"My tattoo journey really started after my mom passed in February 2020. Part of my grieving process was really thinking about my family, my roots, and my place in the world. I’d had an idea for a tattoo for a long time, to honor my wife and my sons, and I finally decided to go for it.

 

Having known Naomi for a while, I knew she was a talented artist, and really wanted her to do it. I loved how it turned out, so I kept going. I would give her ideas about what I had in mind and, for the most part, gave her creative control. The result was beyond my expectations, she understood the story I was trying to tell, and she brought it out perfectly.

 

Since first working with her, I’ve told her that, if she moved away, I’d wait until I could go to wherever she was to get another tattoo; that’s how confident I feel about her work. She’s also mentored a couple of very young, talented tattoo artists that I would trust as well. Tattoos are for a lifetime, and there’s no one else in the world I would go to other than Alchemy Tattoo!" --R.