Tattoo artist Ivan Baiun (aka BayunTattoos) has a distinctive two-colour style – he’s always been drawn to contrast, he tells us. And, as he has just announced his upcoming residency at Sashatattooing’s tattoo studios in Los Angeles and San Francisco, we decided to have a chat with him to discover more about his tattoo journey so far…
What drew you to the world of tattooing? How did you learn?
I’ve been fascinated by tattooing since I was a kid. And around the age of 13, I became completely immersed in it. I started collecting books, studying the history of tattooing, analysing different styles and learning everything I could on my own.
I was obsessed with the craft long before I ever picked up a machine. Most of my early learning came from self-study and observation, fuelled by pure fascination. That foundation shaped the way I work today: independent, focused and deeply intentional.
What was the first tattoo you got and the first one you did on someone else?
The first was a swallow on my stomach. It’s nothing dramatic, but it feels like a time capsule from another version of myself.
The first one I ever did was on a close friend. Like most tattooers, I started on friends and family who were brave (or crazy) enough to let me practice on them. It wasn’t perfect, but it marked the beginning, and we still laugh about it to this day.
How did you refine your unique style? What drew you to black and red ink?
My style evolved naturally. I’ve always been drawn to contrast, both visually and emotionally. Red and black became my core palette because they carry weight, ritual and timeless tension. Over time, I focussed on how to make those two colours work together in a clean, structured and recognisable way.
What inspires your work?
A lot of my inspiration comes from visual research. I’ve been building a personal collection of Japanese books filled with prints, illustrations and traditional art that I constantly go back to. I also love exploring museums and Japanese gardens in every city I visit; it’s become a kind of ritual. These quiet moments studying composition, flow and texture feed directly into how I build and balance each tattoo.
Can you tell us more about your upcoming residencies at Sashatattooing’s California studios in Los Angeles and San Francisco? How did these come about?
I’m incredibly excited for this. The opportunity came through a mutual admiration. I’ve respected studio owner Sasha’s vision and global presence for years, and we connected over our shared love for bold, emotionally charged design. Their studios create space for artists with strong identities, and I’m looking forward to bringing my black-and-red universe to both coasts of California.
How can clients work with you? What’s the booking process?
I book primarily through Instagram and email. I like to keep the process personal; usually it starts with a short consultation where I understand the client’s intention and placement. From there, I design something completely unique, tailored to their body and vision.
Do you prefer flash or custom designs?
I only do custom work. For me, the connection with the client and the story behind the piece are essential. Every tattoo I create is made for that person and only that person.
Every tattoo I create is made for that person and only that person.
What’s been your favourite tattoo you’ve done?
Hard to choose, I love all of them, but one of my recent favourite projects was a full set of leg sleeves – both legs completely covered. One features a dragon with flames, the other a tiger with chrysanthemums, all unified by a black background.
It was a technically demanding piece that took time, focus and full trust from the client. I loved the scale, the contrast and the way the two sides balance each other without mirroring. It felt like everything in my process came together in that project.
Do you have a moment you felt proud that you can share with us?
One of the things I value most is the chance to travel the world through tattooing. Being invited to take part in conventions and studios across different countries has been an incredible way to connect with artists I admire and clients who follow my work globally.
It’s more than just showing up, each event feels like a reminder that this craft can build real bridges between people, cultures and ideas.
What do you like to do when you’re not tattooing?
I’m still creating: sketching, designing, playing with physical textures. I also love photographing small, unnoticed details in my environment, listening to music and hiking somewhere silent. Anything that resets my head and fills it with new visuals.
Follow @BayunTattoos to see all the incredible tattoos he creates during his new residency.
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Anyone with a social media account is likely aware of the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling. For those fortunate enough to be unfamiliar, Rowling has expressed incredibly prejudiced views, particularly towards the trans community. These controversies first surfaced on X in 2017, and since then, even more have unfolded.
