Charissa Gregson is Twenty-four years of age, and she’s got a six year career in tattooing to her name. When we talk to her, she’s happy to emphasize how, well – happy she is at this point in her career…! This is the first time she has her own booth at a convention, and she’s working a good spot in a good shop, Jolie Rouge of Kings’ Cross.

She outlines her initial inspirations, what steered her into her business – to be creative and professional simultaneously, possessing an apathy towards desk jobs, having an interest in being tattooed and in the process; an awareness of the increasing opportunities to be artistic and innovative on the scene. It all added up…

Ms. Gregson got her start doing reception in a studio for a while; 8 or 9 months in she was lucky enough to get apprenticed with Dan Gold. She calls her experience ‘interesting’ – Dan, apparently, has a sink or swim method of teaching! Her previous experience in playing with art and tattoos is what she thinks saved her and got her through her time as underdog, and she reminisces upon the opportunity to work and mostly watch: it is important to be able to be around tattooists who can do amazing things. Valuable inspiration.

She approves of the growing number of female tattooists, the women on the scene; most studios now seem to have at least one girl (hers has two!) – she does also not that there is a reputation that certain female tattooists have for being ice queens, however. Perhaps it’s the idea that their once ‘rare’ identity is being threatened. Her response?

“There’s enough work to go around!”

Though it was challenging on occasion to be a girl-inker at the start (people at the studio coming to get done would assume she was a receptionist, often the older male characters) – she laughs about the ease with which she can break people’s preconceptions. “A piece of really sick art and suddenly they’re coming back over and over.”

A lot of women, she also notes, can feel more comfortable with female tattooists; there’s an extra flavour to the story of the tattoo at the end of it all. Charissa, ironically, only got tattooed for the first time by a woman this year, but remains adamant: “Everyone should get tattooed by women”

Talking about her own tattoos and her sleeve, she exposes a very clever, perceptive mind as she relates masks and tattoos whilst explaining her choices of imagery. Masks are all about only showing people what you want them to see, and tattoos are similar: they give you an opportunity to showcase an aspect of your identity. Charissa clearly does her thinking. She’s a sci fi fan too. Oh, and she plays the trumpet in a ska band.

A look through her portfolio reveals a solid collection, and it is clear Charissa knows how to play with colour. There’s some beautiful New School stuff, swallows, purple roses and peacock feathers, dice against an electric blue sky. There’s some impressive and innovative Black and Grey in there, too. This is a very talented lady of whom we highly approve. Go check her out.

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