Almost 30 years old and already 10 spent in the craft, what a talent ! Don’t rely on her smiling cute face, she’s a killer. Passionate, humble, productive, and able to manipulate with a disconcerting ease the cute and the terrible, the Australian born tattooer, will blow your eyes away. And in multicolour !
How did you connect to tattooing?
I was 15, still in Australia, and my friend was getting a bellybutton piercing at a tattoo studio in Melbourne. I thought all the flash on the walls were really cool, I was into drawing a lot, so I asked about how to become a tattoo artist. There was a woman there who gave me some tips, and wanted me to show her some of my drawings. I worked very hard for weeks, drawing all the time after school, and eventually she opened her own shop and I became her apprentice. The first time I ever really saw tattoos was on music videos, I saw one of Linkin Park, and the guy had lots of tattoos, I knew then I wanted some. But it was when my friend got her bellybutton pierced that I realised I wanted to make tattoos for a job. It was very lucky that I knew what I wanted early on, and pursued it.
How did you start then?
So when I was 16, I started the apprenticeship, I mainly cleaned the shop, sat at the front desk to talk to customers, and do small drawings for my boss. I did this for about a year and a half, still going to school, and working on the weekend. Then I got to do small free tattoos on my boss’s friends for practice. I also tattooed pig skins from the butchers, and fruits.
Is drawing something that comes early in your life?
Ever since I was a small child I loved drawing. My dad was really great at drawing, and would replicate pictures of animals and do paintings for Lunar New year for my mum to put in the house. I was inspired by him. He never worked as an artist professionally, because he could see no good income from it. He worked in a jacket factory. I loved cartoons, just like every kid, and would copy pictures of my favourite cartoons, like Sailor Moon – so japanese but more 1980’s-1990’s period- and Disney animations. I guess you learn by copying at the start, then develop your own style from it. I learnt to draw professionally when I was 17.
You are working a lot the oriental imagery, where does it come from?
The shop I apprenticed in, my boss mainly did Japanese influenced tattoos. So our clients wanted this sort of style, and basically I had to do them, it wasn't something I chose. I explored many different types of styles, but Japanese was what I was the best at I guess, probably because I had to do so much of it. I was very terrible at it to begin with, I didn't know anything about the tradition -I still don't know a lot, but I learnt from my mistakes. My teacher was not traditional either, so I mainly did custom japanese style, not traditional style. I didn’t stick to the rules of japanese tattooing- as in the subjects were changed to my interpretation. I didn’t study it from a Japanese artist and am myself not Japanese. I feel like it wasn’t right for me to pretend like I was Japanese, except to pull what I thought looked beautiful in the artwork and use it as influence only.
Were there tattooer you were looking up at?
When I was still an apprentice, I went to a tattoo convention with my boss in Tahiti. Our booth was next to Shige. I didn't know who he was, or how important he was in the industry. I asked if he had some time to tattoo me, and he did, not knowing how lucky I was at the time. His portfolio amazed me. His style is not traditional, it’s his style, but representing japanese stories and characters. I wanted to be like him.
How inspiring is japanese art for you?
It has many stories behind it. Everything means something. I try to do the same with my own work, to give a story behind every piece. Some of course I do just for fun, without meaning, just like the cartoons I watched as a child, I wanted every character to have a purpose, or a life behind it.
Can you tell us about your influences?
Goujin ishihara I like because his style is not traditional, its a little more realistic, and he mainly did movie posters and horror style, which I really like. I saw his work while browsing random things on the internet when I was a teenager. Again the stories and the life behind these characters really inspired me. His paintings for movies are very creepy and his imagination and how he paints these characters is really inspiring. Kyosai is a huge influence on the tattoo community. Again its the characters and stories that make people excited, and want to copy them. I never copied any of the pieces exactly, I always try to make my own version. I don't see a point in copying, its already been done by that artist. You don't need to replicate it, its important to be influenced and grow from your influences I think. Another artist I love is Miyazaki, also not a tattoo artist, but the animations are so beautiful and creative.
Your work spans from cute things to horror inspired motifs, is it a conscious balance you're looking for ?
If I do too much of one thing it drives me crazy. I like to have a bit of everything to feel complete, and happy. I get bored if I stick to one style or one thing. I need to challenge myself all the time, and try things that I’m not good at. I like experimenting with how illustrations can make you feel. Sometimes it’s great to make something really cute and make people smile ; sometimes I just want to get weird and creepy with my designs, and make the viewer uncomfortable. Its fun to try to create something scary, but beautiful…its confusing to the brain. I don't like comfort, I like that feeling of intrigue when it comes to art. Perfection and joy all the time is boring. I think as humans we like some discomfort as well. I guess that’s why balance is so important in every part of life.
You don't only stick to oriental style but experiment in other fields. How important is it for you ?
As an artist, doing one thing and doing only what you're good at doesn't help you grow or become a better artist. I see many artists trap themselves this way. It’s like cooking for example. If you only have the same ingredients, then yes, you will be really good at cooking that one thing. Eventually you and everybody else will grow tired of this thing. If you try new topics you open your mind to more possibilities and excitement for yourself and others experiencing it. A lot of people worry about consistency in their art. So they can become famous for that consistent work. Art for me is not about being famous, it’s about growing, for my own sake. As an artist you should never be completely satisfied with your work. Feeling like you're not good enough is important because it pushes you to work harder.
How important are customers to push you forward ?
In tattooing obviously people see your work, and they want something they know you're good at, so you end up doing a lot of the same thing over and over because that’s what the client wants. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just the way it is. I get a lot of clients who are really open minded and that’s when I have the most fun with a piece. I have the most freedom when I paint things for myself, because no one is there to direct me. Every tattoo artist should paint or do something outside of tattooing, to remind you that art is not all about technique or perfection. When you paint you can get messy and experiment and make mistakes, which you can't with tattooing. instagram: wendyphamtattoo http://wenramen.bigcartel.com