Given how many LGBTQIA+ individuals are fans of the Harry Potter franchise, her comments have caused significant disappointment and upset. The franchise’s massive popularity has led many fans to get Harry Potter tattoos. In recent years, however, as Rowling’s views have come to light, many now regret these tattoos and no longer want to be associated with a franchise created by someone who holds such opinions. But as we know, tattoos are expensive, and it is easier said than done to just cover-up or remove a tattoo.
That’s where tattoo artist Helena Gifford, known as @hella._.tattoos on Instagram, steps in. Helena isoffering free Harry Potter tattoo cover-ups. While the cover-ups come at no cost, she’s set up a donation page for clients who’d like to leave a tip and for others who want to contribute. All proceeds will be donated to Trans Pride Brighton, as a way to give back to the community and turn this initiative into something positive.We chatted to Helena to find out more…
Tattoo artist Helena Gifford
Can you explain your initial motivation for offering free Harry Potter cover-ups?
Well, I saw a graphic online, probably on Instagram, about her funding the Supreme Court case ruling over the rights of trans women. Meaning someone’s “legal sex is defined by birth and not affected by any Gender Recognition certificate they have received” – effectively stripping rights away from the entire trans community.
I’m a queer person, with many trans friends, and I just felt so angry – especially seeing the tweet she posted where she is smoking a cigar and boasting about winning. It was just a reality check of how malicious this woman is.
I started thinking, “Oh thank god I never got a Harry Potter tattoo,” and how many there must be in the world. I just knew that if I had a Harry Potter tattoo, I’d be able to cover it myself, and knowing that some people wouldn’t have the ability to cover it for free, and cover-ups or laser treatments are so expensive. I wanted to help people who would be stuck with a symbol of this horrible franchise.
The donation idea came after, I was thinking people would probably want to pay something towards it, so I figured it makes more sense to start a GoFundMe. So even if people didn’t have a cover-up they needed done, they could still donate and show support.
Was there a particular moment or statement from J.K. Rowling that pushed you to take this step?
The Supreme Court ruling did it. I knew (obviously) that she was a notorious TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist). However, I think realising that she’s using her profits directly from Harry Potter, and using her position of power and influence given to her by this series to attack the trans community, was a reality check of how bad things have got.
Most Harry Potter fans I knew as a kid were the outcasts like me, and we found comfort in these books. And the idea that she is using her profits from this very community, from kids who feel different, to hurt that very same community is so twisted.
Do you find people are getting their Harry Potter cover-ups for similar reasons?
Every person I have tattooed so far has wanted the cover-up for this reason, and a lot of the session is spent discussing our disappointment over such a beloved childhood memory turning sour. How sad it is that we can’t enjoy something that used to be so important to us anymore. We talk about our experiences with Harry Potter and why we liked it. We often have the same conversation about whether we would still read the books/watch the movies. Which I am still undecided on, so it’s interesting to hear other people’s opinions.
Most cover-up clients are queer and trans so it’s nice to see that the community themselves are benefitting. I’m glad that, as far as I know, no one has taken advantage of this project just to get a free tattoo.
What kinds of Harry Potter tattoos have people asked you to cover up?
Mostly Deathly Hallows. I’m limited to what I can do as a cover-up, due to size/ blackness/ placement. So Deathly Hallows is the easiest to cover, and the one I am seeing the most. I’ve had a few quotes and a snitch at one point.
Sadly, a lot of people have large blackout Hogwarts castles, or large colour tattoos, and there isn’t anything I can do to help there. I’m offering blastovers which would help hide some of the design, but most people want it fully gone, understandably.
What kinds of designs are people choosing to cover their tattoos with?
It’s a range; I am limited to what I can do, with this being a self-funded project. So, a lot of people go with what I recommend would be the simplest way to cover it. As I have to do these tattoos late in the evening, I don’t have time to do a massive detailed piece. It’s a lot of black, I’ve done a dinosaur skeleton, some witches, a witch burning at the stake, and a big flower. It varies.
How does covering the tattoo make people feel after?
Everyone has been very grateful and has donated to the GoFundMe. It’s hard to say accurately, as after a tattoo session people are so exhausted and glad to not be in pain anymore, so it’s hard to get a read of their emotions. I really hope everyone is happy with them!
