Photography by Guy Heart
1. When and where did you get your first tattoo, and what was it?
I got my first tattoo in a little town called New Hope Pennsylvania.
A little artsy gay biker town, right by the Delaware Rive, near my home town in New Jersey. It's a 1/4 sleeve on my upper right arm, a 3 headed crow with 6 legs, with the ship from AFI's "Black Sails in the Sunset" sailing away below it into the waves, and Mount Fujian in my armpit (if I grow my armpit hair out, Mt. Fuji erupts haha)
I got my first tattoo in a little town called New Hope Pennsylvania.
A little artsy gay biker town, right by the Delaware Rive, near my home town in New Jersey. It's a 1/4 sleeve on my upper right arm, a 3 headed crow with 6 legs, with the ship from AFI's "Black Sails in the Sunset" sailing away below it into the waves, and Mount Fujian in my armpit (if I grow my armpit hair out, Mt. Fuji erupts haha)
2. Who was the tattoo artist? How did you know about him/her?
His name is Brian Ulrich. I saw Brian's tattoos on a lot of my friends and they were really bright and dramatic. His work is really detailed, intricate and colorful, he is incredibly talented. A total genius and hidden gem in that little town.
His name is Brian Ulrich. I saw Brian's tattoos on a lot of my friends and they were really bright and dramatic. His work is really detailed, intricate and colorful, he is incredibly talented. A total genius and hidden gem in that little town.
3. Is he/she your favourite tatoo artist?
I dont have a favorite honestly. In terms of length of relationship, Brian and I have the longest relationship. I've known / been getting tattooed by him for around 8 years now.
I dont have a favorite honestly. In terms of length of relationship, Brian and I have the longest relationship. I've known / been getting tattooed by him for around 8 years now.
Photography by Guy Heart
4. Are your tattoos personal? do they carry any messages?They all carry more of a story than messages. Everything is a narrative. s
Some of them are more direct some of them are more alagorical. The tatoo on my throat (de profundis clamavi) has multiple layers, relating to a psalm in the bible (130) which is the most profound cry to God for pity/love, to a Baudelaire poem about sadness in winter, to a song lyric with a lot of personal meaning, for one small example.
Some of them are more direct some of them are more alagorical. The tatoo on my throat (de profundis clamavi) has multiple layers, relating to a psalm in the bible (130) which is the most profound cry to God for pity/love, to a Baudelaire poem about sadness in winter, to a song lyric with a lot of personal meaning, for one small example.
5. What are your believes spiritual/religious, are they connected to your body art?I consider myself a "pan-theist." I dabble in all forms of spirituality, everyone is welcome... I am most connected to the NYC chapter of Dharhma Punx. Their practice is fundamental Buddhism, the path to freedom and happiness.
There is also this evangelical preacher, a real radical freethinker, his name is Rob Bell, who wrote a book recently called "Love Wins: Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived." he basically says god loves everyone, there is no hell, unless of course we chose it in the here and now. I dig his message not only because of that but he is also an artist, a graphic designer, he has a whole video series out called Nooma, pure genius. I saw him speak for his book release, real genuine loving guy. So I mix and match. Whatever speaks to my experience of life.
There is also this evangelical preacher, a real radical freethinker, his name is Rob Bell, who wrote a book recently called "Love Wins: Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived." he basically says god loves everyone, there is no hell, unless of course we chose it in the here and now. I dig his message not only because of that but he is also an artist, a graphic designer, he has a whole video series out called Nooma, pure genius. I saw him speak for his book release, real genuine loving guy. So I mix and match. Whatever speaks to my experience of life.
Photography by Guy Heart
Photography by Guy Heart
6. Do you feel it can be addictive, having tattoos?Yes, at least when I start one I want to finish it *now*. But I don't rush into getting one for the sake of getting one. I want to get another tattoo on my right leg, thats in the planning phase. My left leg is tradional asian and my right leg is gonna be Hollywood glam, kind of Marilyn Monroe meets Vaudeville burlesque sexy hollywood sideshow....
7. What are you doing for a living?I am an artist, that is my life long career since I was born. I was born an artist. I am an artist above all, and I am also a part of my art. I show and sell my art, and I work in art store to pay the bills. Secondly I am alternative model, the whole tattooed model circuit. I've been doing work recently with Dan Witz, he is a really famous street artist here in Brooklyn, he is doing a new series "What The F@#K??" and a related series called "Early Sunday Morning". We did 3 shoots and he is doing several prints and painting or two of me for his next show. The prints are popping up on the street now. After the show opens (June 30th, Jonathan Levine Gallery) we are gonna shoot again for Suicide Girls. I am still trying to become a Suicide Girl, I have been putting myself up now for 4 years now. last time i reached nearly a 1000 votes. Still don't know why they didn't pick that set up, but I'm not giving up.
