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

Michaela, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I think my job in general became very meaningful as to me as to my clients .
As a young teenager I suffered with not knowing who I am , where I belong and especially accepting my body and existence. We live in world full of expectations and lined up journey how to become good part of system that I don’t even think works well. Judgement and fast growing enormous amounts of informations over internet makes people very confused . Is the happiness we all run after even happiness?
So I started to express myself with covering my skin with tattoos . All of the sudden I looked at the mirror and I started to feel what does selflove mean. My journey to love myself and being who I am began! After few years my interest in tattoo art grew and I put my focus on becoming skilled artist so I can be the skin designer who gives people that moment infront of the mirror , when you look smile and hug yourself. My clients grow confidence and their relationship with their body .
Seeing their smiles makes my job very meaningful to me

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was always the weirdo of the family . Although I was pretty good at school, I didn’t really see myself to study university and become lawyer. I found myself lost and misunderstood. I didnt fit nowhere.
Expression with colors , materials , projects gave me a shelter that I could simply have my head in clouds and dreams . It’s very important for me to feed my inner child . After school I started to travel and moved from Czech Republic to Austria and worked for many years as a bartender. By my side since the very beginning was my best friend Vojtěch Micka – an amazing painter and bohemian soul who gave me all I needed to bloom . Our long night painting sessions and first shaky tattoos took place in our free time ..
After few years I moved to Liverpool for a while and there I took my tattoo carrier serious and focused of becoming skilled .
Liverpool was quiet cruel and tragic occasion back home made me to move back to Vienna.
Since that time I focused on tattooing and growing my clientele so I can leave cocktails and night life behind and free myself .
Now it’s been 10 years that im self employed artist, traveling the world, making people happy.
Last 3 years I live in Portugal where I found my home , I still appear in Vienna often as my clientele there after so many years grew so much that I just can’t leave it behind .
Currently I’m in Texas visiting my family for couple of months .
I travel a lot and it’s simply amazing to be able after so many years to take my job with me.
It takes a lots of patience and skills to be able to get to this level. Tattoo industry grows fast and there is many many amazing artist out there you are in competition with. So I’m very glad that all the sweat and tears bring people to me that loves to have piece of their skin covered with my art .

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

This is heavy question for every artist , first word that came to my mind and I struggled a lot is PATIENCE!
I remember as it was yesterday conversation with now my great friend and person I consider my master Lenert.
I always looked up to him and listened to every advice I got . I asked him once , how long did it take you to get on level to have solid clean lines and develop your personal style. He answered 7 years … my mouth dropped…
It seemed to me like never ending story . You see such a big journey ahead of you and you feel like you can’t ever make it .
First 5 years I was tattooing for very little symbolic money to cover my equipment on the side working still in bar night shifts , ufff it was hard . Thankfully due to working at the bar I could spread a word about me trying to achieve my goal to be professional . I’m very grateful for all the lovely souls that offered me skin to practice. I had many many moments when I was obsessively scrolling through Pinterest and instagram, watching work of all the great artists … crying and punishing myself for not being good enough , questioning my talent and purpose .
Well after 5 years I had solid lines , two years later I established my personal touch and style .
Now it has been 10 years and I do my work with joy, nothing can stress me anymore , I feel very confident and comfortable with every project :)
So everyone out there !
Don’t be scared, appreciate every little step you take , admire yourself for every improvement, ask and watch more experienced artists, be humble and especially PATIENT !

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Definitely !
Being bohemian dreamer having thirst for freedom!
Struggling with adhd, having very open mind and taking people equally for who they are causing to not be able to fit to normal 9 to 5 jobs .
I didn’t want to just fit somewhere , I couldn’t handle people overpowering you just because they feel they can, nor running after proving everyone that my position in society is good and im ok to just follow and being forced to believe that having office job, car , house , husband and kids is my dream…. Bleh 😂😂
So picturing and manifesting my freedom was , is and always will be my goal.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: miluj.ink

Image Credits

Kria tattoo studio
Lenert
Mohodub
America C.