I'm often asked how I got into tattooing. The truth is I thought being an artist would be the ideal job as a kid. Tattooing popped on my radar at 13 though, after drawing up a memorial design in memory of my Grandpa. I was invited to the appointment where my Nana got the tattoo and it turned into a very influential experience for me. I saw intimately how manifesting a person’s inner truth, passions or desires in a visual and physical way can be a powerful experience. Interested in body art throughout high school I was drawing all over people with sharpies and making potential tattoo designs for myself and friends. In 2012 when I was 21, I set forward on the pathway to becoming a professional tattoo artist. It's an amazing privilege to call what I do a job, and I appreciate every one of you who have shown interest in my craft and pursued getting work from me.
Tattooing is a process I’m honored to be a part of. It’s humbling being entrusted to mark the human body, with all the hopes and aspirations a person holds near when deciding to doing so. I treat the body art experience as a collaboration between two. Through the nurturing of your personal vision I to hope to inspire feelings of uniqueness and confidence. The commonality between permanent makeup and body art lies within my vision of the human form as a canvas where natural features can be enhanced, and celebrated.
The style of brows I learned from Hannah LeVant is a ultra natural style of microblading, focusing on very delicate hair strokes that seamlessly blend in with fine hairs. I’ve shadowed Hannah, taken her in-person course and her online training.
My career in tattooing started by learning from Rio for a year. He’s respected for having contributed to tattoo culture in Portland before passing away in 2013. It was a honor to be mentored by a person with such rich history and wealth of experience in the industry.
Wanting to add eyeliner to my services, I traveled to be trained by industry leader Daria Chuprys and learn her Dusty Eyeliner technique. The smokey eye effect of shaded liner is a favorite among the permanent cosmetic services I offer to clients.
Though mostly a self-taught artist, I’ve taken painting workshops for scientific illustration of birds, insects, botanicals and color theory. I’ve enjoyed learning from the instructors at Sitka Center and have spent time illustrating specimens at Slater Museum.
Internationally famous in the permanent makeup industry for having authored the WBrow technique, I had the rare opportunity to take Nataliya’s first class taught in the USA, learing her machine hair stroke method.
As required in the State of Oregon to maintain a tattoo license I’ve been trained and certified in the prevention of Blood Borne Pathogens every year since 2012 and trained in CPR/First Aid every 2 years.
Copyright © 2020 - Christina Hayes