My name is Emily, I am a tattoo artist working in Bristol.

I work from Tattootime, a studio that opened in Bedminster in 1993.

After completing my degree in illustration at UWE, I began work as an apprentice/tattooists assistant in the shop in 2004.

I feel very lucky that I was able to enter the industry at this time. It has enabled me to gain perspective on how the industry has developed over the course of years and, although there have been great changes in tattooing in this time, my passion for the art remains as strong as it ever was; if not stronger due to the sheer diversity of artists who continue to inspire and push not only my own, but also the very boundaries of the tattooing industry itself.

I had a very traditional apprenticeship, which has taught me patience and strength of character.

When I first joined Tattootime it was necessary to make needles, and to have the skill to be able to strip and rebuild a tattoo machine. Skills that aren’t necessarily taught now but these experiences, I feel, have been important in my tattooing journey, giving me a greater appreciation of the art.

As time and the art form has moved on, so have I.

I am fortunate enough that I can continue to engage in my passion for tattooing and still enjoy my family life, raising my two children, drawing, painting and indulging my love of music.