#008 When Tristen Jenni Sanderson gracefully maneuvered her path from the structured world of construction to the fluid lines of tattoo artistry, she didn't just change professions; she embraced a calling that would weave together stories of loss, heritage, and healing. My latest conversation invites you on an introspective journey with Tristen, an Indigenous tattoo artist from Chakastaypasin band, whose work transcends mere ink on skin to become a conduit for personal and collective narratives. Her tattoos are the stitches that bind the fabric of individual identities to the expansive quilt of Indigenous culture, a legacy passed down from her father's regalia making and her Kookum's Starquilt crafting.
This episode digs deeper than the surface of the skin, into the heart of what it means to carry and overcome trauma while clutching tightly to one's roots. Tristen and I share not just stories but strategies for navigating the delicate balance between absorbing clients' emotional experiences and safeguarding our own mental health. It's a candid look at the unique pressures faced by tattoo artists and the ceremonies we perform to maintain our spiritual well-being amidst the challenges of the craft. With Tristan's wisdom as our guide, we traverse the landscape of mental and emotional health for creatives, highlighting the therapeutic power tattoos hold within Indigenous communities.
What does it mean to revive an ancestral visual language in a modern world? Tristen's artistry offers a profound reply, as we celebrate the resurgence of Indigenous designs traditionally worn with pride on the body. But the conversation reaches beyond the ink—it's an homage to the burgeoning impact of Indigenous representation in all spheres, from the arts to the everyday success stories that shape the aspirations of Indigenous youth. Join us as we honor the transformative power of tattooing, not just as an art form, but as a medium that bridges generations, heals spirits, and tells the stories that might otherwise be left untold.
I hope you have enjoyed this episode, and I am excited to travel the world of Indigenous tattooing with you as we visit with friends and colleagues from across the globe doing the work.
Check out Tristen's work at:
Instagram @tristen.jenni.art
Check out my tattoo work at:
https://www.consumedbyink.com
Instagram @dionkaszas
Buy me a Coffee at:
https://ko-fi.com/transformativemarks
I acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts
#008 When Tristen Jenni Sanderson gracefully maneuvered her path from the structured world of construction to the fluid lines of tattoo artistry, she didn't just change professions; she embraced a calling that would weave together stories of loss, heritage, and healing. My latest conversation invites you on an introspective journey with Tristen, an Indigenous tattoo artist from Chakastaypasin band, whose work transcends mere ink on skin to become a conduit for personal and collective narratives. Her tattoos are the stitches that bind the fabric of individual identities to the expansive quilt of Indigenous culture, a legacy passed down from her father's regalia making and her Kookum's Starquilt crafting.
This episode digs deeper than the surface of the skin, into the heart of what it means to carry and overcome trauma while clutching tightly to one's roots. Tristen and I share not just stories but strategies for navigating the delicate balance between absorbing clients' emotional experiences and safeguarding our own mental health. It's a candid look at the unique pressures faced by tattoo artists and the ceremonies we perform to maintain our spiritual well-being amidst the challenges of the craft. With Tristan's wisdom as our guide, we traverse the landscape of mental and emotional health for creatives, highlighting the therapeutic power tattoos hold within Indigenous communities.
What does it mean to revive an ancestral visual language in a modern world? Tristen's artistry offers a profound reply, as we celebrate the resurgence of Indigenous designs traditionally worn with pride on the body. But the conversation reaches beyond the ink—it's an homage to the burgeoning impact of Indigenous representation in all spheres, from the arts to the everyday success stories that shape the aspirations of Indigenous youth. Join us as we honor the transformative power of tattooing, not just as an art form, but as a medium that bridges generations, heals spirits, and tells the stories that might otherwise be left untold.
I hope you have enjoyed this episode, and I am excited to travel the world of Indigenous tattooing with you as we visit with friends and colleagues from across the globe doing the work.
Check out Tristen's work at:
Instagram @tristen.jenni.art
Check out my tattoo work at:
https://www.consumedbyink.com
Instagram @dionkaszas
Buy me a Coffee at:
https://ko-fi.com/transformativemarks
I acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts
When I'm doing their tattoo work, a lot of it is I. You know, I'm kind of a dream of it. I'll go to bed with this, you know they'll tell me a little bit like oh, you know, I really want, I really want, you know, a wolf on my arm. And I'm like, oh, okay, and then you know in my mind I'll go to bed and I'll think, okay, a wolf, she wants a wolf. And I've never met them, because I always do consultations online, Because you know, there was COVID times.
Speaker 2:So I just got used to that.
Speaker 1:And so you know, and I've never really met them that way and then usually I'll wake up and I'll start drawing. Sometimes it's in the middle of the night or something, and then it's like I've opened myself up to receiving whatever they're putting out there. And you know, it happens a lot where people will kind of it's exactly you know what they were wanting, like how did you know to put five flowers in there?
Speaker 2:The transformative marks podcast explores how indigenous tattoo artists, cultural tattoo practitioners and ancestral skin markers transform this world for the better, dot by dot, line by line and stitch by stitch. My name is Dion Casas. I'm a Hungarian, métis and Intlakaabuck professional tattoo artist and ancestral skin marker. I started the work of reviving my ancestral Intlakaabuck skin marking practice over a decade ago. I've helped, supported and trained practitioners and tattoo artists here on Turtle Island. In this podcast, I sit down with indigenous tattoo artists, cultural tattoo practitioners and ancestral skin markers from across the globe, bringing you behind the scenes of this powerful, transformative and spiritual work.
Speaker 1:My name is Tristan Jenny Sanderson. My pronouns are she and her. I am from James Smith Cree Nation, which is in Treaty Six territory, and I currently reside here at Edmonton, alberta, tattooing all day long.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know right, sometimes you're like dang. That's a long, long time sitting on my ass.
Speaker 1:I mean I gotta start moving, yeah big time.
Speaker 2:So can you tell me the story of how you got into tattooing and how long you've been doing the work?
Speaker 1:Yeah for sure. Well, I've always been an artist. It kind of like runs in my family. My dad made regalia when I was little, so like our table was always full of like feathers. He was making headdressers and bustles and just all this stuff. And then you know he's just drawing his concept and what he was going to do. And it was the same thing with my cook. I was always making Starquilt, so it was like the diamonds were everywhere when I'd go to her house and it was like man, this is so cool. So we just grew up in such a like really artsy home and then, yeah, I don't know, I was doing construction for like 10 years, kind of before I got into tattooing, which was like happened when I was 30.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I was like this would be such a beautiful thing to like kind of get into. You know, watching my stepdad.
Speaker 2:Do like gel house style tattoos at home and I was like Mom, this is what I want to do.
Speaker 1:You know, I'm only like 14 years old and she's like well, you know, like yeah, if that's what you want to do, you can do it.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, seeing that and watching that, I thought it was really cool. And then my version of artwork was I always did a lot of portrait work. And then, yeah, when I was was 30, my father passed away and I was like I need to do, I need to do something different Because, you know, the construction just wasn't feel like it wasn't doing anything for me, like for my soul, and I was like life is so short, why, why do I care what others think? Because I feel like that was holding me back a lot in my art process. And how I did things was, you know, I was scared to show people.
Speaker 1:I guess you know really shy and like didn't have enough, like self confidence, things like that that I was kind of battling through and then I was like man, life is so short, like why? Why am I, you know, letting people's you know, perceptions or anything like that bother me. It's their life, you know they can do what they do, and I'm going to do me. So then I.
Speaker 1:you know, I reached out to a tattoo studio in Hinton, Alberta, because I was nannying over there for like a year and he's like, yeah, sure I could, I can show you how to tattoo and it's, you know, like a little like a little like a little regular, you know like how kind of like essentially like watching my stepdad when he was, you know, when they were tattooing at home like jailhouse style kind of felt like the same vibe. Oh, this is cool, this is fine, you know.
Speaker 1:I can do this, and he was also. He's also another Indigenous artist, but he, you know, his is more like skulls and flames and you know regular, yeah, regular stuff, very old school style.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So that's kind of like how I ended up getting into just the tattooing was watching. You know my stepdad do that when I was younger and I was like this would be so cool, being able to kind of do that, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Awesome. And so how long did you stay at that shop? And then, what was the next step?
Speaker 1:I only was at that shop for probably maybe like nine months, 10 months, and then we kind of had a little bit of falling out Artistic things. And so yeah, and then I moved to Saskatchewan for a little bit and I worked under this guy named Matt Matt Arzall, I called him, but he has this little shop in Malphur at Saskatchewan.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And then I went home for a bit with my two kids and and then did that for maybe like two months and then I came back here and started working at another studio it's changed now. I don't remember what it was called, but I only worked. I worked there as a junior artist.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, and I feel like I didn't really fully complete, you know, my apprenticeship.
Speaker 2:Yeah, who does really, you know?
Speaker 1:So, you know, I was just kind of thrown into the kind of the thick of yeah, here you go, and I was like, okay, yay, I tattooed. Now I'm a full, I'm a grown up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I've never done this before. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Out in the wild and I was like let's do sleeves. I'm like yeah, okay, awesome yeah.
Speaker 2:And then, is that the shop you're at now, or did you? You have another one?
Speaker 1:No, I actually there was a moment in time where I kind of opened my own studio, because it was there was just a lot of, I felt like, drama and things like that kind of going around. So I opened my own shop called the Mingusuiopism, which is Eagle Moon.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:And and it was just, it was a lot of like. I worked at a space called the Quilt Bag, which is on a wide ad here in Edmonton and they're like kind of an LGBTQ like they help with like supplies and like bindings and just all that stuff and I rented a space from them and then, downstairs.
