We recently connected with Kira Knowlton and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kira , thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am absolutely floored in most of my waking moments that this is how I am able to provide for myself. It’s not very often I think of working a “normal” job and if so it’s for the perks of benefits of course! Most of the time I am living in the present, there are definitely detriments to living this way, in terms of future planning. However having immense gratitude constantly for what I am able to achieve through the craft of tattooing keeps me humble, happy, and satiated!

Kira , 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 began drawing as a young pre teen sequestered in my room, that’s where I discovered I was actually pretty not terrible at it! I began with redrawing album covers and anime, and then via the internet began exploring American traditional. I was about 12 at this time. This was also around when tattoo shows started airing on cable, that was really the first look I had into the world of tattooing and it’s characters. I remember seeing a girl and thinking, “that’s it, that’s exactly how I’d like to look when I get older!” As the years started passing, I begin trying to find my way into the industry. At the unripe age of 16 found my first apprenticeship. That didn’t last long since I was still young and immature and knew nothing of real dedication. I would attempt to apprentice several times before putting it on hold to work. It was for my benefit though because working taught me a lot about self motivation, drive, responsibility and accountability. It was much more difficult to break into the industry at that time and I struggled to find a mentor that believed in me. Although I did have people that supported me, it was nothing compared to the attentiveness of a really involved mentor. After working my corporate retail job for several years I attempted to apprentice again and finally managed to complete my apprenticeship. The best way I managed to learn was through collecting many tattoos and watching and listening intently and asking questions. Although I’ll never have that bond with a mentor, I am eternally grateful to the people that did share their knowledge with me along the way. I am most proud of my integrity with my work, the harder experiences I faced through my time coming up in the industry gave me the tools how to care for and treat my clients with dignity, respect and kindness. I never wanted anyone to have to experience some of the things I did, as a client, and as a tattoo artist. My goal was to bring my life lessons and knowledge to the table and help educate my clients that they had a choice and there is so much more available to them!!

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

I think society could support a lot of artists by taking a more empathetic approach to appreciating what people are doing as creatives. When I look at a tattoo, it’s so much more then just wow factor. I look at it with a deeper level of appreciation. How did they apply this? What did it take to make this piece? Genuinely marveling and appreciating the art on a deeper level. However it’s hard not to seem like that’s surface level on the internet.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is for people to know that I am a face value person. What you see, is what you get. My goal is to live a life with integrity, genuine kindness, and an openness to all things! And bring that into my craft. We all deserve to be treated with these things, It costs 0 dollars to be kind in this world, and when I die It will not be with any regrets!

Contact Info:

• Website: Whitelodgetattoo.com
• Instagram: @kiraknowlton