Meet Katie Bink

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Bink.

Hi Katie, 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.
For as long as I can remember, I was drawing on everything I could get my hands on. I made my own magazines and characters as a kid, giving life to the daydreams I enjoyed, writing alphabets and letters to no one yet. As soon as I realized what tattooing was, there was no closer sense of belonging. When you know, you know.

Right after high school, I picked up my first tattoo machine and began my trial through fire. It was the most honest thing in my life, and it still is. Tattooing has taught me the meaning of integrity, effort, and sacrifice, and has humbled me and honored me with every client that looks me up for their investment.

Today, I am an eternal student, always trying to learn and improve on whatever comes my way, while talking about life and daydreaming with my clients. Really I’m just happy to be here.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
2 months into my career I almost amputated my right ring and pinky fingers after a switchblade I was using broke. I’ll save you the details, the story is stupid, haha. Thirteen stitches later, I no longer have the use of those two digits on my right hand. It took a couple of weeks of learning how to hold my machine again now that my fingers were permanently straight, but today it sure does help keep steady when pulling long lines!

My history continues along the same vein of everything from accidents, ghosts, and devastating life events to realizing when it’s time to leave comfort behind in the pursuit of greater evolution. With that being said, I feel like it’s all part of the game, with infinite gain. The only obstacle I have is myself!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an artist, first and foremost, lucky enough to participate in the craft of tattooing and recently, I have launched my first clothing line called NECRODANCER APPAREL. As far as tattooing, while I’d like to say that I enjoy getting to do most styles out there, truthfully my favorite things to work on are dark art portraits, lettering, and calligraffiti, or a hybrid of the two. Both styles combine my favorite fundamentals of mine while allowing me to create the vibes I want to express in the finished piece, and they look hella sick.

I created NECRODANCER APPAREL as a way to produce the more “moody” pieces I create, as well as exercise the freedom of bending those fundamentals I’m fond of. I currently have thirteen different collections of art on shirts, hoodies, flags, framed prints, and more, and will eventually be working with bands and other artists for collaborations and good times! Feel free to check it out at www.katiebink.com

Most proud of? Ehh that’s a loaded one, but If I could say ONE thing I am proud of, it would be my dinner table. I went from this mess of a 20-something sitting on the floor splitting pizza with my dog so we didn’t go hungry, to serving family, hosting friends, writing answers to an interview, drawing, creating, and living life at this little table I bought with money I made from the best job ever.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
“The dangers of life are infinite, and among them is safety.” -Goethe

I am incredibly, incredibly shy. So much so, that it constitutes social anxiety, but most of the time, that’s more the snowball than the cause. I was in a situation once in my career where I was stagnant and desperate for help.

While I had friends in my corner, the shop was falling apart, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before I had to make a jump for the sake of improving myself and my life. Risking what I thought would be an exile from the only town I’ve ever lived in, the only place and crowd I thought I knew, I stepped through the doors of a brand new shop, nauseous and petrified, and asked for a job.

To my utter shock, I got the spot. My hands shook so hard I thought I was gonna drop the portfolio on the dude I was handing it to, but I got the chance. A real start. That dude’s one of my best friends now, and thanks to that risk, I learned that I am capable of success, even if I am too shy to say it out loud.

Pricing:

• $120/hour

Contact Info:

• Website: www.katiebink.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/katiebinktattooer