Do you plan to continue offering this service indefinitely, or is it a time-limited project?
I’m not sure yet, I’m limited to how many I can do at a time. As I also need to make money myself and I can’t do a cover-up on a day I’m not tattooing a paying client as I still have to pay rent for my day in the studio. So I have a long wait list, and the rate of emails I’m getting has slowed a lot.
I’m also going on maternity leave in October, so I won’t be able to continue for a while. But it’s something I hope to always come back to being able to do.
The work of tattoo artist Swasthik Iyengar is a mix of Indian tribal and Hindu, but with a contemporary edge, that helps connect people to their roots. And we’re totally obsessed. Her Instagram feed – gunga_ma – is filled with bold and beautiful designs that clearly empower their wearers, so much so that she’s created a community of women who wear her tattoos.
She’s been immersed in the tattooing industry from her early twenties, starting out as a counter girl in a shop in Australia in 2015, she did her first tattoo at the end of 2017, and has been tattooing for nine years now. But tattooing is in her blood – her grandmother was a traditional handpoke tattooer in India.
She’s currently in the US, but we hope that she comes over to the UK soon, so we can join her community of badass women by adding a piece of her work to our own collections… We couldn’t wait to hear more about her journey. Settle in, it’s absolutely fascinating!
When did you first fall in love with tattoos? Was there a poignant moment from your past? Tell us about it, take us there…
I fell in love with tattoos from the moment I got tattooed when I was 20 in London. It was just so magical. Not only did I love my tattoos, but I fell in love with the experience and the energy and vibrant colours in the tattoo shops. For most of my teen life, I found it very hard to fit in, so when I moved to London and got my first tattoo at the world famous Into You [sadly now closed] owned by Alex Binnie, I just knew my journey of tattooing was not going to stop.
Swasthik’s first tattoos on the inside of her forearms seen here while holding her friend’s hand
I remember seeing Hindu influenced imagery in the shop and I felt so at home, I felt a belonging. To see that there was a community of people out there that cherished Hindu imagery and gods made me feel comfortable in my skin – literally as my first ever tattoos were my family gods: Lord Narasimha and Lakshmi.
by Swasthik
What was your childhood like, were you always artistic? Tell us about your family connection to tattooing…
I was born and raised in India till I was 10 years old. I came from a deep spiritual background. India is filled with rich art and colours – because of the people, the sounds, the temples and houses, people’s prayer rooms. I lived a simple life there with my parents and extended family. I remember going to sacred sites and temples on big road trips with family and cousins, playing with cows, playing on the streets, going into nature.
Swasthik and her grandmother
And my grandmother did stick-and-poke tattoos in Chennai in India. While this was not her sole job, she did kolam tattoos for reasons of healing as these specific tattoos have medicinal healing connotations based on deeply rooted traditions. To put into context, I can explain a little about the tattoos she did.
Swasthik in India
Kolam tattoos are extremely sacred. It is important to define first what is kolam. Kolam patterns are planetary based geometric/mathematical line drawings physically drawn on the ground (earth mother) with rice flour or grounded natural seeds. Each kolam is formulated around a matrix of dots, whereby folklore mandates that all lines must be connected to symbolically prevent evil spirits from entering inside the land/village, hut/home, territory or temple where the kolam pattern exists.
Swasthik with her family
Why did South Indian people like your grandmother historically tattoo kolam patterns on the skin?
Kolam patterns were tattooed (by sacred stick-and-poke instruments called Mungurah) on people’s skin by female tattooers and or medicine healers to protect family members from evil spirits and disease from entering the body. Evil spirits included the lost souls of those that died and could not find karmic closure and diseases included cancers and many others that caused pain and stress on the body.
The reason that only ladies and medicine healers were allowed to tattoo this is because it was said that since ladies were mothers, they had the magic touch of empathy and love that surpassed the control of any evil spirit. Medicine healers were trusted to tattoo kolam patterns as their hands held the power to cure illness. The stick-and-poke instruments were made of many different materials but the special ones used in ritual were made of brass.
