The artist who makes skin her canvas

People say nothing lasts forever.

But the ink in a tattoo seems to last a lifetime so is it really important that they have meaning?

Tattoos are a growing craze and have been for a long time now.

Tattoos can come in all shapes and sizes in all body areas; some people might choose to get some for specific meanings, for cultural reasons or because they like the design.

For one very special tattoo artist, tattoos are more than just a drawing on the skin, she sees them in a deeper light with purpose and sentimental value. 

Rubie is an independent tattoo artist based in Winchester and runs her studio called Pins and Needles.

She started her business at 18 and has worked ever since, expanding and sharing her work throughout the city.

In a way, she might not recognise a person by their face but by their tattoo, she could never forget.

‘They always crave more’

Her story started many years ago when she was in school drawing all over her hands and doodling in corners of notepads to pass the time.

She wasn’t the most academic student but had a fuelling passion for creativity and the arts.

It was then her family who persisted in her taking her drawings out of the pad and into the studio.

Following on, her mother moved shops across to Winchester to allow her daughter to share the space and start tattooing clients, rather than just herself.

Over the years Rubie’s body became her practice canvas and sketch pad for new and exciting designs.

After a while, the space became solely her own and she turned it into the fun and inviting space it is today.

She got all her qualifications at a very young age and has been adapting to running her own business and managing her talent from such a young age.

She described tattooing as a crave and desire that people get, almost as strong as an addiction.

Whether it is an addiction to the slight pain or just the appeal of the appearance afterwards, she suggested that people struggle to only get one tattoo.

“They always crave more”.

She believes tattoos can hold great personal value, deeper than just ink on the skin.

Her mother influenced her into striving in this industry and taking her talent from one canvas to another.

Rubie describes her job as: “What I’m destined to do and what I’ve got to do.”