According to studies from around the world, women are more likely than males to have tattoos. The future of a more diverse tattoo community is being shaped by female artisanship, which is rising. I had the amazing opportunity to chat with local tattoo artist Holly Wood as she shared her hopes of opening a 100 % female-owned shop, the barriers and difficulties of being a newer artist, and how the tattoo community is a rough field of work.
Starting in 2019 with gory cosmetics, Holly has worked her way up to tattooing – breaking skin for the first time in February. Holly is 21 and a working apprentice currently in Poughkeepsie NY. She loves anime, cute, and creepy tattoos – hints at the SFX makeup history. She wears a Tim Burton sleeve as well as an anime sleeve, both unfinished and styled by Holly herself.
A – How do you make sure you have time to create? Do you have a set time or build it into your calendar?
H – When it comes to a client’s tattoo, I usually create the same day as long as a deposit was made. For my own art, I try to create in between clients or on really slow days at the shop.
A – What’s your tip or best way you maintain a live/work balance? Do you struggle with it? When do you know you’re lacking balance?
I struggle with money more so. I tend to only spend on my supplies for the tattoo shop and not really on myself anymore. Once in a while, I like to go to a concert and that’s really all I get to do. Bills are super fun. Love the adult life.
A- Do you have a network of other artists you rely on – and what do you do to support each other?
H- The people I’ve met in the tattoo shop I currently apprentice at are the ones who I keep in touch with. I’ve seen some come and go but we still talk. However, my new best friend and coworker at my shop is named Kiila. She’s a sweetheart and has given me so much confidence to continue my artwork. She’s given me lots of tips and tricks and we get to tattoo each other.
A- Do you have long-term goals? Are they written down or how do you revisit them and make sure you are moving along that path?
H- Long-term, I would love to have my own tattoo shop with only girl employees.
A- Has there been a specific time that you recall not having your voice heard?
H- I feel like I’m not heard by any more than close friends and family. It’s totally fine! I would love to get myself out there more though… I’m only an apprentice artist at the moment so it will come in time.
A- What’s your biggest barrier to being an artist?
H- Being new is a huge barrier in itself. It’s also difficult being new with so many other new artists! The art world Is constantly growing and is always very competitive.
A- What’s your relationship with money?
H- As a tattoo artist, my boss takes 40% of all of my tattoos. It’s partially to keep my spot in the shop since I am not the owner…
A- How do you cultivate your audience?
H- I try to cultivate my audience through Instagram and from people I know around the area currently.
A- When do you talk about your art?
H- I talk about my tattoos quite a lot actually! People are always curious about how much they hurt. Lol.
A- Do you feel that your art community challenges existing barriers and assumptions?
H- I think the tattoo community in general is a tough area of work. There’s a lot of drama in some shops and I eventually want to escape that because I’m not a fan of it personally. No artist should shame another artist.
A- Is there something you do today that you wished you had known to do years ago?
H- I definitely wish I continued art in high school. And I wish I knew about being a tattoo artist sooner. My father in Ohio has always supported me and wanted me to keep up with my art …
A- What does generosity mean to you as an artist? How do you emulate this?
H – To me, generosity comes when making sure I fulfill my client’s needs and ensure they are comfortable during the tattooing process. Tattoos are very serious, not just by the fact that they will be with my client FOREVER… But they can harm clients too. They can be allergic to ink, faint during the tattoo, not be able to tolerate the pain, etc. Just letting them be aware of the process and the results are the most I can do during the tattoo. I offer my help always through DMS or my personal phone.
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