From tattooing in her parents' basement to opening her first- and soon second studio in her hometown in north of Sweden, Emilia Lindgren speaks with us about hand poking, creative outlets and how it feels to jump headfirst into pursuing your creative dreams.
The 30-year-old passionate tattooist Emilia Lindgren opened her widely appreciated tattoo studio Flow 3 years ago, where all tattoos are made by hand, an ancient technique more commonly known as hand poking. Emilia’s artistic style is delicate, minimalistic yet expressive – a characteristic combo that that makes her work instantly recognizable.
The blend of subtlety and eccentricity crystallizes not only in her art, but also in her personal style. “There is a simplicity and timelessness in my art that can be recognized in all of my ways of expression”, Emilia says and adds, “I like to keep my clothing simple since my skin already tell its own story. I gravitate toward classic pieces and combinations like jeans, a white t-shirt, and sneakers—simple and timeless”.
The lust for creating has been the catalyst for her different life- and career path choices Emilia explains. By always standing with one foot on the creative field, Emilia tells us that “the transition from being a hobby creative to permanently decorating people’s skin with art felt very natural to me. Creativity has always been the core in everything I do, and that has made the shift very seamless”.
When not tattooing, Emilia finds her peace in the uninterrupted space of her own creative bubble, in nature and in the presence of like-minded others. “I am convinced that our inner world creates our outer world. The more we take care of ourselves, the more we receive in return”. Reflecting on her journey, she talks about overcoming self-doubt and reaching inner peace by embracing the well-used, but well-loved mantra, “What is meant to be, will be”. “Once I shifted my mindset, everything started to change for the better,” she says. “Now, I’ve learned to appreciate and accept my slips and errors, and I am now living the creative, joyful and free life that I’ve always dreamed of, and I’m thankful for this every day.”.