When I reached out to book with JonBoy Valena in August, part of me honestly didn’t expect to hear back. A number of the articles I read recommending him for fine line tattoo work were older. Before he’d built out his roster of celeb clients including Hailey and Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Post Malone and Noa Cyrus. Before he moved to his own solo studio over at the Moxy. After perusing Pinterest for around a year and a half, I finally found what I wanted so figured couldn’t hurt to ask. I was pleasantly suprised when I heard back in only a week.
His books are indefinitely closed so I didn’t know where things would go, if anywhere. After some back and forth, we were able to land om some date options. I sent over what I was wanting. His team sent me back a price and a contract to lock in an early October date. Thanks to a stipend for reaching my fifth anniversary at work, this was something I could swing. This was really happening.
The design I landed on was simple yet slightly abstract. It is a script L (my mom always teased me on my slightly bubbly script) that looks like it just might continue on to form a heart. Instead it stops, ending in a star. The pin didn’t have a description of what it signified to that person, but to me, it has so much meaning. Even more the longer I started to consider it.
I patiently waited outside the studio last Friday until JonBoy poked his head out to see if I was there. I shyly waved, assuming he was in with someone else at the time. I was a little nervous. I’ve never worked with an artist who’s worked with celebs. Definitely none with his degree of social following requiring booking so far in advance. After a a brief introduction to Megan Massacre who was there for a wine event next door, we got started with the session.
I found JonBoy to be the warmest tattoo artist I’ve ever visited (this is my fourth tattoo). The others did a great job but none of them asked me a single question to get to know me. I should have known his background as a youth minister would make him much more approachable. While I was there we talked about everything from my mom to my family to karaoke (he too prefers to karaoke out at the bar – yes). Even my upcoming plans to take our son to see Sesame Street Live.
The music was rocking in the small solo studio he has off to the side of the Bar Moxy. He got me a glass of prosecco and then we got to work on finalizing the design. He sketched it out and we moved it multiple times on my arm before locking down the location. He apologized for being a perfectionist to which I responded that’s exactly why I’m here!
The tattoo itself was quick, probably no more than 10 minutes, feeling like almost a slight tickle in comparison to the extremely painful one on my foot. He complimented me on my style; which made my month. I don’t usually feel so stylish these days, mostly choosing function over anything fancy, so such a comment from someone who just attended Fashion Week in NYC, Paris and Milan felt like a solid nod. I’ll take it, thank you very much.
After he finished his work, I asked for a photo with him and he obliged. And then he asked my opinion on a project he has in the works. When I forgot my jacket, he ran out after me with it. “Good luck at Sesame!” were his appropriate parting words.
Have to say, I totally agree with the final line of this piece. It was one cool experience.
A little peek into the meaning…
L is the first letter of my mom’s first name. Also true for me, my sister and our new baby girl, who my mom would have so loved to meet.
“Superstar!” It’s what my mom would always say to me after I was all worked up about something — a big project, a new opportunity, whatever. It’s what she would say to me when things worked out. When I succeeded. I miss that so much.
The star is also for Q. It makes me think of nighttime snuggles with me singing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” a stage that ended all too soon. And to now when he comes home with handwritten stars in marker in that very same spot. He and L are my superstars.
And the way it works towards a heart is for my husband — unifying our family — and for my dad who has shown no limit to his love for both me and our little family. Reminding me that for all the reasons above, I’m never alone.
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