Sydney on the importance of slowness and creating art one poke at a time.
At first hand poking was the most accessible, but there were a few reasons I was interested in it. First of all, I'm hard of hearing. The noise of the machine - I felt would come between my client and I in a way that was not great. I wouldn't be able to really have a good conversation. I also really like the sensation of poking. The motion is very meditative. I'm very interested in slowness and things that take time to build - it's a very repetitive thing that I can get into a flow state with. I also like the organic way that [hand pokes] heal - the inconsistency of the line is really nice when something is made by hand. And I also think for me, [hand poking] is probably easier on my body. I haven't had any pain from tattooing. It just seems like a very sustainable way for me to work.
It's really special, and because it's so slow, it's a way to check in with myself.
Sydney has a deep appreciation for how hand poking forces her to be present and reminds her of why she tattoos. She articulates the feeling beautifully
I think that probably has more to do with my spiritual and philosophical way of moving through the world. When I'm hand poking, I can really get into the zone where I'm doing this repetitive activity. But even though it's repetitive, there's still variation within each poke, within each thing I can do. It's a way that I can be present with myself and another person and there's no screens. There's no switching around. I can really zone in. That feels really fulfilling to me and feels like a productive way to work.
It's really special, and because it's so slow, it's a way to check in with myself. There are days where I'm like, ‘Ugh, I wish this was over or I'm thinking about a million different things — and then it's like, wait a second, I'm doing a thing that I love right now.’ Out of all the jobs, this is a great job. Being able to catch myself wanting to rush through life in that moment - I think you can only really catch something like that if you are slowing down. I can try to be more fully present in what I'm doing because I love this at the end of the day."
Sydney’s books are open. You'll find her hand poking and enjoying every poke @nicetrytattoo. Her books fill fast, you’ll find her booking link @sydneyhunterart
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@sydneyhunterartSydney Hunter Kleinrock is a painter and tattoo artist living in Brooklyn, NY 🇺🇸
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