"A tattoo is a permanent mark in your skin that lives in your skin with you for the rest of your life—which isn't really permanent, cause we're not permanent. It's only as permanent as you are." — Erika Ryn

What happens when an experienced henna artist and documentary filmmaker steps into custom tattooing? Aaron Della Vedova sits down with Portland-based artist Erika Ryn (Living Ritual Body Arts) to explore the deep connections between ancient body adornment and modern ornamental tattooing.

Erika breaks down the sacred history of natural henna, her documentary trips through India and Morocco, the dark side of toxic chemical "black henna," and the reality of navigating Oregon’s mandatory tattoo licensing laws.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction & Erika’s Multifaceted Background

03:33 - How Erika Discovered Henna & Found Her Mentor

06:25 - What Is Real Henna? (The Lawsonia Inermis Plant)

08:33 - The Danger of Chemical "Black Henna" Dyes

12:50 - Sacred Impermanence vs. Lifelong Tattoos

17:30 - Filming "The World of Henna" in India & Morocco

28:20 - Transitioning from Henna to Tattooing

33:00 - Oregon’s Mandatory Tattoo Schools & Licensing

41:15 - Unlearning Muscle Memory: Henna Cones vs. Tattoo Machines

46:30 - How Henna Influenced Modern Ornamental Blackwork

49:00 - Why Humans Are Hardwired to Decorate Their Bodies

53:00 - Future Documentaries & Preserving Tattoo History

CONNECT WITH ERIKA RYN:

Instagram: @livingritualbodyarts