Hey! It’s me!
It doesn’t come naturally to properly and thoroughly introduce myself, but if we will be working together, it might be nice to know who you’ll be meeting and trusting to alter your body!
I currently reside in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in rural Vermont - a special place I still consider home and feel an intense connection to. I am a queer multi-disciplinary artist of 20 years and tattooer for 5 years. Tattooing has greatly changed my life and influenced my identity. Coming in to this career has felt like an initiation into my most authentic and comfortable self. As a person with a complicated trauma history and chronic pain, I hold tattooing as a sacred practice of body reclamation and deeply feel each energy exchange while sharing space in the shop. I care so much about curating an intentional environment, navigating consent, and meeting each person wherever they are at emotionally. Though tattooing is my job, it feels like so much more. Because of my relationship to this career, I am easily worn out and require tons of alone time. It’s also important for me to feel balanced in my creative pursuits, carving out time for painting, drawing for myself, weaving, ceramics, and playing music.
This job calls for me to operate outside of typical colonial and bureaucratic systems and re-focus on wealth redistribution and anti-capitalist strategies. The act of tattooing itself is radical and staying in alignment with compassion, openness, and tearing oppressive systems down is a crucial focus for me. I choose to direct my energy towards having difficult conversations, sharing money and resources, showing up for those close to me, and don’t engage as much with social justice on social media anymore as it usually feels like a performative echo chamber (unless a specific resource or person asking for help stands out as important). I’m selective with where my energy goes and place emphasis on following through.
In the future, I plan on creating a private tattoo and art space in Vermont. My goal is to offer free to affordable accommodation for travelers who want an even more immersive tattoo experience. Ideally, clients could eat from the garden and indulge in connecting to the surrounding land. This dream will take some time to come to fruition, and I will continually update future plans here!
Thank you for engaging with me <3
Anna