From as far back as I can remember, anything creative has excited and inspired me. As a child I loved everything that allowed me to explore this creative side of my personality and I always felt a natural gravitation towards asthetically pleasing aspects of the world around me. Both my mother and father had an influence on me in relation to creativity. I remember spending a lot of time with my father, teaching me about the many different mediums and techniques within art. I also spent hours sat with my mother as she created beautifully life-like bouquets of flowers made from sugar paste for the wedding cakes she used to make. Although nothing to do with tattooing, these memories I am most grateful for as it was the foundation on which my creative interest was born and for that I will be eternally grateful to my parents.

 As an adult I developed an interest in tattoo art. There was so much variety and diversity in the styles and techniques that were in use by some of the world's greatest tattoo artists. There was something special about tattoo art that struck a chord with me. From the use of soft grey shading to build up multiple layers and textures to create realistic images, to bright, bold and colourful graphic/cartoon inspired designs, there was a part of each and every style of tattoo art that filled me with such excitment and a desire to be involved in this world.

In 2009, I was given the opportunity to become an apprentice under Paul Goss of Artisan Tattoo Studio in Swinton. I had dreamt about being a tattoo artist for a long time and at that time Paul was looking for an apprentice. I had previously asked Paul to design an Alice in Wonderland piece covering the top of my arm and after speaking with Paul about the apprenticeship, he decided to set me a little test and asked me to come up with a design for this. I came back a few weeks later and on the basis of that design, Paul decided to give me a chance. For the subsequent year or so, I worked in the shop and Paul took me under his wing teaching me about every aspect of tattooing. With each day I spent in the shop, I grew more interested and excited about tattooing. Something about the way in which people decorate their skin and the use of the body as a canvas fascinated me.

Since completing my apprenticeship in August 2011, I have worked as a Tattoo Artist at Artisan Tattoo Studio, Swinton. I have loved every minute of my tattooing experience and I look forward to having years of experience under my belt in the future. It is a huge learning curve and as with anything in life, you never reach the point where by you know everything about that given subject. I always strive to do my very best and hope one day to make a name for myself within the industry.