Swasthik’s grandmother’s tattoos
Your work has Indian tribal tattoo culture and Hindu imagery infused in it, but with a contemporary edge. How did your style evolve to become what it is today? Is it important to embrace both past and present?
Not only as a student but as a person who holds space and has an extreme amount of respect for the craft, it is very important to study and acknowledge the tattooers and the tattoo practice in the past. These people have paved the way for tattooers today. Since I have a strong connection to my motherland – India, even before I was tattooing and I was painting – I was always inspired by references/motifs/imagery linked to Hindu culture and traditions/stories in different parts of India. For such a small country, India has an extensive and diverse array of painting, arts and crafts as well as tattoo practices.
Through studying these different styles and mediums of art and tattoos, and continuing to do so, I tried to and I am trying to take reference from such practices (use them as tools so to speak) and draw from my heart and mind. That is how I formed and continue to form my style of work. It is important for me to keep evolving, learning and tweaking my skills both in tattooing and art so that I continue to grow. I also like the challenges it brings, because it pushes me to think outside of the box and to always try my best. By embracing the past, I hope to connect my clients to their roots, to our ancestors, to the spirit that forms us and connects us to our people, our land.
Her customers have become a community. This photo was taken on the day that her customer Gloria got tattooed, with Humairaa (one month healed) and Pavi (a few years healed)
Your Instagram feed is filled with the most beautiful photos of women with bold designs that sprawl across their bodies, do you find the process of tattooing someone empowering – for them and for you? Do you notice people’s attitudes towards their own bodies change during and after the process?
Thank you so much for your kind words. Honestly the best part of tattooing is hearing my clients’ stories and making them smile through body transformation. In most of the situations, both my client and I have cried with happiness after the execution of the tattoo. In beautiful ways the universe has given us signs when the tattoo is finished, which makes us feels their ancestors (Pattis – grandmothers) were in a sense there with us. Tattooing is painful, especially in those sacred parts of the body, so it’s so empowering to see my client’s strength to endure, to get through it.
I sometimes forget when I tattoo every day, and I remember when I get tattooed, and it really humbles me because it is a journey and with such body transformation comes pain. I do see attitudes change after. In fact, I receive the most beautiful emails months and years after from my clients/friends of how strong they feel in their skin. I decided to create a community chat with my clients because these women all shared a journey with me and now it makes me smile that they have become friends and catch up from time to time and collaborate on projects.
How do you like to work with your customers? Do you consider the tattoo to be a collaboration? What kind of ideas do customers bring to you and how do you turn those ideas into tattoos?
It depends on whether the email I get is someone wanting a flash that I have posted or if someone is wanting a tribal chest/sleeve/back etc. If it is a flash piece, then it is very easy to communicate the booking via email as people see the finished product/painting and know somewhat what they will get. When the time comes, it’s very nice to then meet the client in person and connect because I am very grateful that they want a piece of my work.
If it is the latter, I usually bring people in for consults because it is important to connect in person and feel a sense of comfort. By interacting in person, I can understand what a person wants and I’m able to spend time asking questions as well as taking tracings of the body in order to commence drawing the design for the tattoo.
I always have the option for consults, whether small or big or someone who wants to get their first tattoo – these are permanent markings and big decisions, so I want clients to feel happy and safe if they wish to get tattooed by me. Also, this allows for the tattoo concept to be a collaboration.
What’s your studio like? Is the environment you tattoo in important to the process?
I work at the wonderful Good Luck NYC in Brooklyn. It is a great creative space whereby everyone there does amazing work – which inspires me. Everyone there is always willing to help when it comes to talking about art or tattoo techniques. There is a lot of sun that comes through the shop and it has a lovely energy so I feel very lucky to be a part of their team.
For sure, the environment is important because tattooing is very tricky. For example, everyone’s skin is different, sometimes stencilling the tattoo can be challenging, so when I am in a peaceful, friendly and supportive environment, I can calm down and do the tattoo the best I can. I always want to try my best and to make my clients smile.
Are you doing any guest spots this year? And how do we book in?
