My very first tattoo was a hand-poked tattoo from my boyfriend at the time in his basement using India Ink, a sewing needle and a bottle of vodka. The tattoo actually turned out fine, but at 16, this was my first experience with stick and poke/hand-poked tattoos. I had an urge at a young age to mark my body. I coloured on my skin, practiced henna and then got this tattoo.  Because of this quintessential teenage tattoo experience, I never saw hand poked tattoos as a legitimate practice, it felt underground, risky and felt like something you may get if you were in jail. 

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I always loved art. It was my passion in highschool and when I travelled on my own right out of my grade 12 year, I found my sketchbook was my perfect companion and it went everywhere with me. I doodled when I went out for meals, or sat for hours in some beautiful place sketching the details of what I saw around me.

It was the same when I travelled years later with my husband on a year-long adventure to over 20 countries. Many of my doodles could pass as tattoo designs. The more backpackers I met, the more encouraged me to design them a tattoo. When they loved their design, they said I should be tattooing it not just designing it. This encouraged me to explore apprentice opportunities at a shop whenever we came back home to try my hand at tattooing. However the more I dived in, the more I was turned off. The culture was extremely intimidating and really did not align with my values. I decided to put this idea to the side. However, I was in Thailand, and what do you do when you go to Thailand? You get a tattoo of course! I received a hand poked tattoo and it was love at first poke. I was flooded with the realization that not only is this totally a legitimate way to tattoo, it is the original way to tattoo! 

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I dove in and learned what I could from observing the tattoos I got and geeked out on skin, needles, inks and designs, slowly becoming a self-taught hand poked tattoo artist. I tattooed myself and my husband and learned as I went. It was a slow way to learn and some hard lessons were gained along the way but I loved it from day one. I have been tattooing for nearly 10 years now and my passion for it has only strengthened. The journey of tattooing not only provided me with my business and career, but it has taught me so much about myself and others. I am far more self-assured, confident, creative and expressive. I see other peoples tattoos differently now too, witnessing their own story marked on their skin, with a curious urge to know more about them.

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I find it very cathartic to tattoo myself. It feels extra special to permanently mark my body with my own hand. Something happens during a self-tattoo session, where you don't feel sensation the same way as if someone else were to tattoo you. You get lost in the flow.  I am excited to teach others to tattoo themselves as a form of ritual and self-care like it has been for me.   The in-person courses happen in my yurt on the land which I live on and love. I can't wait to welcome you to this special place and to witness a a special piece of your tattoo story!

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