Speaker 1:They actually did a lot of like Indigenous birth work, yeah, and they would hold like regalia making workshops, ribbon skirt making and stuff like that. And then I had my own little like kind of corner back room where I would just tattoo out of it and I was like, oh, this is so beautiful. And it kind of happened during, kind of during COVID, because I was still technically a junior artist in the COVID times.
Speaker 1:So then, as people started kind of finding out about my artwork. I was still learning, still in the process of learning like these different techniques and things. And then it just got really busy to be in that studio and to be because we were having now COVID was over, yeah, so you know, there's always people and, like you know what I'm doing tattoos with my clients, like we kind of talk really deep and we get.
Speaker 1:you know we talk about a lot of different things and it was really hard to talk over and you know it was getting really loud and so it kind of left that space. And I was really lucky the guy that owns the supply company here because everything in the studio was all bi-degradable, compostable, that we use in the studio. I asked him. I was like, hey, do you know of any studios looking for like a tattoo artist? And he's like, well, are you looking? I was like yes, I am. And he's like you should come work at my wife's shop. Oh my God, we'd love to have you. He's like. He's like let's do a paint night, see if you vibe with everybody.
Speaker 2:and then we'll get you in there. And then I was like okay, cool.
Speaker 1:So I went and met everybody and I had no idea Like Liz Venom, she's like a famous tattoo artist, J-Free style, like all these people that work there, and I'm like people are like famous. Whoa, it's like okay I could come work here if you guys are cool. So yeah, and that's kind of how I met up with these guys and now it's you know, they kind of take me all over, like hey, we have this convention here, we'd love you to come, and they've been really helping me, kind of progress you know in my work because you know J-Free, he does realism work, which is about something I really eventually want to get into.
Speaker 1:And then Liz is like realism, floral and just really like big pieces that I need. Like I really want to learn still.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, big time so yeah, it's been like it's been really cool to work with all these cool people. I'm like, wow, it's like I'm doing a little apprenticeship again Meanwhile, still really flourishing. And then in my style of artwork which has, you know, it's progressed so much because these are things you know, I was helping my dad with, like with the floral work and stuff like that. He was always he'd call me when I worked in Edmonton and he was like, hey, my girl, like I really need a picture of an eagle. Can you, can you draw me a picture of an eagle or a wolf and a moon or you know, some floral with this? Because I'm trying to put it on this and I'm like, yeah, okay, for sure, and I just, you know, take a picture of it with my little crappy cell phone.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And then I would just send it off to him and he's like okay, that's good, you know, and then he would just do, you know, his work with that. And that's kind of how, you know, my style kind of progressed, because I again was always more into portraits, but it was just, you know, my dad was always like oh, you know, my girl, that's what you should do, that's what you should be doing, it's just naturally, it's your gift.
Speaker 1:It just comes to you and I was like oh yeah, but you know, like I want to do like other work as well, and I think a big part of that was, you know, kind of growing up back and forth, like I lived kind of in on my reserve until I was like in grade six and then I came to Alberta, which is like very, you know, being made fun of for being native or you know people making fun of you and like I had, like I virtually had like no friends.
Speaker 1:I had one, you know everyone thought was the weird kid and we're seeing, you know, 20 years later. So besties.
Speaker 2:Sorry.
Speaker 1:But yeah, you know, like I guess, having that shame a little bit kind of attached, you know, like when summertime was over, it was like what'd you do for the summer? And my dad was very, very, very proud of like being native and indigenous and, try, you know, took us to ceremony when we were little and just always like he was very like.
Speaker 1:we're taking this back and this is, you know how we're going to do it and so it was really hard to kind of grow up in that. And then, you know, my mom was because they, you know both my parents were in residential school it was very hard to for her to get out of that that mindset of like, you know, she didn't want to teach us Korean stuff because she's like you don't need it anymore, you're not going to need it, it's just going to make your life harder.
Speaker 1:So, you know. And then, and when my dad's like no, be proud, be loud. This is where we are and this is. You know this is where we belong and it's like okay, and so you know, going back and forth between my two parents of one's being like well you know we don't really. And then, whereas you know my father's like, no, we do, this is our voice, you know.
Speaker 1:So he was very he always kind of believed in me and that and like so it, yeah, it was after he passed that I was like, okay, I hear you, I hear what you're saying.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I got you Dialing it in and it's like you know, like now it feels like because I know he's always here and always around me and all of the things that I do, I really feel like you know that was his gift to me as he passed was like giving me that strength and that confidence and like being like no claim what's yours.
Speaker 1:This is ours and you can do that and it's like okay. And you know I was like thank you. So that little piece, you know it's like, I know it's weird, but it's like a little bit of a superpower that he kind of gave me to just go for it, yeah, yeah, yeah, big time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I think I don't think it's weird at all to call it that superpower that he gave you you know, because, you know, sometimes it does take being a badass to exist in this world as an indigenous person, creating work that makes us visible, right, because so much of that, so much of the colonial project, was to erase us, to make us invisible. So, when you're making us visible, right that it takes a lot of courage, right? So yeah, that's definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like something I kind of you know, not so much like nowadays I kind of struggle with, but like right in the beginning, when you know the artwork started taking off, for me it was a really big struggle of like okay, like this is a lot of attention, really quick.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But my mental health. Just, you know, I had, I suffered from PTSD and things like that, and so it's like it was really you know a lot at once and so my anxiety even you know my body didn't know the difference between good anxiety and you know bad anxiety, so it was all just grouped into like we're going to make you panic.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, big time. You know, this is real exciting yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, and then you know having to explain that to like people that kind of haven't had to deal with that like having to create my own voice, even though you know my parents you know I'm not sure what I'm saying, even though you know my parents were.
Speaker 1:You know we've been trying to be silenced for so long and they've been trying to take it away for so long. And then, like us being like no, we're going to claim it, and that uncomfortableness that we have to push through and strive through all the time of like no, I am going to take this, this is my voice and this is what I'm using, you know. And then sometimes my voice gets a little shaky or something, just because of, like, all the years, you know that kind of. We have all this strength and all this amazingness in our blood, but then also there's that you know that ugliness.
Speaker 1:That kind of comes with the genocide and everything. And they try to erase us. So it's like. So now I'm like okay, like you know, I have to remember and take that in to be like no, like you belong here and and it's okay.
Speaker 1:It's okay to feel shaky, it's okay to you know what I mean and to take that time when you need that time for your mental health and recognizing that you know like, because I feel like I often try to, just you know, be stronger, be stronger and push past and go and, just you know, just ignore that feeling for now. And it's like it comes back. It always comes back.
Speaker 2:You don't take care of it.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, you know, trying to explain that to my coworkers, that kind of you know they're they're not indigenous and they don't kind of understand that because they don't have that, that in their blood at them. You know what I mean, Even the so.
Speaker 2:Not even I would say you're being really generous in that it's not. I would say it's not just in your blood, but you experience it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I experience it Right.
Speaker 2:Like it's not like it's in the past, it's like on, not maybe not necessarily on the daily, but you know it's.
Speaker 1:it is a present thing that we're still dealing with, so yeah, it's super yeah, it's super true Like very present with you, know how people interact with you or even how you know you grew up and how our parents you know how our parents definitely were affected and how that affected us. And you know my mom, you know, lacking the confidence and stuff like that to go forward with what she wanted to do in life and then that kind of crumbling down and then having to take care of you know I took care of my brothers and things like that because my mom suffered with addiction issues. So it's like you know having to do all that and it's like, okay, yeah, I do come from a home with you know there was a lot of trauma from that and it's like it's very firsthand. You know what.
Speaker 1:I mean yeah, totally yeah exactly, so it is definitely all still there from what I lived with.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, it's Big time.
Speaker 1:I feel like even like kind of you know getting help because you know I go get help and things like that and stuff with you know with my mental health and all this other stuff but I feel like you know, even pushing past those barriers that kind of are built from your From the way you grow up, yeah. I don't know. I think it's still that little whisper. That's always just you know because, it's really built in there kind of like, kind of like the whisper also, like you know when you're intuition your intuition.
Speaker 1:That's just you know and it's there and like when you listen to that big magic happens like it's super amazing, like all of this stuff can happen and you know, I feel like it's that you know that kind of just lives in there and you're like man like I could fix this.
Speaker 2:But you're slipping in there and you gotta really, you know, figure out how to cope. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just also want to give you an opportunity to shout out the Tattoo Supply Company and the shop you work at, just so people know. You know, give them a, I work at.
Speaker 1:Bombshell Tattoos here in Edmonton, alberta, and Northern Tattoo Supply is the one who does all the biodegradable and compostable stuff Like? They're amazing. They do really great things for like community and environment. They do a lot of like we do like fundraisers and stuff like that, so they're pretty cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Real amazing people, and they're from Australia, new Zealand. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I just wanted to. I always like to give that opportunity to shout out those people that you know are supporting you or us as Indigenous folks and you know those awesome shops that we, you know get education and you know Indigenous studies. Basically, you know I, you know, shout out to HFX Tattoo, the shop that I work at. You know everyone's dope who works there. So, you know, come on out if you're in Halifax and area get some tats done, do every, basically every style in the shop. And, yeah, always good to lift up those that are around us and that tolerate us and our insane clients, sometimes, you know, just laughing away.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for real. You can always tell big Auntie laughs all the time yeah. Oh, Tristan's here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, big time, yeah, yeah, yeah, Awesome. You know what are some of the things that you, if you whatever you're comfortable sharing. You know some of the things that you do to help you navigate some of that mental health stuff related to the work that you do as an ancestral skin marker and professional tattoo artist.