Right now, for the summer, I plan to stay in New York. As I’ve just moved to the States –almost a year ago. For me, it is important to remain focused, paint and build a local clientele. However, I will do guest spots through the USA after the summer. I have not set in stone any particular places but this is something I’m exploring. The best way to book in with me is by emailing me. My body of work is on my Instagram page – gunga_ma– and my bio on my Instagram page has my email enclosed. This way people can see the tattoos I’ve done and the new designs that are available. My email is: swasthikiyengartattoos@gmail.com
Do you have any thoughts about the industry as a whole? Its past and its future?
Honestly, I don’t feel I’ve been tattooing long enough to say because I am still very much a student. I know that the tattooers I’ve met in my journey here and the people I admire have been so kind in sharing their knowledge of tattoo applications and executions, which has been so amazing. So I am very grateful to meet these tattooers and be able to learn from them.
I also think now, especially with social media, it is so cool to see so many different styles of tattoos/art that inspires and motivates me. It is awesome now we have access to more things within the tattoo industry, such as different types of machines etc.
What path are you on next and where would you like the style of your work to go?
I would like to move towards doing larger bodysuits/larger projects such as sleeves within my tribal Indian work – fingers crossed.
I just really want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to be able to talk a little bit about my culture and tattooing within my culture to your readers on your platform because I think what you both do is truly great. I also want to thank everyone that reads this interview, and my emails are always open if you want to get tattooed here in New York. I look forward to hearing your stories and what brought you to want to get tattooed. Thank you again.
We can’t wait for the next step in your journey. Follow: gunga_ma
Tattoo artist Nick Lazaris, aka Laz (@Laz_tattoo), creates black-and-white realism tattoos at Animalistic Body Art in Adelaide, Australia.He started working life as a security guard, but art was in his heart from a very young age – so he did an old-school apprenticeship to learn the trade and now he’s known for tattooing football players and Olympic swimmers, we sat down with the artist to find out more about his art and passions…
What made you fall in love with tattooing? Was there a poignant memory from your past? Tell us about it…
I was getting tattooed at 15, which was very young – too young, really. Around that time I was collecting magazines and every time I saw a photo of a tattoo on someone I’d always stare and want to know what it meant to the person.
When did you decide you wanted to become a tattoo artist? How did you learn?
I think it was around the time I left school. I was a security guard and I was looking for a career. I’d always shown talent with my drawing, and I started getting tattooed when I was young. So, it was pretty clear to me that’s what I wanted to pursue.
I started getting tattooed at a place on the road where I lived in Newtown, Sydney, and got to know the guys there. The boss had a few shops and someone was leaving his shop in Sydney suburb Kings Cross so I took my portfolio in to show him and he took me on.
I did an old-school apprenticeship; getting stencils ready for the artists, cleaning and watching and I slowly got into it as I went along.
We love that first and foremost you call yourself an artist. Can you tell us a bit more about that side of your work?
I was always drawing when I was young and never touched any other mediums. When I was an apprentice I had a friend whose parents had an art store that had closed down and she had a big box of oil paint that she gave to me.
They sat around for a while ’cause I was a little scared to use them and one day when I was down on life I got them out and had a go. I think I painted Vincent Price from Dr Phibes and it opened up a whole new world to me.
Laz’s portrait of his mate Kyle for a portrait painting competition.
What I loved the most is it helped my tattooing and as I got more into tattooing that then helped my painting. I’ve designed album covers for some of my favourite bands, t-shirt designs and football jerseys.
It’s as much a part of me as tattooing is. I also teach drawing and painting now at an art store here in Adelaide that has a workshop, which is really fun.
You’ve been tattooing for 20 years now, how much has the industry changed in that time? What was it like back then compared to now?
It really has changed a lot, walking into a tattoo expo used to be so loud and now it’s all quiet from all the rotary machines. When I started it was still a bit of a tough guys’ game, you’d have an element of fear walking into a tattoo shop in the mid 2000s and because of that a lot of really good artists were deterred from tattooing.
