Interview by Freya Bennett
Can you tell us a bit about you and your art practice?
I started off being the kid that was always drawing, getting in trouble in class for doodling on my page. I never saw art as a career option until later, out of school when I realised the world was filled with creativity. I chose to study design but I kept coming back to illustration and a curiosity for tattooing. I had played drums since I was little and it became a big part of my life, I was able to combine this with art and put designs on drum shells for drum kits. I designed a few kits, and worked with a custom company in the USA that helped to inspire me to draw on drums. A lot of people commented on how similar it seemed to tattooing so I tried my luck at a tattoo apprenticeship. Cut to 14 years later and I’m surprised to still be illustrating and tattooing.
When did you start tattooing and was it always your goal?
I started when I was in my early twenties, I was insecure and never thought I would be good enough to even land an apprenticeship, let alone continue for this long. When I started, instagram had only just come out and wasn’t much of a tool for tattooists yet. Since then, it has helped develop niche styles for tattoos and the ability for clients to look through portfolios and book directly with their favourite artists. This shifted my goal to actually being able to develop my own style as an artist and push tattooing into more of an illustration career for me.
What inspires your tattoos?
Nature is my biggest inspiration. That and old scientific illustrations and botanical books. My favourite way to research is by taking nature walks with my dog or going to a secondhand bookshop and looking through old science books.
Not only are you an award winning tattoo artist but a prolific drummer too, how do these different art mediums intersect? How do you find time for both?
I believe that music and art fulfil me creatively in different ways. When I focussed solely on music, I felt like a part of my life was missing. And the same for when I neglected drumming and just focussed on tattooing, I didn’t realise how much I missed playing music until I joined West Thebarton and was able to find time for drums again. It’s always a learning experience for me to juggle both sides of my life. I go through waves of exhaustion, to then feeling so lucky and creatively fulfilled.
What do you love most about being a tattoo artist?
Tattooing is such a multi-faceted career. There’s a lot of moving parts to doing this every day and I find different aspects of it enjoyable. I’ve had to work hard at making sure that the illustration side of it is something I look forward to, for a while there it felt forced and like I’d taken the joy out of it by doing it every day but I’ve managed to balance my life a bit better lately and feel genuinely excited to draw again. I also love meeting new clients every day, I think I’m able to gain such an important perspective on life by talking to all different types of creative people.
What is something most people don’t know about tattoos?
Most people probably don’t realise how much practice it takes to develop tattooing as a skill. There are so many variables and I’m still learning every day with different skin types, ages, ethnicities. It’s a constantly evolving industry that humbles you constantly!
Do you have a favourite tattoo or tattoo experience?
I could never pick a favourite tattoo experience, but a standout has been a grandfather and his granddaughter getting matching tattoos of a Sturt’s Desert Pea. It was his first ever tattoo at the age of 90 and I felt so honoured to be there for that experience that they both shared together.
West Thebarton’s new LP ‘Mongrel Australia’ is out now.