Speaker 1:I definitely kind of take a lot of time to, I don't know like getting kind of like in touch with myself, like I you know, I'll make sure that I take like breaks.
Speaker 1:Like you know, right now I'm on a two week break because I really felt like, you know, my anxiety was kind of peeking back up because of not paying attention to myself and not being honest with myself, of overloading my schedule or, if you know, sometimes I'm absorbing more than I am. Being a mirror with a lot of my clients. You know, sometimes the stories can get really like heavy and and I'll you know, things get busy and I'll forget to smudge or I'll forget to take that time for thank thankfulness.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And I'm waking up every day and, and even when I'm not feeling it, you know, because I have depression and anxiety, even when I'm not feeling it, to remember to say all the things I'm thankful for. You know, these are not being able to see, you know having use of my hands or you know all these other things. They're not a guarantee you know. So it's like remembering those, those things that, even though you know, we take for granted.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, a lot of the time being thankful, right, grateful, yeah, yeah, that's such a big lesson, you know. I always have to remind myself of that too, and I would say that you know that gratefulness sometimes gets you, like you say, like pushed out because of the busyness, right. And so, yeah, I hold you up props to taking two weeks. You know you need it. You know take that time. It's important and I would say it's also an important lesson for those of you who are listening and coming up or, you know, even been doing the work for a long time. You know the work that we do is, you know, heavy work. It's easy to burn out. So, you know, take the time that you need to recover from that stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, Help yourself, you know like you really you know you're a person and really you need that as well and be forgiving to yourself you know, even when you feel like you're overworking and you're neglecting and it's like, oh well, like I can do better tomorrow, I'll remember tomorrow to be thankful for this. I'll remember tomorrow to do my swatching or whatever your process is you know, I maybe I forgot today but that's okay, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:You just understand and like, take it easy, like we don't. You know this. It's real hard in this like colonial world to you know, they teach you to just go and push and drive and this is what you have to do, but and then we forget that the universe has us. You know the Creator, our ancestors. It has us. And you know if you listen to your intuition and you know, you know. You know who you are and your path. You know these things. They don't.
Speaker 1:It nicely places you there you know, these things that you need are there for you and you know, and it's, it's right there. You just have to allow it to, you know, just allow it in. And because I used to, you know I'm a single mom, I've been for about five years yeah, I used to struggle so much with money and worry about money and how I'm going to feed my children and what I'm going to do, and I was, you know, really like panicking a lot. And then, you know, after my father passed and I just started listening to myself and you know, I have really amazing friends really good friends.
Speaker 1:you know, maria is one of my best friends. She actually bought all of my tattoo supplies so I could start tattooing Wow.
Speaker 2:Shout out yeah.
Speaker 1:She bought her and her husband bought all my supplies, my machines, my colors.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And I was like wow, like thank you so much. And you know, it was just, you know, having seeing those beautiful people in my life and then allowing, you know, just being more opened and like, and then even with my paintings and drawings I did. I did a painting called Not Invisible, about three years ago now, yeah, and some it was for MMIW.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and a guy named Glenn Aldridge had seen it and he asked if I could do one of his daughter. Yeah, and I was like, of course, I would love to do one of your daughter. Yeah, you know. Thank you so much for allowing me to do this for you yeah. I did it and he's like oh, you know, thank you, you know, it's beautiful, it looks like her. And then I was like here, you know, it's a gift.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's fine. And then he's like, wow, you know it was, it went all over like the news and stuff. And then another person reached out. And then another person reached out and a lot of people started reaching out for that you know, and that's kind of how it took off and I was like, wow, and I did them for free you know it literally takes me maybe 20 minutes to do a portrait because I'm really quick at like looking at people's faces and just doing it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So I did a whole bunch of those and it was just, you know, just being kind. I didn't post it on social media I didn't do any of that stuff. It was his portrait of his daughter that went viral and went all over and then you know everyone's like wow, it's just, you know, you're just being kind, and it was literally I was just being kind. And so you know the universe had kind of been kind back to me and it has been, just, you know, constant.
Speaker 1:Now, of just being kind, because I'm just leading with, leading with kindness, and just you know, with my heart and wanting to help my people in the. You know all I could because I, you know I do art and I'm like this is what I got, guys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, this is the gift.
Speaker 1:Right, this is the gift I have, so I'm going to try share it with as many people as I can.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That really, you know, the listening to the universe, you know, even sometimes in the beginning when projects would get real slow. You know I'm like no, like I'm not going to worry about money because you know it's whatever happens is going to happen. Yeah, my kids are going to eat, we're going to figure it out and you know and it always kind of does when you listen to it it might not be. You know directly in your hand, like here's money. You know the universe doesn't say that it gives you opportunities to be like hey, you can take this opportunity, or you can take this one.
Speaker 2:It really is your call and what you're going to see Right, yeah, yeah, that's a really good point, and something to maybe just pull on a little bit is just that reality that, yeah, maybe those things are not, like you say, money, but they are opportunities. And the reality is is sometimes we got to take those up right and so, yeah, you know when those opportunities come. I would say you know that's my own experience as well is when you start saying yes instead of no, things start to happen right and you create those opportunities that open up. And I would also say, in reality, sometimes those doors closed that you really want, and then the other thing comes along that you know is really what's best for you, yeah, which is way, way more like wow, this ride was way better than anything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, yeah, that's actually like amazing. You say that, Like you know, I was married to my best friend for like seven years and we had two we have two beautiful children together and he's still, like you know, my best friend unfortunately suffers with addiction issues. I was just you know, we can't, I can't raise babies in this, so we went our separate ways. Because of that, and I just you know, I was such a happy stay at home mom.
Speaker 1:I love being a stay at home mom and doing stuff with my kids and just playing with them all day Like it was the best thing and I was really quiet. I never would have imagined doing what I'm doing now.
Speaker 2:Like the confidence it takes to be a tattoo artist. Yeah, big time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I you know cause I was always just a really quiet kind of kid and just a little weirdo. That was like all right you know and then you know, after that whole thing, you know, with my ex-husband it was the same you know going through a divorce the same year my dad passed away all these really big changes happening.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's tough yeah, and I was like man, like what am I going to do? Who am I going to be? You know how am I going to provide for my children? And then you know just the universe, you know, showing me kind of my path through art and through things like that. I was like, wow, now you know how many years, five years later, I'm tattooing and you're getting invited to do you know podcasts.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally, you know, with these like other, like really well-known indigenous tattoo artists. It's like mind blowing to me Still, you know, every day.
Speaker 1:I'm like wow, I'm so you know so thankful so thankful for listening to my intuition and that path and for closing that door because it was very different, you know. Now, you know, I don't see my children as much you know, we still, you know, I still struggle with that a little bit.
Speaker 1:You know, like you know, one day you know most of the days I used to like put papers out all over the living room in the kitchen and just let them crawl all over with paint on their bodies and maybe just paint everything that was our thing. And now you know, now it's different. We don't really have a lot of time to do that stuff.
Speaker 1:No one. But you know we get to do. You know, my daughter, uh, it's, it's so beautiful, my daughter. You know, she goes to school and she's like oh, mom, I'm wearing my regalia today and I was like you're going to wear your regalia to school and she's like well, yeah, because I'm going to do a presentation and talk about the jingle dance and what it means.
Speaker 1:And I was like, oh okay. I was like, yeah, for sure. I was like, uh, she's like, but I'm going to leave my eagle feather because I don't want. You know, I don't want to be just dropping it or anything, and I'm like, okay, you know, she's only, she was 10 when this happened.
Speaker 2:She's 11 now.
Speaker 1:And just hearing her talk like that, I'm like, wow, I remember being that age and I wouldn't tell anybody you know, like what'd you do this summer? You know, I didn't tell them I was going to go. I I pow out all summer. I was power dancing all summer with my, my, my dad. I didn't say that because you know people make fun of me, they do the thing. And then I was like, yeah, you know, whatever, I had fun with my cousins you know, and then for my daughter to see that and she's like, oh, mom, like this is so beautiful every day.
Speaker 1:What kind of tattoo did you do today? Oh, wow, is that what this means? You know what's that with?
Speaker 2:them.
Speaker 1:You know, and they're always kind of interpreting my work and I'm like yeah, that is what I mean, you know so we get to have a beautiful connection in a different way even though mommy works and they understand it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know it's now I get to show them and get to be loud and proud of you, know and where we come from, and then they're like now. They're just like magical little humans that are like oh, you know, my son has hair down to pass to his mom.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I would say, you know, just hearing your story a little bit, I would be remiss to not acknowledge the fact that you had a large part in helping them become those amazing little humans. Right, taking the time, having that ability to spend with them, you know that is what helped, I would say, them become those people. So I just hold you up in that work that you have done and helping them to be who they are. Yeah, you know, it was a great experience.
Speaker 2:It would be a missed opportunity to lift you up, because that's hard work and it's something to be proud of.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Yeah, so I think most moms you know a lot of moms kind of beat themselves up for you know what I mean, the things that kind of you can't do anymore and I'm like you know well, but man, those opportunities I got to have. How amazing was that that I got to do those things and I'm really glad, I really took it in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know like I really.
Speaker 1:You know all those moments of like. You know, even my son was colicky, you know just you know, hold it in my hand and be like oh my boobs, just on his face, just even, you know, taking all of those real, like even those hard moments and really trying to take them in for what it was. I'm really thankful for myself for that you know like because you know like now I try not to get into. You know like, oh, you know we didn't get to do this this time.
Speaker 2:Oh, you know because you know mommy's traveling, mommy's busy, you know, and a lot of the time I try to bring them but yeah, school it's tough.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's tough, it's real tough, yeah, big time.