Now, those quiet people who are great at art who would never have dreamt of being a tattooist are doing it – and it’s upped the quality 1000 times, which is a good thing. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it back then too, there was an exclusivity to the industry that made the community a lot tighter, so it wasn’t all bad. But it’s great to see how far the quality has come.
Laz and Port Power Star from the AFLW, Gemma Houghton
Why do you think you’ve become the go-to tattoo artist for football and basketball stars in Australia?
I’m a sport lover myself, so I’ve been involved in some art projects for our sport teams here in South Australia. I’ve done murals up at the clubs, among other stuff, so I’ve got my foot in to meet a lot of athletes over the years.
I tattooed a few people, then they told their mates and it snowballs. It’s become a right of passage for teams like the Adelaide 36ers and Port Adelaide football club to come see me when they get drafted or traded here. I’ve had people come in on their the first day in Adelaide at their new club hearing I was the guy to come to for tattoos, which is cool.
I’ve made a lot of great friends through the clubs, we have a lot in common – we’re meticulous about our preparation and we always want to be better.
It’s also a good way to get to know these guys, it’s a real bonding experience tattooing someone and I love to see what makes them tick. It’s very inspiring to be around people at the top of their craft.
Laz with BA player and NBL Star Jacob Wiley – a “great basketball player”.Laz with Port Adelaide AFL champion and cult legend Willie Rioli.
We hear you’ve tattooed Olympic swimmers like Kyle Chalmers? What was that like?
Yeah, I tattooed Kyle and that opened so many doors for me, he’s a great friend. I tattooed him a couple times and we hit it off, we’re very similar in a lot of ways, and we became like brothers over the years. We even had a YouTube show (Mates & Plates) where we interviewed athletes at his house and made a meal for them.
The chest piece Laz did on Kyle Chalmers is probably the most recognised tattoo he’s done.When Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers asked Laz to tattoo his name on his arm.
Who’s the most interesting person you’ve tattooed?
I tattooed Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit some years ago and we had a really good chat about an incident that happened at a music festival where a young girl lost her life. Fred opened up and showed a lot of emotion during the tattoo and I saw a side that only people that know him would see. It was a fun day hearing some of his touring stories from over the years.
Tattooing Fred Durst at Bondi Ink.
What album covers have you created for bands?
I’ve been very lucky to do album covers for some of my all-time favourite bands. Most recently, I did Carnival of Killers by Macabre – if you haven’t heard them you should check them out they do true crime songs and call it ‘murder metal’, a very unique band.
I did The Murder Junkies album Road Killer, which was quite controversial and received a lot of angry press – perfect for an offensive punk band!
My good friend Nick Oliveri who played in Queens of the Stone Age and the Dwarves has a band called Mondo Generator and I did the cover For Hell Comes to Your Heart.
Does this mean you get to go to lots of fun gigs?
Absolutely, I love my music as much as I love my sport so I’ve been lucky to tattoo a lot of musicians when they tour. Also projects like this get me in touch with bands directly so I get lots of tickets thrown my way, which never goes unappreciated.
How do you like to work with your customers? Do you mostly do custom work or flash too?
I do all kinds of tattoo work, but I mainly specialise in realism. So, people will come to me with an idea and give me a few references and they’re usually fine with me doing my own thing with it. That’s the good thing with online portfolios and social media these days, our clients put trust in us when they’ve seen what we’ve done before.
Does your style of art and the style of your tattoos complement and inform each other – if so, how?
It’s funny but I do mostly black and grey with tattooing, but mostly colour in painting. I don’t know why that’s turned out like that but it has.
However they’ve really helped each other over the years. I use a lot of the structure from my painting from my tattoo preparation and I’ve used a lot of colour theory to help my tattooing.
So they definitely complement each other. I find I’ll be doing something while I’m painting that I’ve adopted from years of tattooing, like working in a certain direction and not even realising it’s happening at the time.
What do you do when you’re not tattooing?
These days I have a bit more of a low-key life, if I’m not tattooing I’m teaching art or painting and hanging with my pets (my dog Curtis and my cat Polly) as much as I can.
Going to sport games, live music, hanging with friends and seeing my family as much as I can, too.
