I was always mesmerized by my father’s tattoo growing up. The parachute on his arm that he got during his days as a paratrooper seemed so incredible to me as a child. How could he have a drawing underneath his skin?

Although I’ve always been too cowardly to get a tattoo myself, I continue to be fascinated by the ones other people get. To me they seem like the ultimate form of self-expression and their permanence, a sort of bravery.

Three complimentary exhibits now on display at the Pickens County Museum in Pickens explore the ways in which people use their bodies as a canvas.

The first exhibit is A History of Tattooing in South Carolina. Set up in a timeline, the exhibit tracks the use of and reactions to tattooing in the state from early Native American tattoos to contemporary tattoo artists and their creative processes.

Adornment: Interpretations from CAFfeine Contemporary Art Forum is meant to compliment the first exhibit by asking Upcountry artists to ruminate on the many ways in which we adorn ourselves. The collection is meant to get the audience to consider why human beings feel the need for adornment and the part it plays in our lives.

Finally, Ink Beneath the Skin: A Private Collection of Body Art, displays the photographs of J. Michael Johnson. Johnson’s work gives an insider’s look into biker-culture and captures the way these bikers depict their emotions, pride and values in their tattoos.

The Pickens County Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free and all three exhibits continue through Aug. 18.