Blue jeans, white shirt. Walked into the room you know you made my eyes burn. – Lana Del Rey

Which was your first tattoo, your latest one, the most painful, your favourite, and your next one?

My first tattoo was three x’s, on my left forearm. The last tattoo I got was a picture of a grim reaper and a guy on a computer. The screen of the computer says, “you really suck” and underneath it says, “too much information sucks”. My most painful tattoo is a rose, that I tattooed on the head of my penis when I was in prison. My favourite tattoo is on my knee. It’s 13 boobs, for Friday the 13th, and my next tattoo is going to be, “BLACKFIST IS COMING! WATCH OUT!”, in a huge font.

Why did you go to prison?

Grand theft, robbery. I was 18 years old.

How did that experience affect you? 

It changed who I was a little bit. I had to tuck my human emotion away for a long time and pretty much live off animal instinct. There was a lot of anger and violence in prison. I had to match that so I could protect myself, so I wouldn’t get beaten up all the time and be able to keep my belongings. If you didn’t fight they would take your food, your whites and anything you bought off canteen. It was a crazy place but it prepared me for when I got out and got back into the world.

What impact has your tattoos had on your life and how others perceive you?

I think it set me apart from other models, made me able to brand myself when a lot of models fly low under the radar. It’s also given me the courage to constantly be who I am and not really give a fuck about anyone’s opinions.

Your body is both a canvas for some artists and the subject of other artist’s canvas. Does that make you an artist as well? 

Honestly in my opinion, being a model was cool for the connections I’ve made in the industry, and it’s cool for side cash, but being a model is basically being nothing. There’s no talent behind it. You get your picture taken, over time you learn all your good angles and you can be faster than a novice, but you aren’t doing anything. So what’s the art in that?  But in the same breath, you are helping someone create their vision, so in the same breath I can say that yes my life is art, my attitude is art, my style and the things I do to my body are art, and a lot of my tattoos are collaborative ideas with artists, so that is me making art also.

What is BLACKFIST?

A fashion/art/music project. I keep my eyes and ears on all things fashion. I like to be in the know. I was very inspired by hardcore and punk bands that have been aging during my creative thought process with BLACKFIST. I’ll be launching everything soon so just follow the brands progress; Bauhaus, Fugazi, Black Flag, Minor Threat, The Misfits are bands I found, when I started to discover what music I was interested in. These are bands that stuck with me over the years and had a big impact on my independence, as a human being and a creative individual. My brands twitter and Instagram are @blackfistlabel

What horror movie scared you the most when you were young?

The exorcist, the scene where she flips on her back and crab walks down the stairs. That shit scared the fuck out of me when I was young.

What was the best concert you’ve ever been to?

It’s between Marilyn Manson and Watch the Throne, (Jay-Z & Kanye West for the people that don’t know).

Three most over rated books you ever read.

 The Bible. Everything else I’ve read has been pretty fucking radical.

 

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Photography & interview by Andrea Vecchiato
Grooming by Amanda Bell
Styling by Bradley Soileau
Clothes by BLACKFIST