Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cassie May. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Cassie, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I can’t pinpoint an exact moment but I’ve known ever since I was a child. It’s all I’ve ever loved. It felt as natural as anything else we must do throughout the day, like eating or sleeping. Whatever I was going to do with my life, I knew it would have to be creative. I always excelled in the arts. I originally went to school for makeup artistry and prop design, then began working in film. During this time I spent any free moment I had drawing or painting. I craved a more of an independent artistic path.

Cassie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I found tattoos fascinating growing up. They weren’t as common as they are now and the culture was something I really wanted to be a part of. I practiced drawing until my hands were calloused. I took many classes and met a lot of artists over the years. Listening carefully and following in their footsteps has led me to where I am today.

I am a Tattoo artist and certified microblading technician. During my apprenticeship I took a course on microblading to fund my apprenticeship journey and I have remained passionate about both to this day.

Whether it’s conveying a story, emotion or vision I help bring that to life! That’s what makes my job so rewarding.

I’m extremely patient. How I see it is, if this is going on you for life, you should be able to redesign, resize or replace your image as many times as you see necessary until you’re satisfied. I also give my clients my honest, professional opinion. At times a client will have a vision that looks great on paper but requires a different artistic approach on skin. There are angles pieces need to be placed at to best suit certain muscle groups. Despite what the client originally imagined, there’s a specific approach which needs to be taken at times. I’m not shy when it comes to explaining this.

I’m most proud of becoming fully independent. I’ve spent years working towards the goal of becoming a tattoo artist and to gain recognition from some of the top names in the industry. I recognize this isn’t something that comes easily and hold that with honour.

I’m always striving to get better because I want each of my clients to leave my chair feeling more positive no matter what the piece symbolizes or how much pain went into receiving it. I want them to wear my artwork with pride.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

It might seem like someone you know has been a starving artist for years and they “should straighten up and get a real job” but this world wouldn’t be interesting if everyone thought that way. There would be no Disney world, no cartoons. There isn’t a linear path with artistic jobs a lot of the time. So have some faith in the creative people in your life who might seem lost! A little encouragement and support goes a long way. Trust the journey.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I listen to a lot of audiobooks and podcasts while I work. Beyond tattooing, even during the years I spent drawing. These don’t necessarily pertain to business but they have helped to expand my knowledge and confidence which in turn has made my business better. Some books that really helped me with this are Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins, It’s All In Your Head by Russ, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, This Bright Future by Bobby Hall and Educated by Tara Westover. The list goes on but those are some of my favourites! I’m also a big Joe Rogan fan.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thecassiemay.com
• Instagram: @thecassiemay
• Other: Tiktok @thecassiemay