Inked up: Abby Betty Kennerson, 25, has been putting ink to skin for seven years.Picture: ADV Photography
ABBY Betty Kennerson has a unique — and very visual — way of telling her life story.
With her body as her canvas, Ms Kennerson's elaborate tattoos relate the story of her life.
The local girl, who lives by the maxim "my body is a temple and my tattoos are its stained-glass windows", got her first tattoo at 18 and now has more than 15.
Last Friday she was unplaced against 12 other women in the competition for the title of Miss Ink NSW, which is a precursor for the Miss Ink Australia pageant.
Participants compete in pageantry rounds, judged by representatives of the tattoo and modelling industries.
"Tattoos help define who I am," Ms Kennerson said.
"Every single one of them has a story behind it and reflects something significant in my life."
Tattoo artist TMD Taylor inks most of her tattoos, but her left arm is devoted to telling the story of her travels — she gets a tattoo in each country she visits.
"Instead of collecting shot glasses I collect tattoos," she said. Her favourite, the half sleeve on her right arm, is a reminder of her travels cruising along Route 66 in America in a convertible Mustang.
She will also model at the Australian Tattoo and Body Art Expo for tattooist TMD Taylor from March 8.
What's the story behind your tattoos? Let us know at parramattasun.com.au.