HOLLAND, Mich. — Michigan residents with Dutch heritage are traveling across the Atlantic Ocean to get permanent reminders of their roots, in the form of Delft blue tattoos.
Lydia Szubert, a tattoo artist and Delft blue art student in the Netherlands, said 90% of her American clients come from Michigan.
"I kept hearing the word Michigan coming up over and over again," Szubert said. "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."
The artist discovered her unique niche after falling in love with the traditional Dutch pottery pattern 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 said. "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 clients often have deeply personal reasons for making the journey.
"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 said.
The connection between Michigan and Dutch culture runs deep, particularly in Holland, where Heinen Delfts Blauw opened its first U.S. storefront in April.
Manager Anita Hall, who is Dutch herself, said the family-owned company originated in the Netherlands 50 years ago and chose Holland, Michigan, as the perfect location for expansion.
"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 store attracts visitors seeking to connect with their roots.
"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 said.
Delft blue pottery has deep historical roots, thanks to the Dutch East India Company, who first discovered Delft blue porcelain in China and brought it back 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 said. "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."
For Szubert, the art form represents something 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 said.
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