We recently connected with Rebecca Habing and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rebecca thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was working as a Registered Nurse in labor, delivery and postpartum since 2008, and while I really loved my work, the longer I spent in healthcare, the more I missed my artistic side. Prior to becoming a nurse, I painted, drew, loved photography; but full-time nursing left little energy for art. I had never considered tattooing as a potential hobby or profession, as my only awareness of the industry was the rather toxic and intimidating white male-dominated side that I’d experienced first-hand as a young client. In 2014, I learned how tattooing was shifting (largely through the rise of apps like Instagram) to artists creating their own styles and thriving without the ‘walk-in’ aspect of the typical tattoo shop, it was like I was hit by a bolt of lightning: I wanted to learn to tattoo.
When I began tattooing, I thought of it as a ‘hobby’ that I did on my days off from being a nurse. I worked nearly every day of the week between the two jobs, but when I was tattooing, it didn’t feel like work… and while this was an obvious sign I should probably consider it more than a hobby, it took me years to believe in myself enough as an artist to move to tattooing full-time.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My home base is in Asheville, North Carolina, but I do fairly frequent guest spots around the states and had my first European guest spot this year in Milan! My tattoo work is mainly in black and gray, and includes botanical, ornamental, and classical art pieces. Composition is really important to me when designing, so I’m looking at the body as a whole, like it’s a 3d canvas, so it really fits the wearer. I also love to paint and create prints with Lino-block carvings. You can check where I’m going, when my bookings open, and what I’m making via my newsletter and/or on my Instagram page @land.of.sky.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Being a tattooer means you’re not just an artist creating for yourself, you’re working with other people’s bodies. I use a trauma-informed tattooing approach, which I adapted from my time as a nurse. For me, it’s important to remember the power imbalance that exists in the artist:client relationship and to give my clients as much empowerment as I can throughout the process. For a lot of people, getting a tattoo is a way of expressing themselves and making their body look and feel like they want it to; I am honored to be a part of that for them.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A common refrain I learned when growing up (and expressing an interest in art) is that it’s not a practical choice for a career; you really can’t support yourself with art unless you’re really lucky. Unfortunately, i really took that to heart, and even though I was actively creating a successful career in art, I still didn’t believe it was possible. It took me four years of working in tattooing as a ‘hobby’ for me to recognize i was successfully building a small business …in art!

Contact Info:

• Website: landofskytattoos.bigcartel.com
• Instagram: @land.of.sky

Image Credits
All taken by me.