Speaker 2:So, when you think of the style of work that you've become really recognized in doing, how would you describe that and what was the process for you, especially because you said you really love doing portraits? And like you know that kind of more realism. What was that journey of like moving from that art and also, you know where you started. You know a biker shop and that type of stuff where it's, you know, skulls, roses, that type of stuff. What was that journey that brought you to the stuff that you're doing now?
Speaker 1:Well, I initially kind of like I'd always done portraits Again, you know I did a lot of pencil portraits and stuff like that and then when I started working at that tattoo studio and hinting that little biker shop, he had told me like he's like, use watercolor. He's like, honestly, you know you can't take off watercolor once it's on there. He's like you can kind of dab it. You're going to wreck the paper, yeah.
Speaker 1:It's like the same thing with tattooing If you're going to, you're going to really overwork that skin. You're going to wreck that paper.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so you know, the first time I'd ever tried it was at that studio, when I was like 30 and I loved watercolor. I was like, oh my gosh, this is amazing. This whole time I've had this magic and vandal in my head. Like darn, I can't believe it took so long you know, and it was real cool.
Speaker 2:And then so that opened your mind to color.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it opened my mind to color because, like I'd always done black and gray- that was what I was going to do. And you know, working in a studio, I was like, well, I could do you know, like the stipple and things like that and shading.
Speaker 1:And then I was like, wow, this color is amazing and watching the way it goes and, like you know, even when you're tattooing and then you dip, you're like you know your ink in the thing and you see it. Yeah, yeah, it's so beautiful, I'll sit there and like, all right, I'm tattooing. But, it's the same thing with watercolor watching that I'm like this is so beautiful, just something simple and.
Speaker 1:I love that color. And then, you know, as I got more into tattooing, when I moved to this other studio over here in Edmonton, I had done a piece on my sister-in-law. You know, because I still didn't have any clients, I didn't have a lot of people that wanted to be tattooed by a junior artist.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally.
Speaker 1:And I wasn't, you know, I wasn't at my prime, I wasn't you know amazing. Yet.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Not that I'm amazing now You're always learning but it's like I did this piece on her as her daughter's face.
Speaker 2:You're pretty amazing. Yeah Well, thank you.
Speaker 1:We did her daughter's face and I was like, okay, we're gonna do it you know, it's one of my first portrait ones, and then, because she's from oh man, why can't Stanley Mission?
Speaker 2:Okay, so Northern Saskatchewan right.
Speaker 1:And she's like let's do some woodland floral on there. And I was like, yeah, you know. Oh, what's his last? What's his name? He's a really big like. He's one of the. He's made woodland art.
Speaker 2:Oh Narvel.
Speaker 1:Narvel more.
Speaker 2:So yes, yes.
Speaker 1:And I was like, yeah, I was like we should do that style. That would be amazing. So I took us some references or whatever and, just kind of like, made them my own color palette. But, kind of like along his lines and I was like, oh my God, this is beautiful. I love the thick, bold black lines to this yeah. Like, and so then you know, and when I did my post, I of course put his name in there.
Speaker 1:Just so people kind of know, I really love to give shoutouts to you know when I see a style again inspiration by you know, like this is where it came from.
Speaker 1:So then that's, you know I did that. And then a lot of people are like, hey, I like that floral work, like do you do more of that? And I was like I can do more of that. And then you know we did that and I started getting a little bit more inquiries about, you know, the woodland style. And then you know one of my friend, deanne. She wanted to do a big cover up on her back.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know we're talking about. I was like, how about a star quilt? Because she has a real big, nasty looking thing she had on her back.
Speaker 2:It's real big feathers. I can almost picture it just by that description Big nasty.
Speaker 1:You know it was a name and it's just bad, bad all around. And so we did like a star quilt would be so distracting to the eye. There's so much lines, so much stuff Like it'll, it'll be perfect. You know, because then we did this really big star quilt and I was like, well, why don't we do? Because we decided to add some kind of like more matey floral like to it as well.
Speaker 1:And so I was like, okay, cool, we'll add that all around it. I think that would be so cool and it turned out beautifully when people seen that that was the one where it just went viral. And everyone's like I've never seen this before you know, and like you know the straight lines in that, like even now, now when I do star star quilts, I have to take these two sessions. Just because my eyes they get real like the strain. Yeah, I didn't realize that it's pretty bad though.
Speaker 2:Yeah, big time. What machines are you using?
Speaker 1:Right now I use Injectica.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I use Injectica, which she's had a good run.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And now I'm just waiting for my bishop to arrive.
Speaker 2:Ah, going to the bishop.
Speaker 1:Wow, cool Because my friends, you know they have them in the studio and he's like, try this one. And I tried it. I was like it's like butter.
Speaker 2:It's like.
Speaker 1:it's so beautiful, like why have I been just you know working so hard? Because I've had this machine for probably about a year and a half now, but she's had her time you know they run out of time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I was just wondering just because you know all those all that line work right is really taxing on the hand as well. So you'll probably find a different one when you go to that. Yeah exactly.
Speaker 1:Well, and that was, yeah, definitely different because I use yeah, again, I use that Injectica and it's a little bit heavy on the top. Yeah, yeah, and I was like man, like this is crazy, and I'm always making sure to do my like stretches and stuff, because I want to try to do this for as long as I can. Yeah, you know, so I'm really trying to make sure I'm taking care of things and stuff. But yeah, man, those straight lines. I actually started getting ocular migraines.
Speaker 2:I had no idea what was going on?
Speaker 1:I didn't know why this was happening. My doctor's like well, you're giving your eyes carpal tunnel by not doing 20 and 20. And I'm like, what's 20 and 20?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think I went to art school. I don't know what that means. Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know. And then here are all my art friends. You know our apprentice. He's like yeah, when I was in art school they teach you every 20 minutes you're supposed to look up, look out the window, look somewhere far you know, for 20 seconds.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Every 20 minutes, he's like. Because your eyes go like this you're looking at something so close, he's like, and then when you try to look up, that's really taxing, Like you know like trying to adjust and we don't.
Speaker 1:We don't think about our eyes. So it's like man. I wish somebody taught me that. I wish people especially since now that we all live on technology and cell phones like I wish they would talk about that. When you're young, to be like do 20 and 20. Yeah, set up an alarm on your watch and just make it a regular thing, because you know, even kids' eyes, you know if they're on electronics and stuff which unfortunately, a lot of kids do you know, it is what it is.
Speaker 1:But I think you know I was like man, that was really helpful.
Speaker 2:Totally, that's good advice, right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:By the way, guys, 20 and 20, okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, big time. Yeah, it's important, you know yeah.
Speaker 1:Now they're gone.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Now I can use my eyes and I'm like, you know, so that's the time when I was like, am I going to have to stop tattooing? Yeah, and I've only been doing this for like oh, I don't know what like a lot two years since COVID ended, because during COVID, you know, I was still technically a junior artist and you couldn't really tattoo. You tattooed every once in a while and that all the time.
Speaker 2:So you know, and then you know, now it's like a constant two years of tattooing and I'm like, wow, yeah, yeah, big time, yeah, yeah, you know, when we were kind of bullshitting around earlier, you know we were talking about kind of that heaviness of the work and taking that on and the conversations that we have. You know, I don't know, for me some of that is some of the gems but also some of the most challenging parts about the work that I do, you know, with other Indigenous folks and not saying that that's not true of other people. You know people who are non-Indigenous doing the work. But I can only speak from my own experience. You know some of that secondary trauma that comes from hearing people's stories.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I just, you know, just wanted to open that up, to explore that a little bit because you know I think it's an interesting thing. We, you know we talked about it when we were, you know, sitting upstairs. That you know we don't really talk about some of that stuff and maybe not about their stories. We don't have to explore that. But you know how sometimes that affects us as practitioners and, like you said to yourself, you know you weren't aware of that Like well, you're like what the fuck is going on here, right?
Speaker 1:Oh man, yeah, definitely when I first started, especially going into more like, because I always knew I wanted to do just mainly Indigenous artwork you know, because you know my dad, that was his biggest dream like that's what you should do and I'm like, yes, it is. And it really does you know, really does you know, come naturally, and so for me, I was like man. I want to share this with my people.
Speaker 1:And so then you know, we have a voice and we have something and I, as you know, as I started tattooing more and more and then, you know, everyone get laughs and stuff tattoo therapy, tattoo therapy you know, and as we talk about this, you know when I'm tattooing you usually always talk about how it really is.
Speaker 1:You know it is a ceremony, it is, it is medicine when you're tattooing and and you know it's always super important to remember that for yourself as well, to kind of protect your spirit so you're not absorbing other people's sad because you you know you can't.
Speaker 1:you can't fix people Like you can just kind of help and show different ways and show them kind of the way of different. You know how people process things differently and stuff like that and I didn't do that in the beginning, I didn't even realize. You know like I knew. I knew of that, you know from going to ceremony and you know with my uncle who is a medicine man and things like that of learning things like that, but I didn't put two into it together right in the beginning, so my mental health was really like I was.
Speaker 1:You know had experienced depression for the first time, probably about six months into being really well, getting more well known, and I was like what's happening? What?
Speaker 2:is this.
Speaker 1:Like, what's going on with my body, why is this happening? And then I'm realizing, you know, as I'm listening to these people's stories and taking it in, I'm holding it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know I'm not letting it go and I'm not doing the work of of letting it go and just being a mirror.
Speaker 2:And you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:Yeah, just being a mirror and being there and like listening, but don't take in that sad.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know that took me a little bit to learn of like oh, this is how I can get sick if I'm not doing the proper procedures for myself, you know yeah big time and I'm not, you know, making now. You know I make sure that I smudge when I get home, or you know when I before I started tattoo and make sure you know, and that's my process, that's how.
