Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayden Tencher.
Hi hayden, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a queer tattooer transfixed with the idea of bringing a little more love and play into the tattoo world! for decades the connotation of the community that gets or gives tattoos has been so dark and dismal, often creating a stigma of sadness and turning away demographics of people who do not fit that description. but when we really get to the heart of tattooing, we are transforming ourselves to align with our ideal form, decorating and designing ourselves to find comfort in our bodies. in a world where forms of self alignment can require jumping through countless hoops of approval from medical professionals and government officials, only to be are met with intense societal backlash, restrictive legislation, and even violence, it is deeply important to me to create an accessible and tangible way of supporting queer people in their journey of self actualization. no more are the days of dark and scary tattoo shops with angry men sitting in corners grumbling to themselves about how much they hate fine line, now is the time for love and laughter and bright and silly tattoos of happy imagery! tattooing is alternative to societal norms, so it is inherently queer! going against the grain of having bare skin opens the conversation to go against other harmful norms like racism, sexism, transphobia, classism, and so much more.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
of course there have been rough patches in my journey, but that’s to be expected in a field where there aren’t really any regulations and rules. to put it simply, my experience in the tattoo world has been a whole forest worth of paths revealing themselves to me, and me being clear headed and lucky enough to notice the correct ones to venture down. every part of my journey has felt very serendipitous, and affirming of my decision to take the leap away from more “stable” fields of work. what i keep in the forefront of my mind is that as long as i keep showing up for this work with integrity, passion, and kindness, the right opportunities and people will be drawn into my orbit.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
i focus mainly on this style i’ve coined as Queer Americana; a bold line and bright color approach to silly and gay imagery. often times with american traditional tattooing we see the motifs of fighting animals, death, sex, drugs, and other things tailored to the macho facade of military men. i have always been drawn to that style aesthetically, but could never get behind the content, so i started making things a little more friendly or silly. i have also recently fallen in love with blastover tattoos! similar to cover ups, which are designed to fully cloak the original design behind something new, blastovers aim to do exactly that; blast over the previous design. it’s been super fun to layer something new over previous work without having to camouflage it or erase the history of the skin, it gives designs a little bit of extra intentional mess i really enjoy.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
come get tattooed! bring a friend! tell your mom! come swing by the shop and just chat! even if you don’t vibe with my style, let me recommend a friend who better aligns with what you’re looking to get! i have hundreds of ready-to-be-tattooed designs that you can pick off the wall, but im also always eager to try new things and collaborate with clients to help bring their ideas to life. it’s always an honor to impart someone with a gift they get to keep forever, so i want to be sure that you are happy with your involvement in the process.
Pricing:
- i am happy to work within anyone’s budget, no matter how small!
- i also encourage bartering! an easy way of sticking it to capitalism.
Contact Info:
