Hard at work.
How I got where I am today…
Originally from Pembrokeshire, Wales, I moved to Somerset when I was 6 years old. I’ve always been creative and always loved drawing. Colouring, however, not so much!
I have vivid memories of receiving colouring books and being disappointed because there was not enough creativity in it for me. I’d often start off with the best of intentions and colour in the lines, but after about a minute I’d get bored and just scribble over the whole page! I was clearly frustrated as a child!
Growing up, I had various thoughts and ideas about what kind of career I’d like to embark on in the future; this ranged from hairdresser, to dentist, to vet. I was never 100% committed to making any of them a reality, so didn’t really try. I always made sure I did well at school though; probably because I knew I needed to keep my options open if I had no idea about what career I wanted.
After completing A-levels, I had a series of “normal” jobs from retail assistant to working in a kitchen, to technical support and an administrator. I was never fully happy in these roles and always knew that I needed to be making and creating to be fully satisfied. I never tried to persue a career in tattooing, or even art, as you’re always told growing up, that they’re not “proper jobs” or are too competitive to make it worth while and so it’s better not to bother.
I had always, in the back of my mind, wanted to be a tattoo artist but never thought I’d ever be good enough to actually do it. The industry is so competitive and fast paced that I didn’t think I’d stand a chance.
When I left my admin role for a job as an estate agent, at that time, emotionally, I felt like I’d reached rock bottom. I felt so low that I was no longer scared of the potential rejection from applying for apprenticeships: so that’s what I did. I sent an email asking if they had any advice on how to get into the industry and sent a few examples of my portraits. I was then invited in for a chat, and the rest is history!
I’ve now been tattooing since 2017, when I started my apprenticeship, and it’s honestly the best thing in the world! It’s not the rock star lifestyle like it’s portrayed to be. It’s long hours and very little free time at home too. It’s more of a lifestyle than a job. But it’s all worth it for the job satisfaction.
