Finding harmony at 29 through my dotwork tattoos
We know that the end of a perceived era prompts us to make big life decisions; and for me turning 29 was no different. I felt major shifts inside of my body about what I wanted for the path I was treading. I’d had a few tattoos on my journey up until this point, one actually reading down my back ‘We will all kiss the backs of vicarious souls, and welcome the flare in our own.’ I wrote that somewhat ominous poetry line aged fifteen, not fully understanding what my own mind felt at the time, and interestingly now have come to resonate with it now more than ever. Perhaps I was wise before my time.. (here’s hoping!). But I do affirm that the people we choose to engage with, choose to surround ourselves with, all have influence over our state of being – their own ‘flare’ to be passionate about the life they are pursuing (or lack of) giving us positive or negative reinforcement on our own.
I’ve always been someone juggling multiple projects, constantly looking for new challenges. This high energy I’ve learnt to channel in positive ways (mostly!). In my motivation to travel solo to remote destinations, to switch industries, pursue new hobbies, build careers, whilst connecting new circles of like minded people – but I was always missing the ability to just be. Be present, reflect, slow down. I thought of this as being stagnant, not progressing, maintaining the status quo – all of which didn’t settle well in my way of thinking. But ironically it was what was keeping me physically unsettled and unable to feel a sense of harmony.
For thousands of years the art of tattooing has been used for healing, rites of passage, protection and decoration. The ancient application of these designs are becoming lost in modern times, but the ceremonial healing element is perhaps more relevant and needed than ever before. We see hints of it in memorial and restorative tattooing, when someone has passed away, and even in the covering and celebration of scars. The power of ink to heal is most certainly stronger than we realise, and reconciling tattooing’s rich past with today’s intentional heart-centred tattooists is important to those of us looking for creative, meaningful outlets and deeper connections.
I was lucky to find one of these special people in the kindred soul of Mumma Knucklez. I had initially approached her, drawn to her stunning intricate dot work online with some half baked ideas about what I wanted, unknowing that something much deeper was about to take place. After an initial discovery session, we began with a large mandala piece on my left butt cheek, a pattern I had always been drawn to for its general representation of a spiritual journey from the outside to the inner core. Her placement of it and choice of centre felt alliging for me, near to my root chakra – where we hold our ability to withstand challenges alongside a sense of security and stability – and my sacred chakra – where we hold our creative expression and emotional desires.
I first came to Mumma Knucklez at a time when I was experiencing (like all of us post Covid era) lots of change. Over long sessions, where her skilled hands worked on my body, I got to know her and she got to know me. In one session we talked about what I stood for, and what I was ‘looking for,’ in the higher sense of the words. The next time I came back, she presented to me some ideas for a leg and side piece, taking into account the life stories I had told, and the essences my personality was bringing through in our myriad of topical conversations.
With this method of gentle learning and discovery through our sessions, we began working further up and down the left of my body, recognising my desire for movement, energy, grounding and harmony – all showing up in the intricate dotted patterns that were now dancing together across my body. The creative process that had emerged was reciprocal, thoughtful and deeply personal. The use of negative space in design, the inclusion of certain flowers and leaves, pointed sharp lines and weaving patterns all hold meaning to the people, places and values I hold close.
I didn’t realise it at the time but these sessions were becoming a place where someone was holding space for me. Something I have enjoyed doing for others my whole life, but perhaps not realising how exhausted I was sometimes. The tranquil private studio where we could listen to music, sail through topics of world culture, future desires, or simply rest, had become a place for me to show up, leave life at the door, and be present in my body. I always came away feeling like I had a good night’s sleep, re-energised and grounded.
I remember my Stepfather once saying ‘I always ask people with lots of tattoos if they would mind sharing what they mean with me, because I know that they are always personal to that person and it usually starts a wonderful story.’ Coming from a person without tattoos himself, I felt both proud and hopeful that the joy of celebrating others’ outward expression through this art form seemed to resonate in a part of us all. My Mother was also uninked, until she saw the process of my dots come to life, and was moved to have her fingers artistically and beautifully dotted by Mumma Knucklez. People close to me and strangers alike, are always equally intrigued by this style of tattooing when seeing my leg, and I’ll never be bored of sharing this special artform and experience with warm, curious humans.
I feel very lucky to have stumbled upon this tattoo journey at a transitional time in my life, on the cusp of a new life era into my thirties. I have started seeing other cosmic shifts in my life too, making more intentional choices, prioritising presence over perceived progression. I actually got married (in a multitude of colourful ceremonies!) during some of my final tattoo sessions, and my husband – a photographer, with his own long journey of body ink – was the person to capture these images. So it’s safe to say this positive balance (now deeply reflective in my body art) has contributed to the life I am now living, and how I choose to show up for myself each day in a kinder, slower, more harmonious way.
I’ll be doing an interview with the epic tattoo artist Mumma Knucklez @Mumma_Knucklez soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
In the meantime, if you are looking for the ultimate dot work specialist in the UK, or are interested in tattooing as an intentional process, email info@sirensdotwork.com to apply for a consultation session.
Words by Chloe Davis-Powell. Photos by Adam Davis-Powell.
