tattoo talk | my experience as tattoo apprentice & POC in the industry

[@redrocker109]

Wow you're a gem 🥰 sorry you had that experience, but I think it's really awesome that you were able to be open and talk about it. I feel like the first step to making change is opening conversations like these. Also, your art is amazing thank you for sharing!

[@jasminerose7867]

Exactly, not enough people speak about it or when they’re within the industry they don’t want to be shunned from it but I have no issue speaking about it now!

[@ariaaa.ariaaa]

The algorithm recommended me your vid!! I am glad it did you gained a subscriber. We definitely need more POC in the tattoo industry, and more artist who tattoo on darker skin because I feel like a lot of the artist I see don't really post any darker skin canvas.

[@jasminerose7867]

Exactly! Or if darker skin is tattooed on then they lighten it so it can fit with their already pale aesthetic which is disheartening. There is so much racism and sexism with the industry I didn’t realise how bad it was until I was actually in it

[@sheebitz]

As someone who is a POC and looking for an apprenticeship, this is super helpful and i haven’t found many videos like it. Thanks so much 💕 and I love your art and work!!

[@jasminerose7867]

Glad I was about to help a little! :)

[@Alluring.Imperfection]

This was a wonderful reminder to stay focused and drown out the noise. I’m very reserved and shy myself so I felt a little worried about working in a tattoo shop as one of the only poc. I snagged a receptionist job and I’m trying to slide my way into an apprenticeship. I hope you found the diverse shop for you. Your art is awesome.

[@jasminerose7867]

I am now pursuing a career path into character design as I feel like these bad experiences in the studios were happening for a reason that I need to follow something I have true love for. I would say try to separate personal life and work when you’re there it’s hard since the environment is so “relaxed” but it seems such a gossipy industry as there technically are no filters when you’re in the studios you’ll hear things that wouldn’t slide in a normal workplace. I wish you the best of luck, starting off as a receptionist is a good way to make friends in the industry and get an apprenticeship 😁

[@marcyabadeer8731]

I had to dig and dig to find a video on BIPOC experience for an apprenticeship and I came across your video and I live in the States. Thank you for sharing your experience ❤️

[@Sky-dy2ij]

I'm an aspiring apprentice and this was a great watch! Thank you for making this video

[@jasminerose7867]

Aw good luck and I’m glad it was helpful!

[@onedirectioninfection5756]

ontop of that, in the US, it's required by law to pay your apprentice and wage theft if you don't. obviously this unfortunately gets ignored by most shops which gentrifies the industry, since most people who can work full time being unpaid for 2 years are rich, white, and usually male

[@smilesallround]

Keep up the good work! 😊 I literally just found your channel because I was searching for italki reviews and found your italki video which led me to this one. I love your vibe 👍🏿🙌🏿 thanks for making this video, i find this really insightful even though I don’t have tattoos. Sorry you experienced this ♥️

[@jasminerose7867]

Amazing! Glad you enjoyed the video 🙌🏾

[@eeriedan]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@jazz9260]

I greatly appreciate this video, as I’m a young woman of color planning on getting an apprenticeship soon. Can we get an update on your work environment, or even some of your newer art works? Would you be interested in making a video on how you got into the industry or your experience as an apprentice (if that’s the route you chose)? Thank you again for sharing your experience!

[@jasminerose7867]

Sorry for the incredibly late response. Yeah for sure I can do a video more in depth about it and the fact I have now chosen a different route I’m more interested in ☺️

[@jazz9260]

@@jasminerose7867 Thank you for the reply (as I can imagine you’re very busy)! But yes, I would love to hear an update, especially if you chose a different path. I’ve been studying various artists’ workflows and seeing how they’re breaking into their industries since I just graduated and I’m seeking an artistic career, so I greatly appreciate your response!

[@biranicolella3509]

You are a great great great artist. Do not give up tattooing. I am pretty sure you will become a great tattoo artist.

[@misterrighteous1896]

You look amazing. I love your voice.

[@marvincoley2186]

❤💚💛💯

[@DesireeZeidel]

you’re highly talented tho & i hope u find better experiences

[@jasminerose7867]

Thank you! yeah the tattoo scene in the UK is mad, but I’m just here to raise awareness so people aren’t too shocked

[@Glothor_]

@@jasminerose7867 UK tattoos seem a lot more skilled and competitive than the US. You would KILL it over here.

[@Nick-qo8jw]

If you make art that connects with people, the colour of your skin is irrelevant. Most tattoos artist don't show their face on Instagram.

[@hermestrismagistos3145]

👍Exactly. She seems talented so she'll do well as long as she keeps pushing forward. "An individual who can do something the world wants done will in the end make his way regardless of race" - Booker T Washington

[@maddiecasarezz1811]

Being an apprentice is tough af…. Some mentors can be bipolar af…

[@DesireeZeidel]

i’m sorry u are experiencing racism 😭 thts so sad it still goes on bruh!

