The tattoo artist on what it takes to grow, stay grounded, and keep her art alive in a scene that&rsquo;s more open, competitive, and collaborative than ever.

PHOTOGRAPHY Robert Narag

Do you remember the first time you put a needle into skin? What did that moment tell you about yourself?
I remember getting nervous and excited! I love trying out different art applications, but I was also so scared of the responsibility of creating something permanent on someone else&rsquo;s body. It&rsquo;s intense and intimate at the same time. It showed me that I could handle that pressure and still enjoy the process.
Every artist has an entry point. Was tattooing a natural path for you?
I took up Fine Arts&nbsp; ̶&nbsp; Advertising at the University of Santo Tomas, so I had quite a background in art. It wasn&rsquo;t something I had planned from the start, but I&rsquo;ve always had an interest in it. I&rsquo;ve always been fascinated by skin as a canvas, and when I started tattooing, I felt so much joy in drawing for the designs and creating art in general.

What did it take to make a style your own?
I guess a lot of experimenting and trusting my instincts. Drawing. Every. Day! At first, you naturally pick up bits from your mentors, your friends and the artists you admire. But over time, I grew to lean into imagery, subjects and emotions that resonated with me. Personal interests that make me happy.
Tattooing is as much a collaboration as it is art. How do you guide a client from the idea to the final piece without losing your point of view?
I try to ask for a detailed description of what they want, but I also explain how I see their idea through my lens. I&rsquo;ll sketch, do a mock-up and show them how it could translate into something that works well as a tattoo long-term. It&rsquo;s a balance of respecting their idea while staying true to my hand and eye.
What does the current tattoo scene look like from where you sit? Is it more experimental, more mainstream or more competitive?
Honestly, it&rsquo;s all of the above. There&rsquo;s more acceptance now than ever. I can&rsquo;t deny that tattooing is mainstream, but within that, there&rsquo;s still so much space for experimentation and pushing boundaries. And yes, competition is there, but I see it more as community inspiration. A chance for collaboration. It pushes me to keep growing rather than outdoing everyone else.

What&rsquo;s a part of the job no one talks about?
How much emotional labor it takes. You&rsquo;re not just giving someone a tattoo; you&rsquo;re holding their trust. It&rsquo;s beautiful, but it&rsquo;s also draining in ways people don&rsquo;t always see from the outside. It&rsquo;s an energy exchange for those who treat tattooing as a real art form and not just a service of simply putting ink onto people&rsquo;s skin.
Tattooing takes a lot: creatively, physically and emotionally. What keeps you sharp?
Rest and balance. I have to step away sometimes, recharge and find inspiration outside of tattooing &mdash; whether it&rsquo;s nature, music or just spending time with people I love, and definitely playtime. That keeps me from burning out and lets me come back fresh to my clients.
Imagine you could tattoo anything, on anyone, with zero limitations. What would it look like?
It would probably be a huge, flowing piece that wraps around the body. Something botanical for sure, but I&rsquo;d want it to look like it used the skin as a landscape, with different creatures playing around.

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