Ink this in your diary: Library's tattoo art day

Tattooist Nigel Hamahona tattoos Sandy Nepia's arm at the Davis Central Library last weekend. PHOTO/LEWIS GARDNER

A librarian with a penchant for tattoos was the motivation behind the celebration of tattooing currently being held at Wanganui Library.

Inked @ The Library is running throughout September at both Davis Central Library and Gonville Library. It includes live tattoo demonstrations, an exhibition of images of local people's tattoos, and displays of the library's collection of tattoo books.

Kelly Harrison is a librarian at Gonville Library and has a number of visible tattoos herself.

"It's quite unusual to see a librarian with tattoos.

"They're a good conversation-starter; people who come in to the library often ask me about them and what they mean."

The Your Ink, Your Story exhibition will open this weekend at the Davis Central Library.

Ms Harrison said the exhibition will contain images of local people's tattoos."It's an opportunity for people to showcase their tattoos. But we're not putting names to them, so people can show their tattoos anonymously."

A live tattoo demonstration by Nigel Hamahona has already been held at the Davis Central Library, and Mr Hamahona will be doing another tattoo demonstration at the Gonville Library at 11am, September 20.

And if you're wanting to get inked yourself, there's also an opportunity to win a $200 tattoo voucher. To enter the draw to win a tattoo voucher, like Wanganui Library's Facebook page and share its Inked post on your own Facebook page.