[@hermestrismagistos3145]

First off, love your drawings. Your talent will get you through this if you don't give up. Hope what I'm about to say doesn't offend you. It shouldn't but you never know these days. We have a tattoo shop at the mall that is all black. No art on the wall, just blown up black and white photos of rappers everywhere. The owner is a great artist but everyone else that works there is horrible. If he didn't treat skin color as if it is more important than talent he'd have much better artists working for him. I guess he'd have to be willing put his desire to work with only black people aside though. Since black people only make 13-15% of the population you will generally find less of them who are tattooo artists and the fact that this is the only race that works there tells me that he is discriminating against other races. These are the consequences of being racist and his shop has gained quite a terrible reputation in the little time it has been open. I imagine it would already be closed by now if it wasn't in the mall attracting spontaneous walk ins for matching bestie tattoos. Nobody who wants large quality custom work goes there after looking at their portfolios. How about we follow Morgan Freemans advice when he said "I'll tell you how to end racism. You stop calling me a black man and I'll stop calling you a white man". Wise words.

[@jasminerose7867]

No, I am not offended unfortunately nowadays I am quite desensitised but growing up in a predominantly black area did shelter me from these issues I mentioned in the video so dealing with them was new to me. Most artists no matter the race do whatever they want in/with their tattoo shops, the tattoo industry is not properly regulated which is why bad things tend to happen without any consequences. POCs are different but the whole notion of “I don’t see colour” is deeply damaging as it is the denial of those who have been subjected to systemic racism. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. If you are interested there is a really good book “Why I’m no longer talking to White people about race by Reni Eddo-Lodge” I think it can help you to understand more, especially if you agree with the statement of Morgan Freeman just so you can understand how tired POCs are. I think it’s important to understand why some would be on the side of MLK and some for Malcolm X both are valid.

[@hermestrismagistos3145]

@@jasminerose7867 I'm a 41 year old Mexican American who grew up in the American south in the 90's in a mixed race community. The only race that wasn't around was my own. It may come as a surprise to you but I didnt experience any racism back then. Not saying there was none but those that were racist kept it mostly to themselves because it's hard to keep a job or make any money as a business owner who acts out their racism in the real world. Back in the 90's it just wasn't an issue around here and because I've been through that time and can compare it to now, I'd say race relations have gotten much worse as a direct result of putting race before character. I believe that there is a malevolent agenda in academia that has incrementally manipulated young innocent minds to see a problem that has become rare, as common. Academia seems to have ulterior motives that have recently been so successful that they do not even bother to hide it anymore. They are trying to reignite old racial tensions in order to swoop in a pretend to be the solution. That solution as Ibrahm X Kendi has stated in his "How to be an Anti-Racist' book is "The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination" and "The defining question is whether or not the discrimination is creating equity or inequity. If the discrimination is creating equity than it is anti-racist. If the discrimination is creating inequity than it is racist." . It seems that since the 90's actual racism has been re-branded as "anti-racist". I guess I'm more of an MLK kind of guy. Not only because I've seen his "colorblind" ideas as the most successful in creating a time in which black, hispanic, or any other "POC" were not discriminated against but also because now that I live in a time in which this colorblindness is seen as "racist" itself the results have been discrimination against white people. In a town where to population of white people greatly outnumbers other races that greatly diminishes the talent pool. In the art world that is a sad outcome. A more aesthetically interesting and possibly more beautiful community could be the future if artists could just be a community of artists. Rather than black artist , hispanic artist, "artist of color", etc.... Self segregation is still segregation. That was ended institutionally in the 60's for good reason. I haven't seen any Hispanic tattoo artists in my community but since there are no hispanics it doesn't mean that these tattoo shops are racist, it just means that there aren't many hispanics around here.

[@hermestrismagistos3145]

@@jasminerose7867 Sorry. That was much longer than I intended.

[@jasminerose7867]

@@hermestrismagistos3145 That’s fine, not everyone will agree on how to combat racism we both have different views on it, I will continue to speak out and make people aware of experiences they may face and how to deal with them because unfortunately these things do happen and I will not turn a blind eye I literally can’t even if I wanted to forget about discrimination. (some experiences can be written off as ignorance but others are malicious) So this video and any more to come in regards to the tattoo industry are my own experiences from working in shops and I’m so glad tattoo artists are speaking up about these matters as I would’ve loved to of known this information before getting an apprenticeship so I could at least mentally prepare myself as it is a hard pill to swallow for some but at this point I am used to it.

[@hermestrismagistos3145]

@@jasminerose7867 I respect your opinion. Just consider the fact that you were hired at this shop regardless of the color of your skin and left because of a difference in opinion with a co-worker about BLM , as you stated in this video. The all black shop down here is willing to tattoo non-blacks but will not hire them.

[@Nick-qo8jw]

You should focus your videos more on tattoos and art. According to the viewers, those are your most interesting videos.

[@typicaltara3336]

Thank you for sharing your story!!! Your art is so beautiful, I just found your channel and I really love what you are doing. Do you have an Instagram or anything ? I would love to talk with you about some of your experiences if you would be open to sharing !!!💛💛🥺

[@jasminerose7867]

Hey sorry for the late response, my Instagram is xaorose I’ll be happy to speak with you about my experiences