Michiganders journey for Delft blue tattoos

HOLLAND, Mich. — Michigan residents with Dutch heritage are touring throughout the Atlantic Ocean to get everlasting reminders of their roots, within the type of Delft blue tattoos.

Lydia Szubert, a tattoo artist and Delft blue artwork pupil within the Netherlands, stated 90% of her American purchasers come from Michigan.

“I kept hearing the word Michigan coming up over and over again,” Szubert stated. “And then I started learning about the rich history between the huge Dutch population in Michigan, and how culturally similar they actually are to the Dutch people.”

Forging connections in ink: Michiganders journey to the Netherlands for Delft blue tattoos

The artist found her unique niche after falling in love with the standard Dutch pottery sample herself.

“I’ve always loved Delft blue. And I thought, Gosh, it’d be so cool to get Delft blue tattoos. So I thought, okay, I haven’t seen anyone specializing in this, so I’m going to be the one to do it,” Szubert stated. “It’s such a beautiful tradition, and I just want to find another medium to bring it forward into the next generation as well, and find other ways to appreciate it, and I think tattooing is the perfect medium.”

Her Michigan purchasers usually have deeply private causes for making the journey.

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“I have some people who say, Well, this is an honor for my grandmother, who was always speaking Dutch, and so they might have gifted her a plate that was Delft blue. And they want elements on that, and then I turn it into a piece that they wanted on their arm, for example. Or some people say, I just want your artwork,” Szubert stated.

The connection between Michigan and Dutch tradition runs deep, significantly in Holland, the place Heinen Delfts Blauw opened its first U.S. storefront in April.

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Manager Anita Hall, who’s Dutch herself, stated the family-owned firm originated within the Netherlands 50 years in the past and selected Holland, Michigan, as the right location for growth.

“The Dutch Tulip Time Festival, everybody, all the kids in the costumes. You can’t pull that off in the Netherlands anymore. So yes, this place is Dutcher than the Netherlands really is,” Hall joked.

The retailer attracts guests in search of to attach with their roots.

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“People just come in, just because they’re Dutch. They want to look at their heritage, so to speak, and stay in touch with their heritage. So, it’s been wonderful. We’ve been very welcomed here by our Dutch community,” Hall stated.

Delft blue pottery has deep historic roots, because of the Dutch East India Company, who first found Delft blue porcelain in China and introduced it again to the Netherlands.

“The first Delft potteries emerged like mid, mid-1600s, like 1700s. The Delft blue itself only became a bit more popular because of the big tulip immersion in the [Dutch] Golden Age, when the tulip bulbs were the hot item, the very most expensive item,” Hall stated. “They started making those big, elaborate tulip vases. So, the Dutch, especially the rich Dutch, would have more use of tulips, making it last longer.”

Lydia Szubert

For Szubert, the artwork kind represents one thing timeless that transcends borders.

“I think that there’s something really special about this little art form that was created 350 years ago, and it’s had years and years of refining to make it so beautiful. And people see that and that crosses borders. So, I just think it’s beautiful,” Szubert stated.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been transformed to this platform with the help of AI. Our editorial crew verifies all reporting on all platforms for equity and accuracy.

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