I got my...
...very first tattoo the day after my 18th birthday as I had planned this many months in advance out of excitement. Coming up with the idea of my first tattoo had to be special to me, as I wanted it to be unique and something I’d never get sick of looking at. I then landed on the idea of a koi fish. Not only does it symbolize strength and courage, but my father also had a koi fish tattoo. He had quite the tattoo collection as well and I always admired that. My dad passed away when I was child, so I wanted to get my first tattoo in honor of him, and to always remember his presence when I looked at my tattoos.
Not all my...
...tattoos have sentimental meaning, but I think the most important thing about getting a tattoo is making sure it brings you happiness. I find that people tend to judge others on how many tattoos they have and “why they would do that to their body” but at the end of the day it is their body and it's what makes each one of us unique.
Along with my...
....appreciation of tattoos, I am also passionate about drawing, so much so that I’ve taken up hand poke tattoos myself and have tattooed friends and clients to gain experience with the proper tattooing material. I’d love to maybe be a tattoo artist myself one day (my tattoo hand poke Instagram: @stickandpokesbyashley).
In the past...
...I would get a mix of reactions to my tattoos, I find that the younger generation of people have a bit more of an open mind when it comes to tattoos, but otherwise I don’t let any of the negative comments get to me. I just keep in my mind that I get tattoos to express myself and my creativity. It's a storybook I get to carry around with me every day and I’m always happy to share my stories.
