Norma works in her beloved Lille and gives us a lot of tattoo subjects (some of them of considerable size) dedicated to bird-and-flower painting.
Hi Norma, have you always wanted to be a tattoo artist in your life or did you become one due to some special circumstance?
I never imagined to become a tattoo artist but I’ve always drawn a lot. I worked like a graphic designer in videogames (was an accident too!) and made a lot of collective exhibition in bars with friends at that time.
Then one day I met a tattoo artist who became a very good friend of mine… He offered me my first little tattoo for my birthday, and when I told him that I would stop working in videogames to become a barber, well, he proposed to teach me tattooing because he wanted me to continue to draw.
When it comes to the subjects of your tattoos, you have a truly fascinating vision of nature, colours, animals and their plumage. Have you already named your style?
One day a tattoo artist friend of mine – specialized in Japanese style – talked to me about “Kacho-ga” (the Japanese equivalent of bird-and-flower painting, called “Huaniaohua” in Chinese. Ed).
My friend told me my work could be called “Néo Kacho-ga”.
Obviously the Japanese term “Kacho-ga” (or “Kacho-e”), refers in Japanese ukiyo-e prints to images of birds and flowers. And I enjoyed it!
Your tattoos seem to be a strong statement of artistic freedom both in terms of choice of subjects and use of colour. What do you think?
I take the time to be strong with proposals when someone offers me their tattoo project. We exchange many e-mails so that I can best meet my client’s expectations and to offer him a drawing and a final composition that also I like. It’s always a lot of work but most of the time clients leave me very free. I always send a drawing two days before, and it’s really very rare that I’m asked for some changes. I hope they feel I want to do my best for them.
Your works look good on every part of the body but if I had to choose I would say that the full-backs are the most ennobling of your creations.
I like to tattoo all areas of the body, except the ribs. I think the visual impact on a back is stronger because of the size and more readable. It’s also easier to take a picture of a full back than a full arm!
Would you ever change your city of Lille – where your tattoo studio is located – for somewhere else?
At the moment I like to live and work in Lille. I have my very lovely friends there, the cultural offer is good and it’s a very cosmopolitan city. It is also a very accessible city to come by train or plane.
For the moment I do not plan to settle elsewhere, but I really like to go as a guest to my friends across France.
I read that you have a guest spot in Toulouse from 21 to 25 May. As for your future tattoo conventions, can you already give me some information?
Yes, I am planning to participate in the first tattoo festival in the small village of Barjols, organized by my friend Sandra Massa, which is bringing together about fifty very interesting tattoo artists. I’m really looking forward and proud to take part in this event. I will also participate next September in ‘The Ink Factory’ 2024 in Lyon (IG: @heinkfactorylyon).
And your last famous words are… ?
Like Peter Pan once said: “Dream your life in color, it’s the secret for happiness!”
