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Rakel wears only Draven Shoes
https://www.facebook.com/Draven.Footwear.Philippines
Racquel Natividad
First Female Professional Tattoo Artist in the Philippines
To become a tattoo artist never enters my mind. Since childhood, I’ve enjoyed drawing and started dreaming to be a fine arts student. But unfortunately, I was not given a chance to attend any art school. Instead, I became a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education graduate.
When my brother-in-law bought a tattoo magazine, I was shocked and amazed as I turned its pages. It’s like painting on the skin, it s very colorful and beautiful, WOW! I never thought that tattoo is an art because the only tattoo I know is prison tattoo. The magazine created a spark to my desire to become an artist. And it was in 2002 when I decided to be a tattoo artist. But my relatives didn’t like the idea. They hate tattoos! Tattoos are for losers! Tattoos are for criminals! They wanted me to become a teacher. After graduation from college, they sent me to F.E.A.T.I., Manila every weekend to review for the licensure. But every time I went to manila to review, I passed by Recto to visit tattoo shops to gather information about tattooing.
I came from a conservative and old fashioned family so being a tattoo artist is near to impossible, But thanks to the demi-gods of tattoo. They gave me a very supportive husband. My husband sold his marshall amp so I can have the money to buy my first tattoo kit. And he allowed me to use his right arm as my own personal scratch pad.
Learning how to tattoo is too difficult especially when you are on your own and especially when you are in a province far from the city. I need to travel to the city of Manila (4hours drive from my place) just to watch how a tattoo artist works. I always have a notebook to jot down notes and write down my questions. And when I return to Manila I have already prepared all my questions. It’s very irritating for a tattoo artist to be asked a lot of questions, but what can I do. I really would like to learn and master the craft.
So when I got a chance to be an apprentice at Mel Lacanilao’s Tattoo Shop, it’s like winning the lottery. This opportunity gave me a chance to enhance my tattoo skills. Tito Mel did not just teach me to tattoo but he taught me how to live a decent life through tattooing. I owe him my Tattoo Life.
It’s 2002 when I attended my first tattoo convention and I was the First and Only Female Tattoo Artist who participated in the event. From then on, I became active in attending tattoo conventions/competitions. I was the only Female Tattoo Artist in conventions for almost 4 years, competing and winning against 20 to 30 male tattoo artists. Since 2002 to 2009 I have won 20 Tattoo Awards which included 6 National Champion Awards and 1 International Champion Award. I also became the First Female Member of Philippine Tattoo Artists Guild Inc. And I was the First Female Tattoo Artist who established her own Sterile Tattoo Studio that uses disposable and autoclaved equipments. I also organized The First Tattoo Convention in Laguna last May 24, 2007, The Ink Poetry Tattoo and Rock Festival. I also organized The First Tattoo Seminar in Laguna last Novemver 18, 2009, where I discussed topics about cross contamination, sterilization, career development and tattoo techniques to educate and help budding Filipino Tattoo Artists. This kind of activity is my legacy and my way of saying Thank You to the Tattoo World because Tattoo has been very kind to me :]