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Our perception is perhaps the most important tool we have at our disposal. The lens through which we view reality. It can help us navigate the bright days and dark nights that life often presents us with, usually when we least expect it. In fact, it may be one of the only facets of life that we have any control over.
We are taught from a young age “how” to perceive certain things. For instance, a person has a lot of money, a nice car, a big house and so on, so from the outside, we could say they’re successful. But this same person has a crumbling marriage, kids that have nothing to do with them, elevated stress levels, dissatisfaction at work to name but a few. By this measure, they could be considered a failure. It really depends on your perspective and how you define success.
We can look at how social media is shaping behaviours for a lot of people based on what they think will garner the most attention, therefore be perceived as the most successful. The effects of this can be devastating if you’re not being authentic to who you are and this is based on the perceptions of oneself. What is the narrative that runs through your mind about you? Because this is the one thing that will ultimately decide who we are and how we will react in any given situation.
Seeing yourself as having the strength to battle through tough times and emerge on the other side, grateful for the experience as it allowed you to discover more of yourself and the world you live in. That is a mindset that could benefit us all.
This is something that is available to us all. It’s not always easy to keep a positive perception, we’re all capable of slipping into a negative thought process from time to time, but it’s about recognising it and changing it.
The view we have of ourselves is one of the most important views we will have.
For me personally, tattooing is a journey that we embark on together. It’s about pushing into uncharted waters knowing that you’ll never look the same again. Therefore never being quite the same ever again. I want people to embrace the ink I leave in their skin as an embodiment of the character that resides beneath the flesh.
Tattooing by its very nature changes the way someone looks, BUT, what’s most important is that it changes the way they see themselves. Subtly altering their perception of who they are and how they carry themselves moving forward.
It’s why the blackwork tattoos I produce have a bold, strong aesthetic. What we believe about ourselves will very often become our reality. Receiving a tattoo from me is a reminder of what it cost to look that way. Not money, but the blood, sweat, perseverance and commitment. A symbol of the strength and resilience that they possess.
Why I make tattoos that stand out. Because the people wearing them aren’t concerned with fitting in. Not willing to apologise for who they truly are and appreciating that it’s a differences between us that most strongly unite us.
It’s why I focus on creating designs with a distinctive style. So those with it can feel comfortable in their own skin and wear the tattoo with confidence.
I don’t just want them to take ownership of the tattoo, but also of themselves and the space that they occupy.
I’m changing the way a person views themselves until the day they die. My offering of a blackwork tattoo is a gift to the grave, so it has to be a positive change and evolution. It’s a layer of protection that sits below the skin. An outward representation of the strength held within, beyond the reach of the physical.
Armour for the Soul.