Photography by Guy Heart
9. How long have you creating art for, when did you finish school?Alll my life, since i was 3, I found in my parent's attic my first painting, which was red tempera paint on newsprint. It was our house on fire, one of my brothers wanted to be a fireman...i guess i wanted him to come to put it out....ha ha ha. I drew a line to me and my dog running away from the fire. I got sent to the counselors office of course. Ms. Pickle. Ive always had to explain my art ha ha. I would draw all the time at school, I spent all the time i wasn't in ISS (in school suspension) for smoking in the bathroom in highschool in the art room. It was my sanctuary. I went to portofolio day, where you whore yourself to the art schools in the college application process, and SVA in NYC accepted right on the spot. my work was so controversial... I was written about in the local paper... I was always an outsider artist.
- What was the piece?
I took a wooden cross and covered it in money, I put nails, blood and hand prints on it, and i put a picture of George Bush in the middle on it shaking an saudi arabian prince's hand and there were 2 hands behind him holding money bills in the middle. and there all pictures of Hitler going up and down the sides. It was a mixed media piece. It was for for the end of the year art show. I got banned from the art show and it went to the local courts and I just got away with it by a lupehole. I was a notorious 17 year old in Junior High school, when that happened.
My biggest art show as an adult i was 25 and a solo one at Ripleys Believe It Or Not! Museum in Time Square for 3 months. I was the freakshow artist.
- Are you working towards a new show?I want to get in at the Fountain Art Fair next year. I sent in a request for that.
- Who is your favourite artist?Diane Arbus, Joel Peter-Witkin (he shares my theory about the human abstract), Weegee, Matthew Barney, Alexander McQueen, Liz Houston, Liz McGrath, oh God, Dan Witz, my homie, so many, John John Jesse... I can go on.
Photography by Guy Heart
As i noticed you have mixed different looks together and created a uniquie one for yourself?
I am A LOT in a very small container haha I am a collection of A LOT of VERY diverse, eclectic inspirations, visions and styles. I am a living canvas, which is my overall belief as a tattooed woman. So my fashion, my hair and clothes, it's all yet a further extension of my artistic expression. A lot of what you find influence my art and my tattoos and my internal life is expressed through my fashion. From my horse tooth rosary necklace from Obscura Antiques - I've even made a necklace out of a muskrat skull I bought there years ago that Time Out New York featured in a style spread about me - to my vintage 80s metal T-shirts (Nikki Sixx and Axl Rose were my first loves). I work at a vintage clothing store too so I have a lot of unique things.. I DIY a lot of clothing. My hair stylist - Terra at Mudhoney Salon on Sullivan Street - is also a sculptor, which is why I've stuck with her. She sees hair in the round, like a piece of art. So she's done things with my hair NO ONE else could ever do. She tops off my fabulousness with some amazing hair-do's. I get mistaken for both Lady Gaga and Haley Williams. I take them both as compliments (smile)
What are you into when you are not working /creating your art? Sleeping! Actually I wish I was sleeping ha I like to see my friends when I have free time. My friends are my family. When I'm not working, making art, modeling, collaborating, meeting clients, etc, I like to hit the gallery district to check out new art, go to museums... I'm a TOTAL gym rat. I love the gym. Running is meditation for me. It's one hour of peace, just me and the machine. The whole world falls away beneath my feet. My number one drug is also TV. I'm hooked on bad reality TV like Rock of Love, Celebrity Apprentice, LA Ink, and I love love LOVE House,, Californication, Dexter and True Blood. My friends and I have Dexter parties when the show airs and we cook Red foods and watch it together.
11. do you believe in aliens?Yes, absolutely! I've been to the deep south and the Midwest. They're here earth. And they're fat.
12. where do you see yourself in 10 years time?Hopefully comfortably successful, living in a cozy manhattan Loft, living off my art work, showing, creating, collaborating, traveling, fully tattooed, with a hot boyfriend... Or two :)
13. would you like to use this oppurtunity to carry a message?I'm here. I'm relevant. I'm not sleeping. I'm a threat. Watch out, there's so much more to come.
13. would you like to use this oppurtunity to carry a message?I'm here. I'm relevant. I'm not sleeping. I'm a threat. Watch out, there's so much more to come.
Photography by Guy Heart
Interview by Annette Heart
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