Speaker 2:I process things yeah.
Speaker 1:You know everybody has and every. You know everybody has their own ways of doing things, but that's how I do it, to acknowledge it.
Speaker 2:So then I am letting it go oh.
Speaker 1:And yeah, that definitely then the mental health of that stuff. You know I'm glad that I've. I have kind of gotten more of, like you know, my routines of how I do things. You know there's sometimes when I still tries to creep up, like and I'm like, oh, because I'm getting too busy, like you know what I mean Getting too busy, are just trying to pack a lot of things in there because I just want to help, as you know as many people as I can.
Speaker 1:Like you know, this is I'm really thankful for. You know everything I get to do and you know sometimes everybody's like okay let's take some breaks, take it down an arch.
Speaker 2:Yeah, come on now. You're only a human being right now. Yeah, totally yeah. I just wanted to highlight and, you know, bring forward that lesson that you're presenting. I just love how you phrase that. You know I'm be a mirror, Right, you know, because this is a conversation that I've had with you know people, I've mentored people, other people that I've talked to, and I just love that picture that you're painting with that. You know just, you know, yes, I'm here, yes, the mirror is still there, but you know you are not absorbing any of it. You're allowing it to stay with that person. Or, you know, absorb out into the world and the universe as opposed to being concentrated in there and then you taking it on. So it's just a beautiful picture that helps people to visualize what that experience is and that process of not absorbing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I feel like, especially in the tattoo industry, like even you know, non-indigenous tattoo artists, like because, like I said, it is a ceremony, whether or not you know, you believe in that, you know, but you know we are sharing energy where you know the contact we're touching. You know my hands will be stretching skin and, like you know, you're putting your body and your mind kind of through trauma.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and it's to help heal, you know it's to help heal.
Speaker 1:And you know, pain is temporary, the life is temporary, a lot of things are temporary, so it's really just feel that and be in the moment. Yeah, big time and you know, and even, like I was saying, non-indigenous tattoo artists, they experience that as well and they don't know what's happening. They don't get it. And until years later they're like, oh, okay. And a lot of them will be like, okay, I just can't hear your stories anymore.
Speaker 2:You know a lot of my friends who are in.
Speaker 1:They're just like I just asked them not to talk. Yeah, I put my headphones on and you'll see a lot of tattoo artists put their headphones on and like you know, that's okay. That's how they have to deal with it for their mental health you know, and it's like, oh, okay, so this is. You know, everybody feels like this. Yeah, big time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's an interesting conversation and you know, something I've also been thinking about, because I have talked about this work as tattoo medicine a lot, right, and brought that forward and started some of those conversations One of the things I've been thinking about lately is also bringing forward and helping people to understand that when you go into these, this work as a person receiving, you shouldn't expect it to heal, right, because there is potential that maybe it's just not doing the work that it needs to do and so that could put people in a place of like expectation coming into it and then, on the end of it, becoming more depressed, more hurt, because they never experienced what they thought they should experience, right.
Speaker 2:So I think there's no question in my mind that it is tattoo medicine, but and I haven't even been able to articulate or think through what I'm starting to realize or think about but, yeah, I just wanted to put that out there, that you know, maybe we have to start also problematizing the way that we look at it just a little bit, so that people don't come into it expecting it Especially. Yeah, I'm gonna be healed, you know, like the faith healer, like smack you on the head, you're healed, right? That's not how it works.
Speaker 1:So yeah, just maybe bringing that forward and opening it up for discussion, or we can drop it or whatever but yeah, yeah, definitely, I think, yeah, I can you know, I see what you're saying with, like you know, people are like kind of coming in and being like, hey, I'm gonna be healed after this. This is gonna make me feel so much better. But it's not like that. It's really for me and my you know, for my journey and things like that.
Speaker 1:I feel like a lot of issues is like living in the moment being here, being in the moment and being present and it can for me, it helps heal me that way of being in the moment when I get tattooed. You're like oh, I'm here because this is right now.
Speaker 2:I can't drift off because my body's really feeling this pain.
Speaker 1:And you know, and a lot of people you know, when they come and get tattooed when I'm doing their tattoo work, a lot of it is I. You know, I'm kind of a dream of it. I'll go to bed with this you know it'll tell me a little bit like oh, you know, I really want, I really want, you know, a wolf on my arm.
Speaker 1:And I'm like, oh, okay. And then you know, in my mind I'll go to bed and I'll think, okay, a wolf, she wants a wolf. And I've never met them because I always do consultations online because you know there was COVID times, so I just got used to that.
Speaker 1:And so you know, and I've never really met them that way and then usually I'll wake up and I'll start drawing. Sometimes it's in the middle of the night or something, and then it's like I've opened myself up to receiving whatever they're putting out there. And you know, it happens a lot where people will kind of it's exactly you know what they were wanting, like, how did you know to put five flowers in there? Cause that represents, you know, me and my brothers or how did you know that?
Speaker 1:I didn't even say that to you. You know, and that happened so much I'm like man that's like you know, and for a lot of those you know it's like this really helped me and you know what I mean. Cause it was kind of that intention that they put out there as well.
Speaker 1:Like I feel like that's really important. If you're coming to a tattoo of like kind of more open-mindedness and, like you know you can't like the realities like this isn't going to heal you overnight. It's not like that. It's like you doing the work and you realizing that you got to talk and tell your story and that's, you know, talking really helps heal. Like talking and visiting and sharing with other people. You know and I think that's kind of you know the real big healing part of it is like oh, I got to say what I needed to say.
Speaker 2:Now this is a step.
Speaker 1:This is a step towards you know, maybe talking to the person that I needed to talk to about this or talking to a doctor or talking. You know what I mean. Like talking to an elder or somebody Like. I feel like that's kind of like, you know, with tattooing, when I say, like healing, that's kind of what I mean is like the talking and the opening up. You know cause I?
Speaker 2:you know you're kind of vulnerable and it's like you know you kind of have to be cause you're being opened up anyways, right yeah?
Speaker 1:Kind of you know, coming at it with an open mind, or not open mind, but an open heart.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Open. You know your spirit kind of, and I really you can really tell the difference between people who come for tattoos, for that, and then you know people that are just like man, I really want that real cool flower work you do, you know.
Speaker 2:Which is dope. That's cool. There's nothing wrong with that at all. There's nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 1:But yeah, you can tell the difference though you know how they carry themselves. Oh, this is my like seventh tattoo. I'm like this is cool. That's dope, yeah, and then other people like it's my very first tattoo, and you know, and then they, they are the ones who have the stories and it's like wow, thank you for sharing. Like I'm always really appreciative of anybody who shares their story with me cause it's, it's hard. I know you know I used to have a real hard time with talking.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, big time. Yeah, no, it's awesome. Yeah, thank you for sharing your thoughts on that. I think it brings out and highlights a lot of important things. You know, when I, you know, what I hear is that part of that healing is coming in and being open to that process and going through that process.
Speaker 2:You know being present because, yeah, like you said, you know, so often we disassociate from our bodies, we don't allow ourselves to be in the present and the moment, which is a lesson to remember when I think about when I originally started thinking about it as tattoo medicine, for me it was connected to identity, right, because so much of our identity has been that of not admitting who we are. You know our parents, you know, not feeling that they could be who they were. You know my mom says you know, even though you know that you're native, you don't admit that, right? You know, you don't even she said, you don't even say that word. You know, like I'm just like, wow, that just blew my mind when my mom was, you know, said that.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, for me, that was where the medicine came. For me is like you look down and you know that this mountain's connected to you and your ancestors. You know, one of your ancestors wove this in a basket, right, and it's your ancestral visual language. So for me, that was where the tattoo medicine, where that thought, really came from right, and so it's interesting to explore it in a variety of ways. And I would say, you know our ancestors used it as physical healing medicine as well, so it's important to acknowledge that. And another thing I always say is, like our ancestors tattooed to be beautiful, so that's just as quote, unquote, traditional as it is to come for any other type of, you know, spiritual work and healing or whatever.
Speaker 1:That's exactly it. Yeah, that's why it's cool. Like you want the floral piece, get the floral piece. Yeah, it's dope, Like it's yeah Even if it doesn't have any significance at that time.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know it's beautiful and you love it. Yeah, man, It'll grow. It'll grow yeah.
Speaker 2:So I just want to kind of turn a little bit. Of course it's still related, but yeah, I'm here visiting with you and Edmonton to in preparation for the true tribal contemporary expressions of ancestral tattoo practices exhibition that's going to be opening in early 2024 at the Museum of Vancouver. You know what was the? What was your first thought when I first reached out to you to invite you to be part of the exhibition?
Speaker 1:Me. I think it was like nerve wracking.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because I know who you are.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, my God.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, I told Aiden right away. I was like guess who emailed me. You know, what I mean. This is crazy yeah. Definitely nervous, you know, nervous of like just I think, you know, like you heard me earlier and I was like you know, it's not that I'm amazing now you know because I still am working on the confidence thing and the having a voice type thing yeah, big turn.
Speaker 1:You know, because of you know my mom, and she was always kind of like a little bit more quiet and a little bit more. You know, don't speak.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally Sometimes.
Speaker 1:And so you know I'm still pushing through that and so it was definitely like really nerve wracking to think like, wow, like I get to be a voice. I know that you know every day. I do know that and I'm really thankful that I get to do that, like even with my work, when a lot of people like when they you know they're commenting or they're saying anything or they you know they're in my inbox and things- like that I'm like whoa, this is so cool that I get to be a part of this representation.
