Prometheus Bound and the Oceanids

Prometheus Bound and the Oceanids, an 1879 marble sculpture by German sculptor Eduard Müller. Tattoo by Mr. T Stucklife, an artist based in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Interview with tattoo artist, Cassandra Frances

The face issue Things & Ink was published in 2013, this is an interview with its cover star, tattoo artist Cassandra Frances.

I first met Cassandra in 2012 at End Times in Leeds where she used to work – I instantly fell in love with her warm nature and dedicated work ethic. She put me at ease while she tattooed me, chatting about life, music and magazines. We were like old friends, talking away, of course the conversation always returning to tattoos.

When the decision was made to make issue 2, ‘The Face Issue’, I knew I wanted Cassie on the cover. With her fiery red hair and delicate porcelain skin, you almost don’t notice that she has facial tattoos. Her tattoos are so delicate and feminine, and will certainly make people think twice about their preconceptions about women with facial tattoos. The image on the cover is very powerful in its beauty. I hope it will make a statement to anyone with preconceived notions about women who choose to tattoo their face. We chatted to Cassie about her life as a tattoo artist, her style and how she decided to get her first ever face tattoo…

Who did your face tattoos? Andrew Mirfin, who owns End Times in Leeds .

How did you decide to get your face tattooed? First one (now covered up) was to celebrate getting my tattoo license. It felt like it was all official and I wanted to mark it with something special.

Who did the first one? The first one is now covered up, and was done by my old boss
Don Richards, just a small outline of a heart. I decided to make it a bit bigger and bolder
after time. Andy has done all the others.

How did you feel when you were getting tattooed? I trust Andy, so I wasn’t really nervous and I knew I definitely wanted it. The tiny ones hardly registered, but the bigger heart was fairly painful and gave me a headache. It was over in 15 minutes or so, though.

What kind of reaction do you get to having tattoos on your face? None really. I very rarely get any kind of reaction from anyone, I’m never sure if I just don’t notice it, but even my mum was sitting looking me in the eye over lunch for an hour and didn’t notice the heart and flower, I had to point it out.

Do you feel any different about your face now? After getting my beauty spot on my cheek, I instantly felt a million times more confident. When I draw women I more often than not give them a beauty spot, just something about them really appeals to me. If I didn’t have tattoos I think I’d be pretty boring to look at. My face looks how I want it to look and that’s all that really matters.

Do you think there is a difference between men and women getting such visible tattoos? Never really thought about it. Not in my little world really. Whether people think it’s unfeminine, I really don’t care. I like myself and so do the people who matter. If a man judged my level of attractiveness on that, he wouldn’t be worth the time of day anyway

Would you ever tattoo a face? I am  too scared to tattoo a face, it is such  a huge responsibility.

Has anyone ever asked you to  tattoo their face and what did  you say? My best friend wants me to do her a beauty spot on her, but I just don’t feel comfortable with it. 

How would you describe your style of tattooing? It’s pretty feminine. I think my work naturally comes out quite delicate. If left to my own devices, I like to use red, gold and green, and I’m happiest when working on smaller pieces. My favourite thing to tattoo is lady faces and wish I could do that all day every day.

How do you feel about the tattoo industry? Including tattoo magazines/media. I’m not sure I know enough of the industry yet to have a valid opinion, I’ve been working away in a little bubble really. I do feel excited to be a small part of something so amazing and exciting, though. Tattooing is the love of my life, and some days I kind of hate it, but even on those I know deep down I don’t want to do anything else.

How did you feel about doing the cover shoot? To be honest, not 100% comfortable. I’d rather people looked at my work than my face. Bit of a strange experience having a room of people focused on me for that long. I feel honoured to be asked to do the cover and said yes as I’m not sure anyone will ask me again!

Did you enjoy it? It was an interesting experience and a nice bunch of people. Spending a day with people telling you repeatedly how beautiful you look is good for the ego.

Would you do it again? I’m desperate to be photographed as a flame-haired Pre-Raphaelite. 

