OUTLINE INSIGHT


GEMA FROM INDIGO


Te industry is booming – What was the scene like when you first started out? Very different. 19 years ago it was still not the norm to see heavily tattooed people. It was definitely an “alternative lifestyle”. Tese days I’ve tattooed teachers, doctors, a magistrate and an 79 year old getting her fist tattoo. It’s so much more acceptable now. People see it as a medium of art these days like painting or sculpture! What was your entry to the industry like? Did it start with an apprenticeship? I started a piercing apprenticeship after knowing I wanted to work in the industry. At 15 years old I hassled every studio in my area for a Saturday job and worked my way up from there. Eventually getting into piercing opening Indigo and only then learning to tattoo. Being a tattoo artist has its own demands, but running a business does as well – how to do mange both? Both are very demanding. On top of this I run the NBAF every year. I do it by having a very reliable team and very hard working studio manager @digglertattoo. Without my team I couldn’t do it. What do you expect from your own apprentices? Hard work, passion and drive. Initiative, common sense and a natural talent. It is fair to say that social acceptance of tattoos is at an all time high, but the media seems to have its issues. With TV programmes often focusing on the negative. What do you think of the media perception? Te media are there to expose and abuse anything in popular culture. Tat’s what they do with us. Unrealistic dramatised TV shows etc. To be honest a lot of my customers watch these shows as they are fascinated by tattooing and find it interesting, from coming into the studio


14 / FEB-MAR 2018 / OUTLINEONLINE.CO.UK


they know the reality is very different. As an artist where do you find your inspiration? Literally everywhere. I work a lot with patterns, symmetry and floral elements. I can find inspiration in patterns on clothes and even architecture. At the moment I’ve been drawing inspiration from Aztec patterns and mosaic works on Islamic temples. Any artist worth their salt develops their own style – how did you come to find yours? With my fascination with India. When traveling there I came back each time so inspired! Indigo have been open 14 years this year. You opened at a time when shops were scarce and more traditional and you were only 20 It must’ve been hard – what do you credit your success to? Stubbornness and passion. I knew what I wanted and worked very hard towards it. I faced a lot of challenges being only 20 and also being female in the industry. I was lucky enough to find myself taken on at 15 by a very successful woman in the industry that saw my passion and drive. She helped me so much and is still an inspiration to me. Did you receive criticism? Of course! I’d hear all sorts of rumours that “mummy and daddy bought me a shop” when I actually worked 3 jobs to fund my dream. People would spread rumours about the studio to deter clients, but it never worked, as we were hard working


honest people that just ignored the bullshit, kept our heads down and worked. What have you learnt? I’ve learnt to just focus on my studio and clients and not to get involved in other shop politics and industry politics. Have a team who are more like a family, void of ego and just passionate, deserving hard workers. I’ve learnt that you will be successful if you’re true to what you do, keep a happy team and take care of your clients. You upped the ante in 2009 with the birth of NBAF why did you want to embark on the world of conventions? I wanted to do something a little different and to show how wonderful the scene is here in Norwich not just for the tattooing but also the music and arts. I love my city, and it’s people. I wanted a “festival” to celebrate all the love for tattooing we have as a community and to have a good knees up. It can’t be overlooked that you’ve done all this as a woman, when the industry used to be so male dominated – has there been a change? Massively. I see so many strong women doing their bit in such a male dominated industry. It’s still not 50/50, however, the attitude towards women tattooing has completely flipped in my time being part of it. Female artists are as strong and respected as the males. I’m very proud of that fact, and that I made it through all the tough times to be part of something that’s changed so much.


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