Speaker 1:that's happening right now you know, like whoa, like, so it was pretty. Yeah, I was pretty amazed, I guess.
Speaker 2:And still.
Speaker 1:You know, there's still like a lot of times and I'm like oh man, yeah, that's cool yeah. I was really excited to be able to be a part of this. And like you know the and learn from other people and like and see their styles. And like you know, it's like this is like cool, like it's being a part of like history.
Speaker 2:that's gonna be, you know, yeah, totally, it is yeah, yeah, and it's cool. The one of the things that I really love and admire about your work is the color right, and that's why I call it, you know, true tribal, because it's truly tribal, from tribal people doing the work from our tribes and our nations right. And when people think of tribal, they think of 90s tribal, which there's nothing wrong with that. I love my 90s tribal.
Speaker 2:But yeah it's totally different, right, and the other reason is that you can see that it's connected to the ancestors, but you can also you're also reminded that we are contemporary people in this colorful world, right, and so that's one of the things that I really love about the work that you put out, and so, yeah, I just wanted to open that up and share that with you and see how you connect with those things.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, man, you know, when I was younger, in ceremony I was given my name and you know I was told like, oh, you know, you're so bright, you're gonna bring color into people's lives. And so you know, now, you know, I just had that realization about two years ago, when I was really you know, people were asking me how do you get everything so bright? How?
Speaker 1:does that happen and I was like you know, I don't really know, I don't really know. You know, it's like you can watch me and kind of learn, Like I'm always open. You know, when people have questions on like how it works, I'm like just watch, watch how I'm doing it and watch my process for the process and how it happens. And you know, and you know, I was sitting there and I was like, oh my God, I was like you know, I mean, my brother were laughing because he got his the same day too.
Speaker 1:And he's like look what you're doing now. And, like you know, we were only like, I think when we got our names and I was like, oh man, this is so cool because it's literally what I'm doing right now. You know I'm actually putting color on people and, you know, making the world a little bit brighter. It's like it's so cool and it's really amazing to be able to, like, share that gift of you, know, all this beautiful color that's you know, all around us, all the time, you know.
Speaker 1:Sometimes these cities are a little gray.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally.
Speaker 1:Look at all these people with these tattoos.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I would say part of that is also the gift of your personality, right Cause I can, the way that I experience you anyway, is that you are very bright, right, your personality is out there, so I would just, you know, lift you up in that too. That that's part of that process of bringing light to the world is also who you are as a person. Not only do you think that you do on people's skin, right yeah yeah, that was exactly it too.
Speaker 1:Like you know, a lot of you know I post a lot about my best friends. I have a lot of best friends, you know I've been in the middle of honor like four times. Yeah, I got a lot of friends, but it's cause, like I, just I love people and. I love, you know, sharing kind of the as much as my light, as that you know, as I'm able to. And so like I always try to be like a bright light cause I enjoy it you know, and I'm so like thankful.
Speaker 1:I like that it's kind of naturally there to be, you know, silly and quirky, and just really like and be genuine about it.
Speaker 2:You know like it's not fake, it's nothing like that and it's like so lucky.
Speaker 1:you know, my mom was pretty silly person. And thanks mom for having this crazy humor. And yeah, totally but yeah, like that was it too. You know cause I that's how I took it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:When I was younger, I took it like cause I'm, I'm really like I'm a bright person you know, and that's how I took it and then you know, as the years went on, I was like I'm a bright person and and I call her people yeah, cha-ching, yeah. I was like, oh, that's real cool. Thanks, ancestors, yeah, I say that all the time. I'm like man, you just listen, it's all around you. Yeah, big time. Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:When you think of those pieces and you know the way they come to life and the way they make well, when I think about them.
Speaker 2:One of the reasons why I thought it was important to bring this exhibition forward was to show that, you know, especially contemporary indigenous skin markers and tattoo artists are bringing our ancestral visual language back into the world. You know, because I have spent so many hours looking through books, looking at, in view, you know, museum collections in the back rooms of these dusty places Not all of them dusty, but some of them dusty places. And you know, and I think, like our ancestors would have wore these design symbols and motifs on their bodies, you know, they would have wore them on their clothes, on their, on our baskets, on our weaving all of that stuff out into the world, you know, and they're stuck there in the museums, and so the work that you're doing is, you know, bringing the visual language of your ancestors back into the world, so it's in our consciousness, so we can look at it and we begin to read it, instead of just seeing it back there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like it being. It's like oh yeah, we're still here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, hell yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, and it's like it's super amazing to be able to have that gift to you know what I mean to feel that, like you know, I miss my parents.
Speaker 2:I miss them so much, but like I know that they're here, you know and have experienced and seen so much in my life and in my culture of being able to see those things, that it's like, wow, like this is really real.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean, Like you know, even if you didn't grow up in it. You know which, unfortunately, a lot of people haven't gotten to experience that. Yeah, it is, and so I think you know when I a lot of this when it comes to it comes from my dreams it really does.
Speaker 1:So you know, then that's, that's the other. You know my brain opening up to receiving these messages that are all around us all the time, and then that's when I'm listening to it the most is when I'm you know, when I'm sleeping receiving it. So I'm like well, like so thankful of like. Oh yeah, I'm gonna put this down because this is what somebody is speaking through me yeah you know they're. You know my ancestors. You know it's in here and it's out there like, and it's speaking through me.
Speaker 1:Yeah kind of you know. I grew up learning, like you know, about the trees and how they speak to us all the time. And you know is I was really. You know, I always, you know, talk to the grass. Oh, can I step here? Yeah am I allowed to step here?
Speaker 2:You know, walking to school every day I would do that.
Speaker 1:You know, watching you walking by a tree and I'd like touch it.
Speaker 2:I'm like you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Like I grew, up, really like listening to nature and paying attention to those things. So you know, like now I listen to my intuition of like, oh, you know, this is, you know, put this here and put that there, and it's like this visualization, like I get to share this with other people who can't see this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know and it's.
Speaker 1:It's gonna be so cool because now it's gonna be out there, we're gonna have representation and the youth is gonna see this and they're gonna feel so much stronger to use their voice. Yeah just like having you know my model here, makayla, having her here, you know she's only 21 and she's doing amazing yeah badass, you know?
Speaker 1:Yeah, this is so cool to be able to be a part of this and let them have their representation, you know. Something that I wanted so bad when I was growing up, like you know. I remember Asking my dad and being can I have a bone necklace? Dad, can I have a bone necklace?
Speaker 2:You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:He's like oh, you know, they're real expensive and I got a salp. This one Are you?
Speaker 2:know what I mean, stuff like that and I'm like I just really want one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, totally and then you know, and beadwork, beadwork was so hard to come by back. Yeah, you know it's like I just really want beadwork and my mom's making moggis and can I have one? And she's like and this is a commission, you know okay. Stuff like that, and then now, like you know, because it's more out there, it's so beautiful to like totally watch it progress and all these cool, amazing, like contemporary ways, and it's like. Oh man, like that's Beto juice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally.
Speaker 1:You know, I just found an artist. Oh, I wish I could remember her name. She does Like West Coast art and she kind of made it like anime stuff, like it's with anime inspiration. Oh this is so cool. My daughter's gonna love this.
Speaker 2:That's dope, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well to be able to see it come out like in such a different way, but to have that you know, that history behind it too and, like you, know what all the little symbols are and things.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Wow, this is so cool to be alive today, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're pretty lucky, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm able to like, kind of be a part of that too, and like you know, like, oh, this is. You know, this is what this flower represents. This is how I chose to draw this. You know, with all of the tattoos that I draw, there's always a meaning. Yeah, even if the client didn't ask for a meaning behind it, I always you know there's always a meaning I put behind everything and I'm like oh you know, this is the story that I told with this you know a visually story because we're you know story to people.
Speaker 1:It's what we do is everything you know, like you know. A person told me like I love watching your Instagram. My favorite part is watching you name things and you know, you know what it means I was like oh, thank you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, big time, yeah, yeah. And I would say part of that is also to the gift, the, the Inheritance that we have been given Through our ancestral visual languages, right, like those are the ones that taught us, right, and so we can easily tell stories with our designs, right, and you know, I've been in a place where, you know, I've done Northwest Coast, you know Formline design work, but I'm not connected to it, except for those people who help me who are from the Northwest Coast, right. But I was like, ah, that's just like not allowing me to tell the stories from my ancestors, right, and so it's like, yeah, just coming to that realization of, like, how badass our ancestors were and how they have gifted us these beautiful Treasures to be able to share with the world, to tell the stories that we need to.
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, pretty cool yeah yeah, like yeah, find your own voice and kind of interpret it in your way too.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, listening to it, yeah, yeah like it's magic. Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's like cool, like it's really you know, like for all the upcoming, like artists and people are thinking about getting into tattooing or anything to do with art. It's really just listening to your voice and your intuition, like that, is so important. Don't doubt.
Speaker 1:Yeah yourself you know what I mean like that doubting voice, that you know that a lot of colonial mindset, you know, kind of been put in there by that's how they want us to be, and you know, and pushing that away and just really being like, no, this is what I'm gonna do and I was like and it really, you know, it shows up and then it's like that's what you're supposed to do you know, Whether it be in art or you know other forms of, you know hunting or anything, yeah, and you know work you know, Some people are crazy doctors you know and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:It's like yeah, okay, those are your gifts.
Speaker 1:Those are your gifts. Yeah, and just really listen to it and go forward. It's not gonna be easy all the time. Yeah you know, but definitely like just kind of strive through it and just listen. You know be like Should I really be in school for seven years?
