Irezumi 1.0
Here are some wonderful women of craft and the boldness in being them.
How would you describe your day to day activities?
I’m a photographer so I usually shoot in clients' places or studios, and then I tend to my kids,
We love outdoors but spend a lot in because of the current pandemic.
What is the boldest thing you have ever done and never regret taking that step?
I would say all my tattoos and piercings.
What word of advice would you give to the women of today?
Always take care of yourself first.Which Irezumi print resonates with you the most and why?
Neko! I love cats and the print is really cute.
How would you describe your day to day activities?
Really unpredictable! My schedule is never the same from day to day. Sometimes I’ve got no work for 2 weeks and other times I’m working
16 hour days for a week straight! Being a performer means my lifestyle doesn’t follow a specific routine (which to be honest, is just my cup of tea!)
What is the boldest thing you have ever done and never regret taking that step?
I went skydiving!! Mind you I’m DEATHLY afraid of heights. But a few years ago I did a travel show called MissAdventures and one of the challenges was to go skydiving in New Zealand. In the beginning i was SUPER hesitant. (I even cried cause I was so scared!!) but eventually I told myself that this was going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity (and it was FREE) so I should just suck it up, not be a baby, and jump out of a freaking plane.
AND I DID IT. Turns out it was the most liberating experience of my life!!! Absolutely ZERO regrets and I’d gladly do it again!!!
What word of advice would you give to the women of today?
Do everything you want to do. Don’t limit yourself to just “what you’re good at”. Challenge yourself. Try new things.
Which Irezumi print resonates with you the most and why?
The Neko of course!!!! I’m a massive animal lover and I have always had a pet (literally. All my life). So it was natural for me to gravitate to the Neko design.
How would you describe your day to day activities?
Having a 9-6 job would mean that I'm facing the screen and crunching numbers for most parts of the day. My free-time after work is mostly spent on either entertaining my cats, studying or working on my side hustles on social media, such as beauty blogging and my business, Furganics - Chicken Essence for Pets! I also make sure to make time for myself with simple things such as painting, masking or just catching up on dramas to unwind.
What is the boldest thing you have ever done and never regret taking that step?
Choosing to study university in a country I've never been to and learning to be fully independent along the way. I've learnt to never be shy when it comes to asking for help and always knowing that we have options in life, instead of sticking to just one linear safe route.
What word of advice would you give to the women of today?
Have confidence in yourself, no matter the situation, and be willing to jump into opportunities without fear and excuses. Allow yourself to step up and seize the moment, and even if you fail, you'll grow through the experience anyway.
Which Irezumi print resonates with you the most and why?
The Neko print for sure! As you can tell, I'm quite obsessed with cats, cue my IG handle and furbabies... I also love that it symbolises purity, positivity and good luck - things that I personally can resonate with.
I rely heavily on positivity (and luck) to get me through my daily ups and downs, and will not hesitate to cut off things that drag me down.
JANA, CARLA & ALENE'S PICK
What is the boldest thing you have ever done and never regret taking that step?
The boldest thing I have ever done was probably deciding to make a huge career change from decorating cakes, to starting my own LLC doing photography and media work.
What word of advice would you give to the women of today?
Stand up for what you believe, to never question your worth, and to remember you are stronger than you think. Whatever life throws at you, you have the power to rise above.Which Irezumi print resonates with you the most and why?
Irezumi in Ryu resonates with me the most. I recently experienced some huge life changes and am learning to focus on myself and move forward in life with a little more independence. I think that strength and wisdom are two essential traits that are needed as we grow in life, and in bettering ourselves.
BEEZY'S PICK
How would you describe your day to day activities?
What is the boldest thing you have ever done and never regret taking that step?
The boldest thing I have ever done was taking a chance and investing in myself by going to Los Angeles, making music and following my dreams. I found a lot more than the career that I wanted. I found myself and learnt how to make friends, be more mature in my approach to life in a way that helped me to stay childlike and positive. And how that is okay, finding the middle ground, embracing and sticking up for who I am and myself.
What word of advice would you give to the women of today?
Listen to yourself and find the things that are really beautiful about you even though it's very hard in this day and age to praise yourself in that way. Be sure of those things and move forward in the knowledge that these are the things you’re strong at, good at and beautiful in. We spend so much of our time looking at magazines, Instagram, watching movies and TV and thinking "wow I wish I was more like this or that”. Personally for me growing up, I spent so much of my life trying to be all the things I thought were cool in other people. Finding yourself and what you appreciate most about yourself - nurturing, growing and being sure of that will help you so much as you move forward in your life. We all have authority on something and we are all growing in that direction specifically for you. So find it and believe in it.
Which Irezumi print resonates with you the most and why?
Koinobori! I believe that there is something between the energy between human and fish. I do like the Ryu design as I’m a fan of Miyazaki - Spirited Away but my mom is afraid of 'snakes' haha.
How would you describe your day to day activities?
Typically I stay at home with my husband and dog. Usually when I have free time (apart from tattooing), I will paint and make jewellery! I sell hand-painted jewellery at byrickie.com, ig: @rickie.inc. My activities are all quite “art-centric” I would say.
What is the boldest thing you have ever done and never regret taking that step?
The boldest thing was opening up my own tattoo studio during the pandemic. It was a tough time as a lot of things were uncertain. Prior to that, we had to stop working which meant no income for a few months, it was a challenging but fulfilling experience. It took plenty of courage and I was actually very fearful at the start if it will fail. I’m glad I stuck with it! We just celebrated 1 year of being open and I’m so thankful for my small team. This step changed a lot of things and encouraged creative growth in my own space for my tattoo work as well as expanding to other products and ideas for the future!
What word of advice would you give to the women of today?
I would say to celebrate the little things - even small achievements. I like this quote I saw before “Growth is growth, no matter how small.” We don’t have to do big things just to have value, we should celebrate each little accomplishment! Value yourself and never let anyone else, especially the media - tell you you’re not valuable or enough. When you truly value yourself, long-lasting radiance and beauty will naturally come!
Which Irezumi print resonates with you the most and why?
I love the Koinobori print. Visually, the colours complement each other and overall has a very joyful & happy vibe to it. For the meaning, I like what it represents - joy, youth & good fortune. I feel it reminds me to focus on the good in life and to find joy in every circumstance - naturally good fortune will come if you’re truly happy where you’re at!
HANERI & RICKIE'S PICK
