My True Calling Behind the XI Intuitive Tattooing Experience (and things I'd like to say about regrets and transformations)

To me, a tattoo is deeply personal, just like how our bodies change over time. Being at a different point on a timeline can inspire some evolution of a tattoo; just like how our perceptions of the same matters change over time. I have often had people speak of their concern about not feeling sure about whether they would regret a tattoo decision or not later on. The idea of having something permanent on their bodies feels daunting; many people cannot fathom how I can sustain my way of practicing my tattoo artistry: no pre-design, everything unfolding in the moment. 

My true calling and motivation behind this practice is simple: I desire to witness a person’s truth upon their willingness to release conditions that have kept them hardened and suffocated.

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I think the magic of water morphing itself constantly to sit on surface of the earth is truly enlightening. No amount of fixed state of rock, metal, and wood can stop water from being the fluid body it is, not just in fluid nature of water but its effortless transformation between fog and ice. Water is like life. It will go where it is destined to go. But what is destiny? And that, is in your hands :)

A tattoo’s nature of being permanent signifies a commitment and determination of an intention from a specific moment in time. The regrets people speak of are truly a signal of evolution that a new form of personal expression is demanding to take place. Some people might decide to remove the tattoo while some might go for cover-up as the evolution takes form.

The potential transformation of a tattoo is a metaphor for the transformations a person might go through in this lifetime. The fact that we commit to many things does not mean that everything will stay the same. 

Living as a human being is no easy task; the ever-changing human conditions make many of us extremely fearful of uncertainty. We do everything in our power to stay fixated on something so we may feel a sense of security. However, a long and hard branch will be the first to break in a storm; there is no amount of fixation one can have to truly achieve security. That being said, fixations are not down-right negative. They are life-saving in dire situations as they ensure our survival. That being said, many of us have already had our survival conditions met while still being stuck in a survival mode. This phenomenon makes many of our lives a living hell, inducing the most intense spiritual claustrophobia. 

I can imagine that many of us are simply tired: no longer wanting to brace ourselves so hard in the face of a giant wave just to pull a lot of muscles. Deep inside, we want to surf the Wave. 

One might understand “the Wave” as the volatile conditions in the human experience, such as a person’s preferences, their mood, and the influences they might be under at a given time... The desire for everything to take place strictly according to our human conditions is the Wave that cripples many of us as we cannot be sure to only experience pleasure or to be in a static state forever.

 To surf the Wave, one must learn how to trust, allow, and surrender with discernment. Additionally, they must decondition themselves repetitively to sustain a soft and light heart in the face of life's changes. This is definitely way harder said than done and will always be a work-in-progress. That being said, there is nothing to do only states of being to realign.

My tattooing practice and artistry are dedicated to embracing life's changes. I invite you to think of my offering as a journey, a ritual, and a playground to release into your own heart, see your truth, and remember that you are more than a condition and a definition. And! Your truth that makes your soul quake and spirit cry is worthy of permanency!

The permanent nature of a tattoo signifies a commitment and determination of an intention from a specific moment in time. This alone is medicine. The regrets people speak of are truly a signal of evolution that a new form of personal expression is demanding to take place. Some people might decide to remove the tattoo while some might go for cover-up as the evolution takes form. As an artist, I am in peace and joy with all transformations that might happen with tattoos throughout time. I am more than happy to be a part of a tattoo transformational journey. It is worth clarifying that I do not consider any tattoo work, including my own, that will undergo a transformation “bad,” nor do I believe anyone should discredit the artist’s effort as a result. A tattoo had to have served its purpose and time for any new formations to emerge. 

At the end of the day, may everyone find love in their vessel and adorn themselves with the most Loving art only.