Deep in the Woods

I've moved around from one city to the next throughout my museum career, but my heart has always belonged deep in the woods. When I'm not doing what I love in the museum world, I'm typically off hiking through nature or camping in the backcountry. My tattoo is one way I can have nature with me no matter where I happen to live. The stylized tree is the focal point of the design, with mountains far off in the distance.

As a collections manager, I've always been responsible for integrated pest management (IPM), and have spent quite a bit of time learning about insects in general, those hazardous to museum collections as well as those beneficial to the environment. I volunteer as a butterfly monitor, so my design also has representations of my favorite butterfly, the Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon), a butterfly that exists all over North America. I've seen them throughout all of the cities I've lived in, as well as places I've hiked through, including Alaska.

Britta Keller Arendt

Senior Collection Manager

Chicago History Museum

Want to share your own story and tattoo?
Email Beth: bredmondjones (at) sdnhm (dot) org or Paul: info (at) orselli (dot) net.