Today we’d like to introduce you to Xi/chloe Hua
Hi Xi/chloe, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Being born in central China granted me the privilege of originating from a culture that has held the arts in high esteem for more than five millennia. My mentors were masters of their respective fields, possessing exceptional eloquence in visual languages and a wealth of technical vocabulary. On day one of my art classes, my mentor took away my eraser and said that “every stage of the transformation of an art piece should be honored and preserved, rather than being neglected and erased.” I held this teaching dearly to my heart as I moved deeper into my art journey.
At the age of 19, I moved to Vancouver, Canada to pursue my passion for drawing in the form of animation while attending Emily Carr University. During my undergraduate studies, I established a passion for the human body and its significance in expressing one’s identity and spirit. This led me to the beautiful world of body art soon after graduation.
As I delved deeper into creating art with and for the human body, I discovered an increasing connection to the spirits and minds associated with each body. This realization inspired me to embark on a spiritual journey through mindfulness practices, aiming to enhance the healing and transformative potential of my art.
With each piece I create, my focus shifted from solely pleasing the eye to capturing emotions, evoking memories, and encapsulating fleeting feelings in time. My intention became to craft artworks that resonate with the body, mind, and spirit, offering solace, love, and compassion.
Through my art, I strive to provide an anchor for individuals to find peace, compassion, and love within themselves. My hope is that each artwork serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all beings and inspires a deeper understanding of our shared humanity.
On a personal level, I have endured life’s trials, which relentlessly molded me like raw clay in a fiery kiln, shaping me into the resilient and refined piece of porcelain that I am today. This enables me to hold your stories with the utmost care and sensitivity, akin to a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers in my vase.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Throughout my journey, I have encountered significant challenges stemming from the disparity between my personal values and the expectations of my external environment. Growing up in China, I was raised with strict rules and instilled with fear of being different. Pursuing a career as an artist, a path that defied societal norms, presented numerous obstacles and resistance.
Despite this adversity, I was fortunate that my parents encouraged and supported my passion for art, particularly in the fields of drawing and painting. However, during my time in China, the emphasis of art education was placed on technical skill and versatility in artistic practice, rather than on conceptual depth and the significance behind the artwork. This narrow perspective of art as merely a skill, and an unnecessary one at best, clashed with my own identity and lifestyle as an artist.
The lack of recognition and acceptance of my mental health struggles, compounded by the societal pressures I faced, took a toll on my well-being. Being ostracized for my differences and experiencing anxiety attacks silently exacerbated my suffering.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Currently residing in Vancouver, I work as a tattoo artist. My extensive technical training in drawing and painting (28 years worth) empowers me to render various subjects without relying on an eraser or prior planning. Simply put, provide me with a mark-making tool and a surface, and I will create a world for you. This instilled a profound sense of confidence in me to create tattoos on people.
A pivotal aspect of my artistic journey has been the quest for a safe space where I can express myself authentically without judgment. A space where my stories can be shared, acknowledged, and celebrated unconditionally. For the longest time, such a place existed only in my imagination. However, I refused to believe that I was alone and that this safe space would remain a mere fantasy. This became the driving force behind my mission to utilize my artistic gifts as building blocks to create a container where individuals could experience such a safe haven for themselves.
Inspired by this vision, I developed a unique mindfulness-inspired tattoo process. The tattoo design evolves during the session itself, from start to finish. I do not use pre-designed templates; instead, we engage in a collaborative process, directly drawing and approving the design on your skin with a marker. All I require from you are a basic concept, approximate size, and desired placement. The rest will emerge organically in the moment.
I approach tattooing (and art in general) as a form of storytelling. The process involves both the client and myself. To me, every aspect of life is a narrative. As you share your story with me, I pay close attention to your word choice, breathing, and body language. Even the unspoken words and subtle whispers carry significant meaning. Your story resonates with my own narratives, existence, and vibrations on multiple levels. This interaction manifests on your skin as a tattoo, a visual representation of your unique narrative.
I take pride in offering this transformative experience to my clients through the art of tattooing. What sets me apart from other tattoo artists is that my primary focus isn’t to meticulously replicate a pre-conceived design. I recognize that desires and preferences are fluid and subject to change. My purpose is not to provide certainty but rather to inspire a sense of trust and faith, qualities that are sadly lacking in today’s society.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
For anyone embarking on a new journey, I highly recommend investing time in self-discovery. Understand how you function, interact with the world, and observe how your reactions and breathing patterns change. Consider yourself a unique vehicle with its own operating manual. While we’re born into our bodies, we don’t automatically come with instructions. It’s like parenting; giving birth to a child doesn’t automatically provide all the knowledge needed to raise a capable and functional human being.
Self-awareness acts as an anchor throughout your journey. It allows you to view failures and successes as neutral feedback, adding valuable information to your personal user manual. This process of self-discovery is ongoing and unfolds as you progress.
Secondly, it’s crucial to have clear intentions and goals behind each step of your journey. Be mindful of your motivations. Sometimes, we can get sidetracked by what others might think, which can subtly alter our intentions and make us feel restricted and afraid to pursue our full potential. One way to ensure alignment is to check if your actions are driven by love or fear. If fear is a significant factor, you’re likely operating under external influences that deviate from your innate intentions and goals.
Lastly, I advise building trust with yourself. Don’t rely solely on external validation to gauge your progress. Your journey is unique, and you possess everything you need to succeed. Trusting in yourself is a prerequisite for accessing your personal toolbox of capabilities. Once you’re aligned with yourself, you become unstoppable. You’ll find fuel in every challenge, pursuing your own definition of success rather than chasing someone else’s.
At the beginning of my journey, I wish I had realized the profound influence I have over my thoughts and, consequently, the way I perceive the world. For a substantial period, I passively accepted the events of each day, hoping for favorable outcomes and relying on external factors like someone’s appreciation of my work to determine the quality of my day. However, I now understand that this approach is overly passive and ineffective. Instead, I have learned to focus on my inner self and seek fulfillment and contentment from within, regardless of external circumstances.
Pricing:
- My tattoo hourly rate is $230/h currently
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inkedbychloe.com
- Instagram: @inkedbychloe
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Studio_XI_journey
Image Credits
The photos of myself were taken by a Chinese-based photographer named Lucy Liu and the photos of my work and calligraphy were taken by myself.