Jinni:
Is it hard to part with the pieces you create on people, being that the piece exists the lifespan of the person or is that just so deeply understood that’s the nature of the craft?

Heather:
I wouldn’t say it’s hard only because that could definitely be considered one of the most beautiful things about tattoos. Once you put it on the person, it ages with them and exists only as long as they do. Plus, it’s fun when you get to see them out in the “wild” walking around.
David:
I like the idea of art being used and not just sitting around being stared at on a wall. Tattoos emulate that perfectly, they live a life too.

Jinni:
Can you both describe the tattoos that you do and the kind of tattoos that you enjoy most?

Heather & David:
We both tattoo our own stylized versions of American traditional. Which means bolder lines, limited color palettes and a simplified way of design. This way of tattooing creates bold, readable designs that last a lifetime. I like that when you see traditional tattoos, you know what it is right away.

Jinni:
What was your first tattoo that you received and gave?

Heather:
I did my first tattoos on David and another coworker I had at the time. I was very much, *not sober* and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. It was when I worked in a shop but was not yet apprenticing. 

Jinni:
When did you know that you wanted to be a tattoo artist?

Heather:
I had been interested in tattoos for a long time before I was able to get them. In high school I loved to draw and knew I wanted them but really had no idea how to go about getting into the industry. It just didn’t seem possible to me. Then during my first year of college I went to Austin to start my sleeve with Karina, a badass lady tattooer in Austin. I had never been to a, “real” tattoo shop before and definitely had never met a woman tattoo artist. After getting to know her and seeing what tattooing could be, I knew I had to do everything I could to get in, so I dropped out of school and moved to Austin to pursue tattooing.

David:
I was always drawing and painting but never knew tattooing could be a possibility for me. When I was 18 I started getting tattooed and that was when I started becoming interested in actually making tattoos.

Jinni:
What is your collaborative process like for designs y’all do together?

Heather & David:
We tend to draw in similar ways and like a lot of the same subject matter so anything we’ve done together just happens really naturally. Not a lot of planning really.

Jinni:
Y’all live in a bus that y’all beautifully retrofitted yourselves, what inspired y’all to really go for it?

Heather & David :
We knew we really wanted to travel full time, and after a lot of research we landed on the idea of a bus. Mainly because you can build it out to exactly your needs. David is handy and knows how to use tools so we knew we could do it. It was the most amount of work either of us has ever taken on but when you’re building on your own you truly do have a whole different kind of appreciation for it. And now we have a beautiful home that we own and that I. know we’re going to be able to make last for years.

Jinni:
What’s your favorite part about having your designs screen printed?

Heather & David:
It’s a really cool way to sell our art in a fun wearable way. It also makes supporting our art a lot more accessible for everyone. Getting tattooed or buying paintings can be expensive so it’s cool to be able to buy a shirt with an artist’s work on it that you really enjoy.

Jinni:
Since COVID, y’all aren’t tattooing as much but this time has allowed you to experiment with finding other ways to do what you love and make an income. Can you tell us more about what we can be on the lookout for from y’all? (like the home goods you’ve been working on etc).

Heather & David:
Yes we’ve definitely been able to step back and focus on other mediums. More large scale paintings, rug making, and sewing. We both used to tattoo a LOT before COVID, and now that we have taken a step back I don’t think we will ever go back to tattooing as much as we used to.
Having time to work on other creative things has actually helped and improved our tattoos. I think it’s definitely a good thing to be well rounded and express yourself in different ways sometimes. Tattooers especially tend to burn out from over working. It’s a hard line you have to cross for yourself because we enjoy tattooing, it can be easy to over do it. So yes, we definitely will have other non-tattoo related stuff coming out. 

Jinni:
Do you have any recommendations for things you like, (life advice, podcasts, books, movies, artist, website, recipe)?

Heather & David :
As cheesy as it sounds, if you have a dream, DO IT. Do everything in your power to make it happen. I know a lot of people tend to tell me “I wish, but I could never do something like that” when they see the bus and how we live. But you can, anybody can. You just have to have the will to do it. And it’s so worth it when you wake up and realize your dream is a reality.