Authenticity as an Artist in a Cut & Paste World.

Why I am no longer sharing much of my ceremonial tattoo pieces on insta & how authenticity as a sacred artist is far more valuable than being seen. (With a mini gallery of recent tattoo work)

I know many of you are here to see a mini gallery of some of my recent works, and well, if you’re not into reading and you’re a subscriber- you can go straight to the gallery at the end of this post.

Though, if you’d love to read about why I’m sharing more of my art here and less on Instagram, keep reading. I will admit, it gets a little ranty, but I’m sure many of you will relate.  

The messages within this share can be directed to both artists and viewers of art. It’s nice to get a glimpse into the mind of an artist and all we face as a creative in the online world.

I guess you could say, I’m breaking up with ‘being seen.’

As an artist, naturally I want to share all that I create. I want art to be celebrated in all the ways, to create a gallery, where each piece of art I am proud of is on display for all to see, and although I’ve been doing this for many years now, over the last many months, perhaps even the last year, I have been sharing less and less and It’s felt quite liberating.

Hundreds of pieces of art, mostly tattoos, because that’s what I’m mostly known for, just sitting in my camera roll, on my camera disappearing into a void of never to be seen again. But alas, it does not feel amazing to think that they may not ever be seen again, so I’ve been pondering on how I can still share these works that I am so proud of in a space that energetically and consciously choses to receive and witness them.

I won’t lie and say it doesn’t hurt when I see that other artists have copied my work. I get it though, the online space has become a space of inspiration, and I know how inspired I get witnessing others art. If it wasn’t for the inspiration I witnessed online over the years, I wouldn’t have got into tattooing over a decade ago. I wouldn’t have developed the styles I practiced early on in my career, before I weave intention, ritual, and ceremony into my practice- all which landed organically without the inspiration of social media.

We all need to start somewhere though, right? And in the tattoo industry there are “styles” that trend, styles that remain timeless, and of course, styles that fade out like an old pair of jeans that tell a story of who you once were.

 So, while yes, many artists in this industry gain inspiration from other artists work, style, and artistry- the online world is far different to what it was back when I began. No longer are we witnessing photographs of art or tattoos, instead it has become a performance stage where people are- more often than not- performing to be seen, performing to be heard, many brewing with the desire to “make it” as the next superstar viral video blogger or artist soon to be forgotten (unless they keep up with the trends and algorithm) … seriously… it’s getting BORING!

Following trends, copying styles of videos that have gone viral with hooks and audio so over-used you can almost predict what’s going to show up on your feed before it even loads. Authenticity is rare these days, but I will admit I’m still on the platform for those who are remaining true to their authentic expression. I also very much understand why many people jump on the trends, the online world has become a most valuable tool for monetisation and business growth. I get it, even though there’s still much I just don’t get.

Though, we must remember, these apps want us using them ALL THE TIME, they don’t favour pages that take breaks, post only when they want to, don’t follow trends. What once was a space of visionary blogging and authentic sharing, is now in many ways controlling so many creatives and business owners and trapped in a digital space that many of us NEED to take a break from, making them believe it’s the only way to be seen, to grow as an artist, as a business, and to ultimately survive because growth= money in many eyes. I invite you to ponder, how many times as a creative human being do you scroll Instagram only to then be filled with the feelings of “I’m not doing enough” “I’m not creative enough” “my voice / creativity / craft is not worthy enough to be seen” because no matter what you do with your page, you just can’t seem to get over a certain number of likes, shares, follows. A space that was built for creatives, is in many ways killing our creative essence, and I’ve had enough of it.

I’ve used Instagram for what it is, I’ll sometimes use trending audios if I know what I am sharing is something that I really want to be seen, but more often than not, that alone is not enough. Sooo many words are shadowed in that online space these days, even the word “medicine”.  Sometimes I’m still scrolling, sometimes still wondering what it is I want to share, and for me, it’s whatever is alive in me in the moment, and yet it’s often those things that get lost in peoples feeds because it’s not favourable to the algorithm. I know the app well, I know what works, I spent years figuring it all out, for me, it was “easy” because I continued to show up authentically and fortunately my work lives within a beautiful sacred niche that once upon a time not many people were doing. Yet, as that niche began to trend and grow, and as more and more of my work, words and energy were stolen and claimed as someone else’s, no longer does it feel right to be using that space as the only space to articulate my message, my heart work, my art, and the integrity I hold for the work that I do in the ceremonial tattooing world.

I ebb and flow from the space, often deleting the app for days on end just to take a break and allow my creative ideas to come from within. A double-edged sword that on one side, allows you to take a break from the constant stimulation and noise, but then, on the other side makes you have to “work” to get your page getting seen again, except at this point in my life / career/ I am totally okay with not being seen any more than I already am. It’s actually something not many of us consider until suddenly we are there; what does it actually mean to be seen and is it something we are willing to hold once we are there?

For me, being seen is like a container we must have the ability to hold otherwise it can spill out into parts of life in ways we aren’t prepared for. There’s many nuances in this, with one side of the spectrum taking you deep into the wounds of identity and “who am I’s” as you strive to show up as authentic as possible, yet with a knowing that no one in a digital world will ever truly know you, only the version of you they have created in their own minds, which can often lead to people pedal stooling you (a conversation for another time perhaps), or another side taking you deep into what some now call imposter syndrome and “enoughness”, then another side taking you deep into the triggers that come with having your art, offerings, words and sometimes even identity stolen, recycled and claimed as someone else’s.

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point- it’s not all peachy in the space of being seen, even when it’s merely just tens of thousands of people. I can only imagine what arises for people in the larger space of hundreds of thousands or millions of eyes on them.

