Tattoos memorialize Bed-Stuy’s beloved pink dinosaur Sherita

BED-STUY, Brooklyn (PIX11) – The pink dinosaur that used to sit on a billboard above Classon and Atlantic avenues may be gone now, but her memory will soon be forever imprinted on her fans’ bodies.

Haven Tattoo Studio – co-owned by Ink Master competitor Jessica Valentine and her wife, Cameron Cox – will host a memorial flash tattoo event from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday for Sherita, the mysterious pink figure that was painted over in April. Sherita-inspired designs from a handful of tattoo artists will start at $200, both in color and in black and gray, according to Cox. 

Cox knew she wanted a Sherita tattoo the day Sherita vanished. Sherita carried sentimental value to Cox, who used to live across the street and could see Sherita’s “Mona Lisa-esque” smile from her roof, she said. 

“She just always was there… a part of the daily routine,” Cox said. “It’s weird how you mourn something that you weren’t necessarily close to but it still played some role in your daily life.”

Like many others, Cox was taken by the mystery of Sherita’s existence. The pink dinosaur loomed over the busy Brooklyn thoroughfare on a billboard that read “Attention landlords, our fuel oil price is right. Come in now!” She dons blue eyeshadow, a high ponytail with a blue bow, and a collar with her name.

Her origins are unknown, but she’s been on the billboard for at least a decade, inspiring songs, a drag performance, a painting and a short film. 

Sherita tattoo memorial designs by Jessica Valentine. (Jessica Valentine)

And, Sherita has already inspired at least one Brooklynite to get a tattoo.

Matthew Silverman moved to Crown Heights in 2017 and was immediately struck by Sherita’s “mysterious” and “random” power over the avenue. 

“It was just the type of thing that you couldn’t help but be interested in,” Silverman said. 

So when he was scrolling through his camera roll looking for another tattoo idea, Sherita’s “Pepto-Bismol pink” smile jumped right out. Now, the dinosaur’s smiling face sits on Silverman’s arm in a black ink tattoo designed by Moon Sheen Tattoo artist Jay Mora. 

The image is true to form, but Mora added shading and highlights to make Sherita’s smile shine, Silverman said. A lot of people recognize the tattoo, some say she looks like a Dr. Seuss or Flintstones character, and some are baffled that Silverman knows little about Sherita’s story. 

“There was something very pedestrian about it… but also very meaningful,” Silverman said. “There were many tiers of connection.”

To people considering the pink ink, Silverman says go for it – and don’t shy away from Sherita’s bright colors. 

“She’s just not forgotten… She’s paid tribute to like the rest of the New York staples,” Cox said. “It’s just amazing what that image conjured for so many people.”

Some of the tattoos available Saturday include depictions of Sherita’s full body, street signs for Classon and Atlantic, oil cans with her face, and a Sherita postal stamp that says “NYC.” Walk-ins are welcome but you can also call 917-652-9790 for an appointment. 

“I just might have to get two,” Cox said.