We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Danielle Wooldridge a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Danielle, 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 have been earning a full-time living from tattooing since 2018, although I took a hiatus for a few years, from late 2021 to early 2024. My journey as a visual artist spans over 20 years, during which I explored everything from textile design to graphics and street art. Within that time, my path to earning a full-time living doing ceremonial tattooing was, without my understanding, always being paved. Even many years prior to my apprenticeship, I started drawing commissioned designs intended for tattoos, even though I initially had no plans to do the actual tattoos myself.

When I eventually pursued an apprenticeship in 2009, everything aligned in a way that felt deeply meaningful. My artistic journey up until then seemed to converge, and I realized how naturally my passion for patterns and “old” arts fit into tattooing. Over time, I understood that my connection was less about the medium itself and more about the ancestral vibrations these arts carry.

I started tattooing before Instagram changed the industry, so building a clientele was much more challenging. This led me to experiment with other art forms to sustain myself. However, by 2018, I felt a renewed passion to fully immerse myself in tattooing.

Looking back, I don’t think I would have wanted to speed up the process, even if it were possible. The detours and experiments shaped my understanding, aesthetic, and gratitude for where I am now. Each step has been a vital part of the journey, informing not only my artistic style but also my approach to life and creativity.

Danielle, 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?

I wouldn’t say I solve problems in the traditional sense, but I help my clients connect with the prayers and intentions they want to activate in the moment. Through the symbols we create together, I design sigils that embody the vision being sculpted during our collaborative creative process.

As a tattoo artist, what I offer is unique in that it incorporates ceremony into the embedding of lines into the skin. This ceremonial approach begins well before my clients step into the studio. From the initial stages, I guide them through a process of self-reflection. I email a guide to help them explore their present intentions, prayers, ancestry, and the spiritual forces that support them. This invitation to stillness encourages them to create space to be honest with themselves about what they truly want to bring forward.

This approach to tattooing—to creating totems and amulets for the body—developed organically as my own spirituality deepened. Over time, I came to understand the body as energy, and this realization reshaped the way I work. My process isn’t just about tattooing; it’s about creating meaningful, energetically charged artwork that resonates with my clients on a personal and spiritual level.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The driving force behind my creative journey is to honor the ancestors and serve as a medium through which they can communicate. My mission is to maintain openness and be in service, helping people express themselves from a place of high vibration that fosters deeper healing and a profound honoring of their unique journey. Through my work, I strive to create art that serves as a lasting prayer, imbued with meaning, intention, and connection to both personal and universal truths.

I hope to craft pieces that will resonate far beyond fleeting trends, offering timeless significance and a deep sense of alignment with what might be greater than our current understanding.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Meditation. I wish I had a practice much earlier in the game. It taught me how to find stillness during chaotic periods in my personal life, and also in navigating the emotions that often arise when faced with the unknown. In my work, this unknown is the blank canvas of an actual human being, the space where creation wants to emerge when collaborating with someone else’s inner world, as is often the case in tattooing, can stimulate intimidating emotions. The permanence of tattooing and embedding lines and codes into someone’s skin can feel daunting. For me, it has never been a small deal.

Meditation has allowed me to approach this process with a sense of peace, helping me navigate the fear and weight of responding to such significant invitations from my clients. It created a more easeful, grounded way to hold space for them and for myself, ensuring that the work emerges from a place of clarity and calm intention.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tweedandsoot.bigcartel.com/
• Instagram: @tweedandsoot