Q: A brief introduction, please.

A: I teach master of media program in RMIT and I’m originally from America. I have been living in Melbourne
 

Q: When did you first get to know about the tattoo? And how?

A: It was probably around 15 years old when I first started thinking about tattoos. There was a teaching staff in my school at that time who had a tattoo. I was inspired by her and her tattoo because it was so great.

 

Q: How long did it take you to decide about having a tattoo?

A: I probably did actually decide the minute I saw it even though I never thought about that before.

 

Q: What is your first tattoo?

A: The first one is on my shoulder, the same one as the first tattoo that I saw. It’s sort of an adaptation of the original piece. Later I realized that both I and Pam, whom I’d seen it on for the first time had the wrong version of the tattoo after looking for the original work recently.

 

Q: Which one is your favourite tattoo? Does it have special meaning for you?

A: The one on my right arm is just a simple line. I got three younger sisters and one of them recently got a new tattoo of three lines. She said it was to symbolize that she was the third born and jokingly said that it could be a sister tattoo that we could get all them. I was actually quite touched by that because I’ve lived overseas for a long time and I miss my sisters a lot. I’m the oldest, so this line is one in terms of matching my sister is number three. At the same time, it is quite lonely for one person living overseas, so it’s also a reminder not just of my connection to her into my family, but the number one can mean one as in alone one, it can also mean one as in we are all one. In that case, it also reminds me that I’m connected to everybody and to the whole world.

 

Q: What was the story of covering one?

A: That one is on my ankle with the person’s freehands. I would just want to imply black but they talked to me about adding colour. Even though I didn’t like it so every time I looked at it I thought about covering it up someday.

 

Q: Have you regretted having the tattoo?

A: I don’t regret it so I haven’t washed them. You did something and you accept it, it’s part of your life. It’s just something ugly on my ankle and I was able to laugh every time I saw it so it wasn’t a serious regret.

 

Q: Will you continue to have more tattoos in the future?

A: I don’t know...I’ve thought about it but they really hurt! But I would consider the cost and pain. And it’s a big decision to make one...I probably will wait a couple of years if I will have one. I think once you have one, you never stop thinking about-should I get another one?

​