Amanda has the aura of a rockstar. A rockstar you want to be friends with immediately. Her kind soul, beauty and outstanding ambition to bring tattooing into the halls of fine art make her so very special in her field. She has performed her art at several museums, including The Met, The Museum of Arts and Design, The New Museum etc. She was voted one of the 50 most creative people of 2015. IRMA couldn’t resist and together with New York based guest editor Zoe had to meet up with Amanda and get to know her a little better.
Where do you get your inspiration for tattoo art?
I am excited about all of the possibilities with tattooing, because there is so much that hasn’t been done with the medium yet. There are all sorts of conceptual, experimental and technological ways in which to examine it. It feels almost impossible to run out of ideas.
Do you protect and nourish your skin differently when tattooed?
I moisturize a bit more, and I am always conscientious about sunscreen.
How about sun, does the color of the tattoo change?
Yes the sun can fade tattoos. That’s why sunscreen or covering them up entirely at times is a must for longevity. Especially for full color tattoos that have very little outline… SPF 100!
Which area of the body is the most painful to tattoo?
The palm of your hand is a pretty tender spot to have tattooed.
Can you change facial features / structures by adding certain lines of facial tattoo?
Cosmetic tattooing can do a little of that, tattooed eyebrows are pretty trendy right now and can definitely make a dramatic change in your appearance.
How do you know if someone is a soulmate or a lesson?
I read somewhere that soulmates are mirrors who reflect the things back at you that need healing. I guess everyone is a lesson.
Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?
I don’t. But the lifeline on my palm is short.
Was art present when you grew up?
Art was always around. Both of my parents collect and appreciate art. My mother actually used to put art prints on the inside of my baby buggy. She would switch them out constantly for new ones. I came across a Currier and Ives image once that just felt sooo familiar to me. I asked her if that was one of the prints that she had put in the buggy… and it turned out that it was!
What pieces are still missing in your wardrobe and why?
I’m always searching for the perfect leather jacket. I have so many. But none of them are quite “right” in all of the ways that I’d like. I do have an IRO jacket though, that when I put it on, it feels like a warm hug from a sexy boy. Close to perfection.