Speaker 2:Yeah, if you really.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean like totally those little messages will be there, don't doubt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you for sharing that. I think it's a important, valuable gem that you're Gifting to people who are listening, and I would say that you know you're a constant Student and a teacher in that right, because you're not only saying it, but that is what your life has been, is Taking those steps and Helping. You know, it's almost like a reminder, you know, to yourself to continue to do that. You know, I keep saying a lot of times in these Podcasts to people is like, yeah, just be gentle with yourself.
Speaker 2:I can't remember I think it was Nolan Malbuff, I was talking with him and he's like Dion, you've told me to be gentle with myself a few times here and I was like you know what, bro? Because that is the lesson that I have to constantly remind myself of, right? And so I'm always like you know, be gentle. Right, because I have to always remind myself of that. You know, because, yeah, I am a perfectionist, but then I'm like, no, I got to be gentle and I got to just let that ride. The way it's gonna be is the way it's gonna be.
Speaker 1:And you know, be gentle, exactly yeah, cuz I feel like, yeah, we can also get into that mindset. That is something I have to really remind myself to, like you know, taking this two weeks off. Yeah and you know it's been a little bit in the back of my mind. You know the anxiety trying to creep up, like maybe you could be working. But you could be working, you should be working. Yeah you know, in my spirits, like you know well, yeah let's just enjoy time with the kids.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's go swimming every day, let's go. You know what I mean?
Speaker 1:I'm like right, you know, I haven't worked really. And like how long, and I'm like I remember. Yeah, but you know it's been so nice to play. Just be gentle like right and it's like you can just actually Take a breath and breathe. When you kind of remind yourself of that, you know like it's okay. It's okay to just be lazy all day if that's what you need.
Speaker 1:Like do it yeah it's like you don't have to be go, go, go and push, push, push, even though you know that's kind of what we're made to do in these schooling systems. Yeah you know, little worker bees that's all we're trying to create. Yeah, yeah yeah, be gentle on yourself and try to push past, you know totally use that. You know that, that push, that force. You know what I mean and fight back against the system.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's trying to breed us to be workers.
Speaker 1:It's like no, you know what.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm so glad that you know that this is happening near the end of my two weeks is like, oh, this has been great. Like I feel like.
Speaker 2:You're overcharged. You're ready.
Speaker 1:You know, things kind of got moved around a little bit with our schedule. I'm like, yeah, I'm fine. Yeah, you're like I'm down literally sleeping on my brother's couch right now the way at summer camp. Yeah and you know we have a real big house and she's my son, so he's like what do you want to do?
Speaker 1:and she's like she's the little go-getter, she's the one who's like let's go swimming, let's go for a hike, let's go here, let's go do that, you know, let's make some art. And so me and him are just like I don't know. And he's like you want to go to uncle's? Like yeah, and you know, me and my brother are like this yeah, and I have like five brothers, I have a lot of brothers.
Speaker 1:Yeah and then I was like, yeah, we'll just go there. So we've been pretty much just sleeping over at his house, even though we live in the same city. I was like, oh well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally.
Speaker 1:Get away from all that other stuff. Yeah, it's really cool, though. Cool.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, uh, when you think about, when you were thinking about this podcast or looking at stuff, is there any Thoughts or questions or things that came to mind that you would like to explore, you know, with me? Or in general, or just ideas you've been thinking about that we could spitball.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:All these questions.
Speaker 1:I don't know. I Think honestly it was like real, more nervous than anything else, yeah you know, kind of in the beginning and it was really nice to kind of have the talk that we. You know we got to talk upstairs and get you know, get get acquainted. Yeah, I get acquainted, go quick, equated or have you said that Acquainted?
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, the way that I say it, you know somebody else is gonna be like that's not how you say it, yeah whatever you know, it's really nice to kind of get that like you know, that, that like feeling you know, and show that energy yeah between each other before, and then I'm like, oh okay, it's just like talking to my friend. Yeah, yeah, just chilling out. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't know, I really like, would look forward to maybe, like I don't know, one day doing a collab together.
Speaker 2:Totally like that.
Speaker 1:I think that would be really cool, or you know, even that thing we were talking about earlier, like yeah, I'm doing some work together.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I'm really excited for the possibilities of you know of doing that and learning from you, and yeah, all your years of experience and yeah you know I'm pretty excited about that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, totally.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it's a pretty cool I would say an exciting time because, you know, for a long time there weren't that many. You know indigenous Tattoo artists, professional tattoo artists, you know out in the world, you know, like I'd be the only one you know, and the Edmonton, or you know, the Calgary tattoo show yeah, I'd be the only one in there, my booth, you know all the natives would come, all the Indians would be crowded around. Right, it'd be so funny blocking up the whole, the whole Lane, but yeah, I was. So it is exciting for me to be able to, you know, experiencing this time of growth and this is beautiful and powerful and amazing.
Speaker 1:It's so cool and I also I want to say thank you for all the work that you've done. Like you know, it was such an inspiration to kind of growing up and like saying I was like, oh my god, there's a native tattoo artist.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had never seen that, and I've only ever seen you and then eventually, like years later.
Speaker 1:You know, when you did the school. Yeah and then, you know, I seen Amy and I was like, oh man, this is so cool. I didn't have a computer or phone until I was like 22.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just wasn't about technology then. But you know so.
Speaker 1:I was like man, like you know, it was such an inspiration for me to see that and be like okay, like I can do that too. You know this other native guy did it, you know, Totally being able to have that, like To have that representation you know, I'm very thankful for that, I think yeah, thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 2:You know it's it's good to hear and I you know I take that to heart and I really appreciate you sharing that with me because it, yeah, sometimes it was hard, you know, like being there. Luckily, I had a dope mentor, carla Romanuck, who's a, you know, a dope, my dope mentor, and she was always there. You know, sometimes in those conventions, you know, it's just her and I, you know, even though she's non-indigenous, she's just a badass.
Speaker 2:So you know, an awesome human being, so it was good to have her always there. But, yeah, you know, you're the only one in the place, so it's, it's super exciting to see you all coming up, and not only More coming up. But people are just so talented, right, you all, and you're all just so different. It's just so amazing and it's exciting and you know it gives me fire, you know, to keep going and to do and have these conversations, you know, like what? Like a tattoo podcast about indigenous tattooing, what the fuck. So it's just cool.
Speaker 1:It's cool to be in a time where that could be done, right, yeah, you know, and then you know it had been, you know, built to not have a voice and to not have that and to be able to like be here and, like man, like we have a voice and we're using it, and there's so many more, like you know, people coming out and, like you know, sharing, like even allies and things like that.
Speaker 1:Wow, this is so like, this is amazing to watch, you know, and like, even, like I said, when youth or anybody comes in, they're like 18, 19. I think I want to do tattooing. I think that's really what I want to do and it's like, yeah, like anytime you have questions, like anything you know, please like reach out or you know, ask for you know how to get an apprenticeship or do these other things. Like I am always down to share my knowledge that I have, you know, just do it cleanly properly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we don't want anybody getting sick. Totally.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's like I think that's super cool and like that's all I want to. You know, you want to share the you know people I Don't. You know a lot of people in the industry. Industry kind of. Eventually you get people that kind of copy your work sometimes.
Speaker 1:And then there's people that get inspired by your work. Yeah, and that's so different. You know what I mean. There's people I love that you know somebody's like inspired by. It's like, yeah, like, and you know I'll share their work and I'll share their page because I'm like this is beautiful. We need more of this, we need more representation you know, that's, that's what I love, you know. Totally sometimes you know when it's like the exact copy for copy I'm like, but use your voice, use your words.
Speaker 1:You know it is your vision and then that's what you know. That's the amazing part is when you get to be genuinely to yourself. Like Jcat I don't know if you've ever heard of him Jonathan Cardinal, he's a, he's an amazing artist. He's not a tattoo artist, but he's an amazing artist and he does like, more, like again, anime style. Yeah it's real bright and real bold and I, like he's one of the and a person that I was like wow, like super inspired by him.
Speaker 1:Just because his colors are just magnificent, he's a graffiti artist. I'm like wow like you got some amazing stuff going on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's cool, yeah, yeah he's pretty. If you haven't seen him or check them out, go check them out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, check him out, he's real amazing. Yeah, it's real quiet, but he's real cool. Totally yeah, um.
Speaker 2:Oh, what was that that? I was just thinking oh, did you want to explore a little bit the fact that people been jacking your shit, or what?
Speaker 2:You know it's so funny because when I first actually thought about doing a podcast about indigenous tattooing it's so fucked up, really that this is the original thought, for the title of the Podcast was who's stealing, stealing my shit podcast, right, just because it just so happens. And it's not even like Even in the case where your case, where it was like copy for copy, but like totally jacking the style when that's not from your people or from your ancestors, right, or the and the ancestors of the people you're doing it on, right. So I was like that was the original title was who's Jack, who's stealing my shit podcast?
Speaker 1:And it's really frustrating, like again inspired by is so beautiful. I love that. You know what I mean. Yes, please be inspired by me. That's what I want. But the the stealing, like you know, piece for piece, and especially now, since I work at bombshell. Yeah, you know, and northern you know, and they're like you know, the supply company that you know, he owns the studio. Yeah so even that, you know, a lot of people are a little bit more scared now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, because I have that on my back everybody knows Aiden and Liz, everybody in the tattoo industry, kind of they know everybody, yeah. So you know, when you know these non-indigenous people Tattoo my designs which, again, like a lot of them, come from my dreams and they're specifically a story for a person you know, they steal them exactly. You know I was like, oh, that's not their story that you're tattooing on them. You know it's like you could make that your own or you could do that. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:And then Usually I'll just like, hey, I don't, I don't really appreciate that, like you don't really you know, the one person wrote oh, sometimes I just she who's a non-indigenous tattoo artist, yeah, sometimes I just like tattooing Random designs on people and random things that mean nothing. And then you know, and that was the part that offended me- I was like shit.
