We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emily Wright. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emily below.

Emily, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Whats it like to learn to tattoo? Well its a trade so like any other trades it takes time. Ive been working within the industry for 7 years now and tattooing about 3 years.

I began this journey back in 2018 when I moved from Arizona to Nashville Tennessee. I worked with an amazing crew at dead ahead tattoo but had to leave due to some serious life changes.

In 2019 I lost my mother and grandmother to terminal cancers while i was living out of state studying under my apprenticeship with dead ahead tattoo.

It was a struggle to finish tasks my mentors would give me and my daily duties. I ended up moving after putting everything into this career move and started over.

January 2020 was my move back and then covid happened…. I wasn’t sure where i would go but with the right connections and portfolio i was able to finish where i left off in my apprenticeship with Jason Anthony at golden rule.

In my time learning the craft there are so many things that make you respect it. Tattooing is extremely humbling and a very unforgiving medium. Some of my routines as a apprentice ranged from running errands for the shop to cleaning my mentors cars, grabbing food, and baby sitting. Whatever they felt they needed I had to be there or be available.

I also did boring stuff like emails and social media marketing which you learn in time from repetition.

Things I remember most from my time learning is how many times i had to redo a project and it changes every-time until its perfect.

I also remember a time my mentors made me go to a strip club with them and try to find them alcohol by asking random strangers and someone thought i worked there. I was mortified to say the least. Rest assured it was all in good fun.

Learning to tattoo isn’t just how the equipment is put together its also the culture, the shop politics, the history, and learning what it means to have integrity.

Too this day I am still constantly learning new things from the practice and it makes me love it more. Losing my mom in the process was my driving force it didnt make me who i am it made me driven. If you’re in the same boat try and fuel your passion and see where it takes you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I love tattooing that is all.

I love watching people express joy in their face when they see the design completed. It makes me feel like i have purpose at the end of the day. It makes me have integrity with what I do because its so much more then just art on skin. Its the interactions, its the stories, the crying and laughing. I love working with people and Im so honored they let me tattoo them!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Loss.

I lost my mother to stage 4 brain cancer 8 months after I started my career. I still get sad she will never see what I do professionally and show her how much this job means to me hut I like to believe shes still around seeing what I do.

We get reminders in our life of our loved ones in special ways. Those experiences make me feel like shes still with me everyday supporting my art.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society needs to just buy art.

Have a extra 20$ for white elephant at work? Buy from local artists, if you want to see change in how capitalism is eating away what it means to be a “artists” support artists!!!

Go to etsy or depop buy something second hand or hand made! Stop support corporations and support people thats how to rebuild the artists community

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Wewahhtattoo
• Other: Next Wave Tattoo nextwavetattoo.com @nextwavetattoo Tiktok Wewahhtattoos