a youthful exuberance that radiated from her chestnut hair and light brown eyes. She was strikingly pretty and wore a tiger-striped long-sleeved top and black tights. She had an infectious smile that instantly put Cynthia at ease.

"Welcome to Nouveau Tattoo," Thom said in a deep, velvety voice. "We're thrilled that you've decided to join us on this journey."

Taylor nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely! We believe that art has the power to make a real impact, and we're excited to work together to save this land."

They moved to the back of the studio, gathering around a padded tattoo table that stood as a silent witness to numerous transformations. Cynthia felt a mix of excitement and trepidation. This table, this room, was where change happened--where needle met skin creating art in the most personal of ways.

"We read your DMs, but tell us more about your cause Cynthia?" Thom asked.

Cynthia smiled, glad to be talking about something that she felt comfortable with and not about tattoos, even if it was in such an unusual setting for her.

"Well," she started, her voice rising with enthusiasm as she gave her well worn pitch, "we are trying to save fifty acres of land that is the habitat of the rare Southern Tree Fern, I mean that may not sound like much, but it is a rare species that has suffered from habitat loss. The land itself is shares a border with a wilderness area that is already protected, so it is like it is joining a larger ecosystem, making it an ideal candidate for preservation. The land is also the habitat for many other species; deer, gopher tortoises and some lovely acres of longleaf pine sandhill habitat."

"Is that where sandhill cranes come from?" Taylor asked, her voice filled with genuine interest.

"Yes," Cynthia said, and with grin added, "Those are there too. Their native habitat is not golf courses!"

They all gave a gave a knowing chuckle at that, and Taylor asked "So you are on a deadline?"

"Very much so," said Cynthia, her voice becoming more serious. "We have a contract to purchase with a closing date in less than a month and I put up a sizable and non-refundable deposit from our savings. Native Plant is not a large conservation group, and that was a substantial chunk of what we have. I thought we could raise the rest of funds in time. I may have been wrong about that."

Taylor nodded, and said with a an encouraging grin "But maybe you weren't! I think this is a great cause, and we are happy for it to be our very first 'Tattooed for a Cause' campaign."

Cynthia smiled, hopeful yet nervous about Taylor's encouraging words.

"So, Cynthia, do you have any tattoos already?" Thom asked gently, trying to gauge her experience with the process.

"No, I don't," Cynthia replied, her voice betraying the nervousness she felt inside. Internally, she was grappling with the magnitude of her decision. Two days ago she had never even considered getting a tattoo; something about the permanence and commitment had shied her away from them. But here she was, her first foray into the world of tattoos, and the scale of what she was contemplating was beginning to feel very real.

Externally, Cynthia tried to maintain a composed demeanor, but her voice revealed the whirlwind of emotions she was experiencing. "It's my first time," she added, attempting to smile. "I believe in what we're doing, though. It's important."