Laz and his pets.Laz’s dog Curtis and cat Polly.
What are your hopes for the future? Both for your personal work and more general in tattooing?
I’m looking to tap into the horrorcons and comicons to share my art. It’s a bit of a dream of mine to go over to the US to tattoo and showcase my art at conventions and do as much of that kind of stuff as possible. I love to paint horror movie characters and things like that and no one does those kind of expos like they do over there.
Same with the tattoo conventions – we don’t have a big market for it over here and I’d love to be able to get my name out more.
We’ve loved chatting… See who @Laz_Tattoo is tattooing next and find out more about his painting commissions by following @PaintingsByLaz.
We met India selling super-cute toys on her stand at Brighton Tattoo Convention back in February – we were immediately obsessed. Covered in tattoos – of course – she was selling nostalgic toys that spoke to our soul – think Beauty & The Beast-themed Polly Pocket compacts and creepy dolls; all sold under the brand name: Jeepers Squeakers Ltd. India is based in East Sussex and sells her 80s and 90s toys on Etsy. We sat down for a chat to find out a bit more about her toys and tattoos…
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
I’m a bit of a hermit and live in the woods with my partner, our dogs, pet turkeys and chickens. I spend my days in my workshop, essentially playing with toys from my childhood and I can’t quite believe it – but I get to call it a job and I bloody love it. Jeepers Squeakers sells vintage toys and collectibles and I focus on 80s and 90s toys, as well as squeak toys from the 60s.
What kind of child were you? Did you always love toys?
I was always an animal nut, I loved any animal based toys – especially My Little Ponies (G1s, obviously), Puppy In My Pockets, plushies etc. Being a 90s kid, I went through all the crazes of stickers, Pokemon Cards, Pogs, Tamagotchis etc.
I wasn’t super into imaginative play as a kid, but oh boy did I like learning the different Puppy In My Pocket breeds and making my My Little Ponies look good. I’ve got a vivid memory of washing my ponies’ hair – I was in the bathroom using shampoo and probably talking them through their hair treatments when my mum caught me, gave me a strange look and asked me what I was up to.
Here I am almost 30 years later giving My Little Ponies spa days for a living.
What made you fall in love with tattoos? Do you remember a moment? Take us there…
My dad showed me The Prodigy’s video for Firestarter when I was about seven. I didn’t know whether to shit my pants or scream with excitement, but it lit something inside of me. While I don’t think there are obvious tattoos in the video, I saw a Keith Flint manically dancing with his iconic hair and septum ring and it fascinated me.
From that, I started taking more of an interest in the “darker” side of life and fashion, I guess with tattoos just being a part of it. So that, along with being an art kid and drawing all over myself until teachers repeatedly told me I’d get ink poisoning (did that ever really happen?) doesn’t surprise me I ended up loving tattoos.
Cute pictures on your skin forever? Sign me up!
When did you get your first tattoo? Tell us a bit about your tattoo journey up until now… any fave tattoos? Artists?
Three days after my 18th birthday I got my first tattoo. I got a teeny lady bird on my wrist. I was then getting tattooed fairly regularly for around the next 10 years. I’ve got my fair share of stupid inside jokes, tattoos from friends learning to tattoo etc – they’re not always technically the “best”, but they are some of my favourites.
Saying that, I do sometimes wish I’d planned things out better and waited until I was a bit older to decide what I wanted. I didn’t hesitate to slap things on back in the day. I’ve loved seeing the change in the tattoo industry since the 2000s – like a lot of us (before the Instagram explosion), my first few tattoos were from the local tattoo shop, I went there because it was what I knew.
Obviously there’s still absolutely a place for that, but being able to discover so many incredible artists online with such a variation of styles is just magic (though it does make it harder to choose what I want!).
One of my favourite artists is @KateSelkie – I’ve got part of my arm and shoulder done by them: daffodils and various creatures, including an ode to my heart pony from childhood. I just love their illustrative but realistic and anatomically perfect style. I can’t wait to go back to finish things up and inevitably start on more.
When and why did you set up Jeepers Squeakers? What’s the reaction been like? How do you source toys?
