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absolutely nothing wrong with that. There’s an ar
tist out there for everyone. – Who are your tattoo heroes here in Dublin and globally? MC: I wouldn’t call them tattoo heroes, but artists around the world that inspire me every day, like Makkala Rose, Chris Green, Sneakymitch and Bryan Povac. Looking back at many years ago, I could label Filip Leu, Guy Aitchison and Lyle Tuttle absolute masters of the tattoo history evolution. NG: There are so many artists who inspire me. I’ve always felt it particularly important to support other female artists. We’ve been the underdogs but the industry is changing and through hard work female artists are garnering the respect they deserve. I am hugely inspired by the work of Claudia DeSabe, Valerie Vargas and Gaia Leone as well as other artists like Robert Ryan, Sway and Kojo Ichimaru. – How long does it take to learn the skills needed to do it professionally? AH: The simple answer is as much time as you are willing to put in. MC: It’s very hard to say, it’s very personal, today is definitely easier compared to when I started, the equipment for tattooing was very different, no disposable grips, no disposable needles ready to use too! You had to buy single needles in the size that you preferred, long taped or not and solder the needles together, then clean them in ultrasound bath and then finally sterilise them, I was spending every Monday getting needles ready for my mentor and I for the week, grips were only in steel, thin as a cigarette and the tattoo machines very heavy, so definitely not easy to work with. It’s funny looking back at a kind of prehistoric, mesozoic era of tattooing, it’s beautiful if you think that this handcrafted art is constantly evolving. – Where did you hone your craft? NG: I learned from a lot of different artists along the way, but I credit the vast majority of what I learned to Iain, Antone and Maja (@iaincummins_tattoo, @antoneel90, @majabohemien). They picked up my confidence when it had been knocked and taught me so much from each of their styles which has all been beneficial in developing my own way of tattooing today. LH: I moved to Dublin in Feb 2019. I realise now I had very little knowledge when it came to the technical application, understanding my equipment to the full, focusing on the longevity of the tattoos I was creating, etc. I’m indebted to the artists I worked alongside in the studio when I moved to Dublin. The talent, encouragement and support I was surrounded with pushed me every day to be better. I was given the knowledge and help I needed to progress, picking up tips and techniques off every artist of every different style. Above, left to right, with their work in inserts: Niamh Gannon Lucy Harrington Maja Chiaradia Agne Hurt – Any advice you would give to others considering carving their own paths and creating their own luck? AH: I don’t have a secret recipe but the only thing I can truly say – stop overthinking it and just do it. And persist if you really believe in it. LH: Just go for it. If the idea terrifies you, even better, the satisfaction of finally achieving it will be all the more euphoric then. – What are the main tracks blasting the GDC stereo at the moment? NG: We all have very different music tastes but they all mash together! Right now, we’re listening to the new Deftones album, some Phoebe Bridgers, Fontaines D.C. and any emo that came out in 2005 which was hands down the best year for music ever. MC: We play different music genres, usually we play something soft/chill/trippy, sometimes ‘80s, that can help us to concentrate and that helps clients to relax and enjoy their time with us. 18 Eustace Street, Dublin 2 IG: @girlsdontcry 15