First Of Its Kind Tattoo Association Offers Members Ability To Preserve Tattoos Post Mortem

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National Association for the Preservation of Skin Art

Sep 17, 2015, 05:00 ET

CLEVELAND, Sept. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past couple of decades, tattoos have rapidly grown in popularity. According to a recent Harris poll, one in five U.S. adults have at least one tattoo. Nearly all demographics have embraced skin art and appreciation for tattoos crosses political, social and economic lines. As such, a new association has formed in response to the growing needs of this community – including the desire to preserve their art after they're gone. The National Association for the Preservation of Skin Art (NAPSA) advocates for and supports the necessities and concerns of tattoo enthusiasts, artists and collectors. And for the first time, has legitimized the practice of preserving skin art on a wide scale with the ability to pass it on to loved ones.

Every tattoo tells a story. And preserving these stories - and the art itself - is one of the many benefits The National Association for the Preservation of Skin Art (NAPSA) offers its members. This piece of art, created by artist Chris Jacobs, depicts a new school anatomical heart that pays homage to Hunter, a two-year-old boy. Hunter's dad sadly passed away before he ever had the chance to know him. His mother reached out to NAPSA to preserve this piece of art so their son would always have something...

"Nearly all tattoos represent a story," explains Charles Hamm, chairman of the board and NAPSA executive director. "We've met so many people through the years – from military personnel to firefighters, physicians, teachers and artists that have shared their personal stories with us. When you factor in that deep connection, plus the fact that many people have thousands of dollars worth of art on their personal canvas, it's a natural next step to want to explore ways to preserve the art and the stories for loved ones. Which is exactly what we have done."

Over the past year, NAPSA has worked behind-the-scenes establishing and perfecting its process, which includes the art of the preservation itself, working through any regulations, identifying overarching needs for the greater community, plus establishing an incentive for the beneficiary to honor the wishes of their loved one.

NAPSA spent the past year perfecting its proprietary method of art preservation and fine-tuning all its member benefits. It's actually a relatively simple process – a member shares their intentions at SaveMyInk.com, then at time of passing the beneficiary notifies NAPSA where the association then sends a nontoxic kit to the funeral home. The tattoo is removed and sent back to NAPSA where it's preserved. Within three to six months, the art is sent back to the beneficiary. To help ensure member wishes are honored, a cash benefit of up to $2,000 is paid to a designated beneficiary. The final product, which is no longer classified as tissue, is non-toxic and safe to handle. Additionally, this process rejuvenates the tattoo and brings it back to essentially its original look.

Additional Member Benefits
There's no cost to register at SaveMyInk.com and create a user profile, which allows users to upload images of art, like and comment on others' imagery, save original content, locate artists and more. To join NAPSA, the initiation fee is $115, plus yearly dues of $60 (dues cover preservation of one tattoo; each additional tattoo is an additional $100 one time initiation fee depending on size). Added member benefits include:
> Custom designed membership and beneficiary certificate – a work of art in its own right –celebrating your membership and support of skin art
> Advocacy around tattoos as a traditional art form and the general preservation and promotion of this art
> Support studio owners with any issues surrounding opening shops (zoning, other)
> Support artists and any copyright challenges they may face
> Lobbying against any obstacles towards preservation

"We will never stop fighting for our members, whether it's protecting their original art, overcoming misconceptions or helping to set up a studio in a new city, adds Hamm. "We want to provide resources and support they may not otherwise have access to."

NAPSA will officially launch on September 18, 2015 at The Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth in Las Vegas. To learn more, visit SaveMyInk.com. Connect with NAPSA: Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. Website. Tumblr. YouTube. Pinterest.

Contact: Michelle Venorsky
for NAPSA
216.346.3988
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150916/267370

SOURCE National Association for the Preservation of Skin Art