Speaker 2:Actually is a story that I'm telling. You know I was like for me.
Speaker 1:That's a story and you're just downgrading it to nothing. That's just color. Yeah you know, I was like wow, I was like I was more offended by that. But that, you know, and then immediately it was like man check out this page, you know, and then, northern. And then they're like, and then immediately, of course you know, they took it down, because then they realized, oh man, like they know them. Not messed with them, because you know the tattoo world can sometimes be a real, like Clicky yeah, you know it's very clicky and, very like you know, it's all about who you know.
Speaker 1:It really is all about who you know. Yeah, so you know if you're gonna be known as a copy artist and then they're like, okay, never mind, I'll take it down.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, you know.
Speaker 1:I'm just like guys, like I, just you know you're stealing somebody else's story, that's all. If you want an original piece, you can, you know, come and see me for an original piece, or yeah, I can commission a drawing and get it done by somebody else. Yeah then it would be your own story. You don't have to. You know my model today. Yeah, you know, somebody stole her piece Exactly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so upset, you know, she showed me it.
Speaker 1:I was like and so sorry that happened to you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's cool to be in a place now where the tattoo industry and folks who are in the industry have indigenous people's backs you know, it hasn't always been that way, for sure, still not what that way. Sometimes, when I go to places, I have to remind myself that I'm not always there for those people in the industry. I'm there for the clients who are coming. So it's cool to see that you have Some folks backing you up you know holding you up.
Speaker 2:So that's cool. So shout out to all of those who you know are holding holding that space.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, it's really helpful, it's real nice, because I remember I think it was about 18- when, I thought about getting into tattooing. Well, again 14 watching my stepdad, and then I was like hey, that looks real fun. You know and then I didn't want to mention this earlier about my mom, was like you can get a tattoo too. So I was like, okay, so I got a tattoo and I was like 14 and you know it turned out pretty good. I still love it. Um, just this little Pisces symbol here.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:I don't regret it, but you know, and then I started tattooing. My brother, you know he's only 14 too, would not suggest that. But then you know, I was like, okay, I was only 14, I got to wait a little bit, build my portfolio and get into tattooing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, big time.
Speaker 1:So I started doing that and then turn 18 and I tried to get into a studio.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's no way, anybody wanted my artwork.
Speaker 2:You know it's native. Yeah, you know it's not.
Speaker 1:It's not anything, yet it's not you know what I mean. So it was like oh, so it got really pretty discouraged from like you know a lot of these big biker shops, because that's all it kind of was. You know it was like kind of a boys game of like. You know, you got to be tough and be strong and it's real intimidating and all that's stupid.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean so kind of going into that.
Speaker 1:And then I got, I got discouraged at 18. I was like oh, never mind. Yeah maybe this is not what I want to do, because these people are real rude and you know what? Yeah, and they're all just. They're just in it for the money and whatever else. So then I didn't do it. I didn't do it at that time and it wasn't for me at that time, then right. So then, yeah, that's kind of how I that ended up, and I was like okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. Well, I'm really glad and I'm I'm stoked that you, you know, circled back and came back to it and, you know, are now sharing your light, you know, and bringing color to the world. So it's super cool to, you know, have this conversation and to recognize your story and your journey, and I really appreciate you being vulnerable and sharing about some of the struggles that you have and have had and, you know, it's good to see you thriving and doing the work that you're doing.
Speaker 1:If people wanted to reach out or find you or book up some stuff where they find you, Instagram is like kind of where you can see all my work and stuff, but usually everything is through email and I do have a website, it's. Tristan Jenny art. Yeah even if you just Google Tristan Jenny. Yeah, yeah, my website will pop up, which is real cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know what?
Speaker 1:kids are always laughing. They're like mom, when I googled you, you have three pages on Google. But yeah, like, even if you do that and just like message or email, because things get lost. Oh, for example, the other day.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Tuesday I had a lady who's supposed to be coming in from Northwest Territories. Yeah and I was like okay, you know, I confirmed her appointment. She's like oh, I'm confirming for the 25th.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I just need to know the time. I'm like, oh yeah, 100% sorry. I usually write that down on my confirmation thing and I told her you know, nine at nine o'clock, I need there for nine because we had appointments and stuff. And then I'm waiting there nine o'clock on that Tuesday and I'm like where, where is this lady? Why? Is she not here yet and I you know find her number and I was like, hey, so you're not here, I'm gonna unfortunately have to cancel our appointment because I can't go past this time, because I have prior engagements.
Speaker 1:Yeah and then she's like what are you talking about? Our appointment September 25th. And I was like what my emails all say July 25th. I'm really confused right now. She's like member, I messaged you. I.
Speaker 2:DM'd you and we.
Speaker 1:We switched it and I was like, and I look through my DMs and I was like, oh right, cuz usually I get quite a few DMs a day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love you guys so much. It happens a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm like, I was like, oh, okay. So I looked and I was like oh, we did change it to September 25th. And then I and I wrote in there. Can you please email me the new day? Yeah cuz I'm going to forget. I will you know, and then she's like yeah, for sure, but she just emailed me saying the 25th. She didn't say September. Yeah so you know, in my calendar it said July 25th yeah so this is why I only do emails.
Speaker 2:Totally yeah.
Speaker 1:Big, long-winded story, but that's how that happened.
Speaker 2:No, that's cool, no, it's good. And I would say that you know it's not. When I think about the fact that you, you know your kids and people that you Are associated with, look and see you all, you know three pages, right, you're coming up. I would say that that is also Part of the medicine of the work that we do. You know, because when we were growing up we didn't have those role models Right, and so to have indigenous role models and see Indigenous people doing epic shit is important for those who are coming up, those youth right, and so it's it's not something, to, you know, brush by.
Speaker 2:So I just wanted to highlight that that is part of the medicine of doing this work, because part of that Colonial project again, was to make us think that we're savages, make us think that we're dirty, make us think that we're All drunks, to make us think all that bullshit, and so when we have those positive role models and people can see us, it's, it's fucking hella important. I would say it's part of the way that kids can see themselves in the future, because part of the, you know, people deciding not to be with us is they can't see the future, they can't see themselves in the future. And so when we do that work and you know you show up three pages, right, yeah, right, like that is helping the youth and those who are coming to see the future. So it's not something to brush by. So I just wanted to put that forward and, you know, lift you up in that. It's important work. You know.
Speaker 1:That's why, you know, I kind of gave thanks to you earlier too, because you know, being able to see that really helped me and to put myself in this place you know like that representation matters so much. And I remember being young and like, if I seen like anybody, like an indigenous, doing so, I was like, oh my god, this is beautiful, I can do that. I remember being a youth and you know thinking, even though I hate school.
Speaker 2:Best at learning and things like that. I draw all day.
Speaker 1:You know seeing somebody being like a judge or something like that I'm like I could do that, even though I didn't want to.
Speaker 2:But it was just the fact that I could.
Speaker 1:You know, I was like whoa, this is so cool, Like, it's so important, like, and I'm so glad to to get to be a part of that, you know even watching my own children. Yeah you know my niece. Right now she's going to school because she wants to be a doctor and I'm like this is so cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally, this is amazing.
Speaker 1:You know, my partner has her PhD in indigenous studies and things like that. I'm like that's so cool, like How'd you do that? But being able to have that representation, you know it's so amazing. I get to work with Georgina lightning all the time. You know the director and actress and stuff and so watching all the cool stuff she does, and I was like whoa, you know my daughter really wants to do acting and being able to.
Speaker 1:You know she loves her and I'm like this is really wicked to be this time and to be able to be a part of that. You know I'm pushing through the. You know the mental barriers that sometimes come with that. Yeah and just pushing through it and being like no, like I'm doing really important to work right now and just yeah, be gentle, but also yeah, yeah, keep you in a bad ass, yeah you know, and I love it.
Speaker 1:I go to work every day. I'm like this is so cool. I get to do this every day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like, how cool, if I want to, you know, if I want to, I get to do this. Yeah, I have to.
Speaker 1:It's like a, like cool. I've been blessed enough to want to do this. Yeah, yeah, that's awesome, yeah so cool.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, I just like to round it up and just give you a big thank you for Coming, sitting with me, being willing to be part of the exhibition and also, yeah, bringing bringing forward and making, embodying that name that you were given you know, you know doing that work to Bring that to light and bring that to the world. So it's I'm super stoked that you sat down with me.
Speaker 1:So, thank you. Well, thank you so much for inviting me to do this. I think it's really beautiful. You know all the work that you do and your crew.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally, it's so good.
Speaker 1:Well, like I, you know, very appreciative Thank you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, awesome. Hey everyone, thanks for stopping by and taking this journey with me Through this episode. I hope you enjoyed it. I'll just ask that you would go and subscribe, if you haven't already done so and if you have subscribed, thank you very much. I appreciate you following this journey. I just want you to remember that, no matter who you are, where you're from, what you've done or what you've been through, that you were amazing, that you were loved, and that we need you here today and Going into the future so that we can transform this world for the better Through our collective thoughts, actions, feelings and our compassion for each other as human beings. Hand on over to next week's episode, where I talked to Keith Callahou, a Mohawk artist based out of Edmonton, alberta. In this episode, we talk about the importance of Passing knowledge on to the next generation, and the last thing that I will ask you is to do me a solid and share this episode With somebody that you think will enjoy it. Thanks a lot and see you next week.