Begun in the context of the Dainty Show, the Tattoo Baby Dolls have become a distinct project that has taken on a life of its own. It is a collaboration with female tattoo artists from across the country. It combines embroidery and tattoo in an effort to record and examine some of the images and roles defining and empowering women today.

Statement by Michelle Wortman, tattoo artist:

Ms Femme is designed with the ideas in mind of creating a softer, more feminine look by using a limited amount of black (if any) tending towards lighter brighter colors and incorporating the use of negative space--- lines tend to confine space. By working with the skin as a design element (negative space) this incorporates the graceful flow of the body with the design. My objective as a tattooist with a background in painting is to create a fluid rhythm seeing the body as a three-dimensional canvas and the pigment as an accent to its beauty.