Welcome to Confessions of an Auteetotal Tattooer! (read time 3 minutes)
I’m a lifelong illustrator, graphic designer and Tattooer of 8 years.
I am based in Cardiff (South Wales), and work by appointment only at my private, professional little tattoo studio inside a big, professional gym that provides all my training and physio.
Why should you read my blog? Well, for a start I am:
- A professional, successful artist: newly diagnosed as Autistic,
- A High-Maintenance Sober Chick™ and proud,
- Telling you my stories and experiences, in my own way.
I’m now using my memories and experiences to tell stories, that can be used to help and educate others.
I use memories, but I will not allow memories to use me.
— Deepak Chopra.
It’s important to say, I’m just starting out.
All over again, in many ways.
As part of my Recovery, I’ve finally been afforded enough time and resources to process most of what I’ve been through – and I can continue to process, neutralise and recycle. If I can turn all of that trauma, pain, suffering and shame – into something whole, beautiful, useful and helpful for others, then the process can be completed.
I’m knowing, learning and speaking up about what I’ve been through, and most importantly: why I went through it.
In writing this blog, I hope to:
- Recover out loud to help those struggling in silence,
- Raise awareness for Autism & chronic illness,
- Connect with & support people going through similar stuff,
- Promote mental wellness, and help others to survive & thrive,
- Prove that if I can do this, anyone can (in their own way).
I’ll be mostly writing stuff about:
- Art & tattooing
- Recovery & sobriety
- Surviving & thriving
- Boundaries & business
- Autism & trauma
- Therapy & psychology
- Breakdowns & growth
- Re-writing & re-branding
- Self-care & self-love
- Also, a bit about crabs in buckets…
One of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we all learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why I started, and articulating my goals will inspire me to keep going and may just give me a few other post ideas.
Where shall I begin?
Well let’s start with the origin story of my name, Lala Inky.
I got a nickname of Lala when I was in high-school and it just stuck. I was bullied mercilessly as school, and this was the only name I was actually okay with. One of the reasons for the name was Jar Jar Binks, arguably THE worst and most annoying Star Wars character in history. Naturally, I was called La La Binks for the duration of the Phantom Menace hype 20 years ago. I was going through so much horrific abuse at home and in school, that being named after a super annoying, fictional character was totally fine by me. It worked out great – they started to focus on that instead, and I got to practice self-deprecating humour as a distraction. Somehow after a few years it morphed into Binky, and I still use my “lalabinky” email address to this day.
When I started tattooing 8 years ago, I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity to use over a decade of stupid names to my advantage.
Confessions of an Auteetotal Tattooer 