I set Jeepers Squeakers up a few years ago, initially just to sell off a few squeak toys from my collection. My favourite squeak toys are usually in the US, so I’d purchased a big lot, knowing I couldn’t keep them all. I popped a few of them online and they sold quickly, showing me there was a market for them.
With my previous business experience, knowledge on import and export and passion for nostalgic toys, I knew it was something I could at least have a go at. I’m a dog with a bone when I get my teeth into something, so I threw myself into it and then added toys from the 80s and 90s too. It then snowballed and became my full-time job.
It’s super fun getting all the toys I both did and didn’t have but wanted as a kid. I didn’t expect to meet so many lovely people out of it, and to hear how much toys mean to other people. These old plastic “friends” were big parts of our small lives. They really meant a lot to us back then, and they still can now – reconnecting with these fun things from our childhoods can bring a little nostalgic magic back into our lives and be quite healing. It’s a connection to our past, our families and simpler times (I’m a sentimental fool if you can’t tell).
I had a fun full circle moment with a customer recently who was re-buying toys she had as a kid, when she realised one of the items I had was the ACTUAL specific set she had as a child. It used to belong to her as she recognised the writing on the tag!
Sourcing is the toughest part of my job (with cleaning being the grossest), and there’s no way around it – I’ve had to invest a lot in both time and money, it is hard work. Obviously, I’m limited with stock and it’s a long game too – I’ve got hundreds of Polly Pocket dolls and hundreds of the compacts/play sets, but that doesn’t mean they’ll go together. I buy in large quantities when I see bulk lots in auctions and have built up various contacts here and overseas, so it’s quite sporadic.
What did you love most about selling at Brighton Tattoo Convention this year?
It’s such a lovely crowd at Brighton Tattoo Con, and an all-round great event with a super lovely atmosphere. I LOVE seeing people light up when they see toys that they haven’t seen for 30 years.
People end up apologising for being overexcited and squealing at things – there’s really no need to apologise, I love it! Scream about it and I’ll probably scream with you.
What’s next for Jeepers Squeakers?
We’ve just built a second workshop in the garden for more storage – and it’s already almost full! So I’m just trying to keep on keeping on with it, hoping to attend some more in-person events and I plan on starting to bring in some 2000s toys this year too. I truly love what I do and feel super fortunate – I’ll do it for as long as I can, that’s for sure.
Tell us a bit about the creepy doll you can’t re-home?
She’s a weird one that I have no information on. But sometimes that’s the best! I have so many questions, who made it? Why? Was it made for a child and was it meant to be cute, or was it meant to look like something out of a nightmare? Is she haunted? There’s not a lot I can tell you about her other than she’s questionable and I’ll be a little sad when she finds a home.
fancy giving her a home? is she creepy or haunted?
What’s the next stop on your tattoo journey? Anyone you’d love to get tattooed by?
I haven’t been tattooed since before Covid… I’ve really got to change that! I feel like I need an MOT, some touch-ups, some small bits and to finish some pieces before starting new ones. I’m keen to finish my arm with Kate, who I mentioned earlier, and I need to finish a sweet lobster on my leg with @tobyrocketattoo. After that I think I’ll move on to getting my hands/fingers done – for which I keep going back to look at @leahstanmore‘s work – I love those perfect lines.
Do you think there’s something about tattoo collectors loving toys and weird stuff? Is there a link?
I do! I’m not sure what it is. Maybe those of us that get tattoos are more open and expressive, and therefore more open to collecting things both on our bodies and in our homes? There seems a bit of a connection with toys in the tattoo world – whether it’s tattooed kewpies, nostalgic tattoos or artists decorating their stations. Whatever it is, we’re all just big kids at heart chasing the high of nostalgia and I love seeing that come out of people.
I really think we need to just do what makes us happy and not take our short lives too seriously, or think we need perfectly aesthetic “adult” homes. If that treasured Furby from your childhood still brings you joy, then put him on your shelf in pride of place – even if he doesn’t match your colour scheme (but RIP to you if he starts talking in the night again).
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