So ultimately, where I am getting at is that the desire to spread my work all over the world, to be seen and known for what I am offering this world, just no longer feels important, because I feel it has been seen enough, that there’s enough people out there wanting to receive my work (and copying it), that there’s many clients I have marked that are still telling all their friends to come and see me, and so I’m breaking up with being seen and instead cultivating a deeper relationship with my clients, many of whom become kindreds, those who follow and show continuous support, and those on the sidelines waiting patiently to receive my work. Because they matter more than trying to reach anyone else who hasn’t showed any support at all.

I often wonder if it’s the ingrained limiting beliefs I have around success (which is also something I’ve been working on and writing about for another time) or if it’s just the contentment with where I am at, how busy I am, the knowing that I cannot possibly tattoo all the people that are lining up to be tattooed, and also, that I cannot possibly take anymore cut and paste artists taking from my page without reciprocity and respect for what it is I do, which is far more than just tattooing. I am going to go with the latter.

What I want others to understand, is that what I offer to people that is far more than just a tattoo, and so for me, it no longer feels right to be sharing much of my work in an online public space for people to take without truly knowing what it is they are taking. Instead, and for now, I’m curating mini galleries in this space with some pieces I have weaved recently. These gallery’s will be exclusive to paid subs ($5 per month) for now- until it feels right to share with a larger audience. I think of all the artists getting paid to showcase their art in gallery’s, on walls of cafe’s, in magazines and billboards- I once upon a time imagined as an artist, I would be doing the same. It feels right to pay an artist even just a small amount to take a glimpse into their world, to their artistry and souls’ expression. $1.35 a week doesn’t feel like too much, not to me anyway. Truthfully, it’s been beautiful to be in this space, having a very limited number paid subscribers who truly want to receive what I share.

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So enough about that, and a little about me, my work, and why I have decided to share my work more exclusively.

If you follow my work, and if you know what I share, you will know that over the last 8ish years I have worked incredibly hard to create a unique, authentic., artistic expression through sacred tattoo medicine. Calling myself a “tattoo artist” just doesn’t cut it, and it never has, because my work goes way beyond the physical. I am going to be sharing a little bit about the depth of what it is I do in another post, because just a few words are not enough, but if you’re new here- Hi- I’m Rachel, a multidimensional artist, ceremonialist, and mother. A big part of the work I do in this world and in my online space (or I guess what I am known for) is as an Intuitive Ceremonial Tattoo Artist, ceremonial tattoo studio owner, and a teacher of this work (and so much more that I’ll share sometime).

When clients come to me to receive a sacred marking, 99% of the time they are putting full trust in me to channel medicine and messages from Spirit and alchemizing it into a piece of art that holds intentions, symbolism, activations and codes for the wearer based on their own unique energy signature and story.

These markings are weaved in a sacred ceremony, a blood rite, and initiation that only those I mark truly know the depths of.

So when I see online that another tattoo artist, has basically copied, pasted, taken, or even just mimicked words that I’ve shared (or worse, taught to them personally in an online course I used to cocreate with another weaver and OG keeper of this medicine), the desire to share my art has lessened to the point where MANY of my clients are no longer comfortable with their markings being shared online, and I totally respect their decision.

I’ve ranted a lot about this, because it’s something I am so passionate about, but imagine having a tattoo that was fully channelled with intention and medicine for you and you alone, done in a sacred ceremony, honouring all parts of you and your story, to then see it replicated on another human being who has NO idea of what messages it holds or that is was activated with so much intention for someone else.

Wearing someone else’s tattoo on your skin, is like wearing someone else’s name upon your skin and claiming it as your own.

I won’t name and shame, but yes, unfortunately there are a number of “spiritual tattoo artists” who are also taking others work, claiming it as their own and offering it in a tattoo ceremony. Where is the integrity in that?

Knowing a client has come to you to receive something uniquely channelled for them to that having something that was channelled for someone else.

It’s not okay.  

Of course, there is inspiration from drawings, photographs or artworks of animals, plants and other such things circulating Pinterest that MANY artists use as reference, and it is very normal in this industry. Most of us aren’t born knowing how to draw bodies, animals, and the rest, it comes from practice, and often that practice comes from inspiration from real life, other art, photographs, and the natural world. As artists, we often begin to develop our skills by using inspiration for reference, but it is also our job as artists to make it authentic, to make it unique, to bring your own unique essence, artistry and authenticity to a style that you can one day call your own. A style that people can witness and know the work of a particular artist.

It took years for me to establish my style, a lot of trial and error, from inspiration to years of study, and a constant evolution. Eventually I found my way and the way I began to weave became something that was recognisable by so many. People would witness someone else’s tattoo and know it was my work, and ultimately as a tattoo artist, or any artist, that is the goal, right? To share your essence and know that that essence carries through into all of your pieces that it becomes recognisable by others.

It is MASSIVE work as an artist to get to this point, and to then have so many replicating and taking from what you have worked so many years to create, kind of fucking sucks, whilst at the same time is also a compliment to know you’re inspiring others- I just continue to wish that although artists may be inspired, they will continue to remain authentic and create their own style and art that comes from that place deep within -spirit led art is always the most captivating- there is great learning in taking inspiration from others but there is always great learning in remembering that we have our own medicine in side of us that is calling to be expressed- take the inspiration, but turn it into your own expression and form while at the same time honouring the other artists and their uniqueness.

That’s all for this one, but I’ll be sharing more about the depth of work that I do- and in the meantime you can find me on INSTA where I still very much use the space and share, just in whatever way that feels authentic to me.

Below you can see a little snippet of a few recent pieces- slow dripping them in limited numbers so as not to dim the essence of each individual piece. I hope you can witness them long enough to receive a story they will tell and receive the frequencies of the prayer that was etched with each dot, line, and symbolic essence.

Oceans of LOVE

Rachel

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