We were lucky to catch up with Bree Sinclair recently and have shared our conversation below.

Bree, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I’ve been blessed to be a full-time tattooer for the last several years. Most times I’ll pick up a side job because I’m passionate about working with kids or in education/community — but sustainably I have been on my own. BuUuut it was not always like this! I did a lot of the wrong jobs, bumped my head a few times listening to what other people felt was best for me.

It took a lot of being disciplined, missing out on the parties, missing out on being social and rEaaLly buckling down and honing/creating my own style and perfecting it. Making it my only focus and not having a plan B. I really just had to dive in head first.

Bree, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Being a tattooer, I get to help people create themselves again. They get to take pride and ownership over their bodies, sort of a reclamation to one’s self. I take their worst memories and traumas and transmute it into something powerful for them, like armor.

I have been creating and painting since elementary school. Since I was a little girl I’ve been passionate about art and community. Creating spaces for people to come together and feel seen, and feel safe.

I take pride in working on/Black/POC/Queer folks and creating more safe spaces for us people who often get overlooked and underappreciated.

Back in 2017 I had a pretty traditional apprenticeship at a renowned tattoo shop in Farmington Hills, MI, and it gave me the experience of a lifetime. Before that I was a painter working at an art gallery in Eastern Market (downtown detroit) curating community outreach events getting myself + my peers engaged with building back up our communities.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Being competitive is fun when it comes to ‘irons sharpening irons’ but growth isn’t in a rush, and growth isn’t about what’s going on around you .

I’ve also had to learn that failure doesn’t mean losing. Sometimes you have to fail forward, even your favorite teacher was once a student and it took them a lot of failure to become a master.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Put the money right in the artist hands, honestly. Or maybe a more affordable curriculum when it comes to colleges? Cuzzz art school is expensive and that’s the main reason I didn’t go lol It’s unfortunate that Art is always taken away first when it comes to educational infrastructures— the art is so necessary to a persons individualism and freedom to express.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.artsyqueer.tattoo
• Instagram: @artsyqueer
• Facebook: Bree Sinclair

Image Credits
Nik Heller