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Moko Kauae: the chin tattoo

Te H?ro o te K?hu ki Tuawhakarere
See beyond the horizon

Piiata Lauren Turi-Heenan, 45, from Haumoana, New Zealand, tells the story of her chin tattoo, which was first published Things&Ink The Face Issue.

Photo: Bashan Te Rau Oriwa Heenan

‘Moko Kauae, the chin tattoo, is a rite of passage, a symbolic expression and manifestation of a dynamic upward movement of time and space within sacred feminine energies. It is a time of collaborating SELF-identity and collective identity within the Iwi, the community/clan. 

‘Rites and rituals were performed over the wearer of Moko Kauae by Tohunga, specialists in their chosen area (birthing, tattooing, ritual prayer etc.) in honour of their journey from female child to entering the realms of Te Whare Tangata – Womanhood: The House of Mankind.

‘Moko Kauae is the beginning of a higher consciousness of learning and upholding of sacred knowledge and understanding of cycles, biorhythms (moon/tide), rites of childbirth, rites of menopause, arts. M?ori women were revered, honoured and seen as the embodiment of Papa-t?-?-nuku, the earth mother/sister.

‘As contemporary Maori women we have sat in an oppressive colonised state of being for well over a century. Our rites and rituals obscured, even lost to us. But M?ori women refused to be imprisoned by western constraints and fought multiple states of oppression to be free from racism, sexism, prejudice, and to reunite nation, community and SELF.

‘I am a descendant of this ancient race and Moko Kauae is my birthright as a M?ori woman. It is one of many rites of passage on my amazing journey in the realm of Te Whare Tangata. I express and manifest each personal rite of passage through the art form of Moko.

‘At 27 years of age, I agreed to wear Moko Kauae. My grandfather (Rii Tiakitai-Turi, our tribe Ngati Kahungunu) had made the request, because he didn’t want to see the tradition lost.

‘Over the months that followed, I consulted with tribal elders on maternal and paternal sides, family and friends. There were a few negative comments, “You will ruin your face”, “It’s barbaric”, “It’s Tapu/Taboo – sacred/forbidden”, “Why would you do that?”.It did not deter me, I have never regretted my grandfather’s vision or my decision.

‘At 28, my Moko Kauae was tapped into my skin with tattooing chisels called Uhi. The Tohunga Ta Moko (tattoo artist) was Te Rangi Takuku Kaihoro Laurie Nicholas. Since I was already a mother to five of my 13 children, I also received Moko P? Whakairo, the lower abdomen tattoo for child bearers.

‘I am now 45, a grandmother of seven (five of whom I’ve delivered), and I will be receiving my T?tua, a mid section tattoo. This will be done the traditional way – with Uhi and pigment from aawheto (mummified caterpillars) by Henriata Nicholas, an incredible Tohunga in her own right.

‘Wearing Moko Kauae has enhanced my life in many ways, including my desire to become a traditional tattooist. I have never been afraid to be me, and my children (four through to 27) and grandchildren see me in the same light they always have –as Mummy and Nanna.

‘I enjoy children’s curiosity and questioning nature. I am not offended when they ask to touch my chin, as I believe this tactile approach helps them learn. I have even given class presentations to students of all ages about my Moko Kauae.

‘Each spiral and curve has a name and a story.  The Whakatakotoranga, the spiral under my chin, is the foundation that knowledge is built upon, the open koru (spiral) represent building blocks of life. The P?horo, the wave/tidal patterns, that draw downward from the corners of my lips represent our cycles, biorhythms and our natural affinity to the moon and the tides.  My bottom lip acknowledges earthly/human rites/rituals, and my top lip acknowledges esoteric rites/rituals.

‘I am grateful to all my ancestresses and ancestors who have fought to enable me to stand in my absolute truth beauty and light today as Whare Tangata…The House of Mankind.

‘He Tapu Te W?hine na te mea he Whare Tangata. Women are sacred because they are The House of Mankind.’

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Skull & Rose

Skull & rose hip and thigh piece by bt_tattoo, original art by Andrei.

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