How Tattoo Artist Brian Finn Is Covering Up Pain With Art

About a year ago, tattoo artist Brian Finn began offering free tattoos to people to cover their scars from trauma: domestic abuse, human trafficking, self-harm.

Since NPR last visited with Finn, he's received what he estimates to be thousands up thousands emails, and attracted so many new followers on Instagram that he had to turn off notifications. He learned that tattoo artists around the world — Brazil, Australia, the United Kingdom — had taken up his idea.

But the time since the story aired has been tough for Finn: His girlfriend was diagnosed with cancer — she's in remission now — and his brother was partially paralyzed in a boogie boarding accident.

Use the audio link above to hear the full story.