Tattoo Talk: An Interview with Indigo Colton.

As a quick preface to this post, I wanted to let you know that I’ve done a major wardrobe clear out in preparation for my move this weekend. Most of it is headed to the charity shop but I’ve saved a few gems and listed them on Depop (my username is thelaughingmedusa). There are some real vintage beauties and even a few brand new pieces with the tags still on! So if you fancy shopping my wardrobe, go on and take a peek. But be quick! Whatever doesn’t sell in the next couple of weeks is also getting donated.

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming… Indigo has guest posted here before and today I’m thrilled to be interviewing her for Tattoo Talk. Although her collection is still small, she’s curating it carefully and I think it’s safe to say she’s quickly getting addicted!

Indigo Colton, 22, Full-time student, part-time retail employee, part-time freelancer in Austin, TX

How old were you when you got your first tattoo? What was it?
I was 19 when I got my first tattoo. It is a dreamcatcher, on the inside of my right wrist. The design was based off of a real dreamcatcher one of my friends made for me the year before.

How many tattoos do you have now?
I have two!

What are your thoughts on tattoo regret? Have you ever had any?
I personally have never felt tattoo regret, but I believe it is a real thing. I think there can be a tendency to get something done impulsively and sometimes that can result in either loving a tattoo forever or being over it in a few years. I have friends who have had tattoos removed/covered up because of this.

Do you think tattoos need to have a special meaning or can they be purely aesthetic?
I believe tattoos can be either or! The two that I have both carry the weight of meaning behind them, but I’ve seen so many beautiful tattoos that people have told me were purely aesthetic choices.

Do you have a favourite tattoo? What’s the story behind it?
I don’t know if I can play favorites with my two, gosh! I love both of them so much.

So the dreamcatcher is based off of a real dreamcatcher my friend Krystal made for me. To me it symbolizes that period of my life, that friendship that was forged in the back yard of a mutual friend at a gathering focused on Nikola Tesla. It also represents a concrete reminder to always follow my dreams, and that what I dream for is within my grasp. I also have humor associated with my dreamcatcher tattoo because I had to fight with an artist at the studio (not the one who did the tattoo, mind you) about having it point towards me and be upside-down to everyone else. He told me I would regret that decision in a month and, wouldn’t you know, it’s three years later and I haven’t regretted it for a day.

My second tattoo, which I got in South Florida when I was 20, is the word namaste written in Sanskrit. It’s on the inside of my left wrist, and is another reminder for myself. I’ve practiced yoga on and off for years and one thing that always stayed with me was the “namaste” at the end of each class. The instructor would put their hands in prayer, in front of the heart, bow their head and say “The highest and brightest in me recognizes and bows down to the highest and brightest in you. Namaste.” I try to incorporate that into my life each and every day, to recognize the highest and brightest in everyone I encounter. My namaste tattoo did a lot of work for me over the holiday break, when I was working every day at my retail job and people were yelling at my coworkers and I every day for hours. I would look down at my namaste tattoo on my breaks and take a deep breath, reminding myself that everyone has a highest self, and that is what I need to focus on instead. And that everyone deserves to be treated as if they are being their highest self.

Are there any artists you’re yearning to get work from?
YES! The one artist I’ve been yearning to work with for about a year now is Sasha Unisex. She’s a Russian tattoo artist and her work is absolutely phenomenal. I love her style and how her tattoos look on the skin.

If you’d like to keep up with Indigo’s adventures, be sure to check out her blog and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

xoxo,