French tattoo artist Amy Mymouse, who was recently featured on French television in the show 'Tattoo Cover', agreed to be interviewed by Inkers. From her adopted city of Montreux, Switzerland, where she has just opened her studio Maison Louche, Amy opens the doors to her artistic universe, at the centre of which are women with a warrior spirit.
Let's go back to your beginnings, it seems to me that you originally wanted to go to film school?
Originally, I wanted to do comics and/or animation. These are my references and the basis of my work.
Do you have any favourite films?
I'm a big fan of Disney and Pixar studios, of the Japanese director Miyazaki. Otherwise, I really like dramatic films, but to make a list would be too long and the interview would be like Allociné (French website dedicated to cinema, ed.).
How did you make the transition to tattooing?
During my preparatory studies in Paris, I worked on the theme of tattooing. While doing my research I discovered the extent of the technical possibilities. I was shown the work of artists such as Jesse Smith, Steph D, Dimitri HK... and I was far from imagining that it was also possible to do cartoons on the skin. I also liked the "human" side of the job. So, after my art school, I started to look into it more seriously.
Have you always drawn?
Yes, as far back as I can remember. I grew up with different influences including Disney, comics, manga, book illustrations. I was inspired by everything I saw, I found everything beautiful ... (Laughs)
How were your first years in the craft? It seems to me that you did part of your apprenticeship with Dimitri HK?
I just did a test with Dimitri and he preferred to keep my friend Noka instead. However, I met some great people there: Steph D, Dimitri, Dago, among others. It was my first experience, I observed a lot. I learned a lot of things in terms of preparation, the basics. Then I started looking for an apprenticeship again, which was difficult at the time, but I ended up finding a place in Rennes (French city on the West side, ed.) with Alex (Tsunami Tattoo) and Arno (Tatouage à l'Étage). Between the years of work and the laughter, I have some great memories.
As a woman in what was then still a very male-dominated environment, what was it like?
Looking for an apprenticeship at the time was a bit complicated for a woman. But once I got into the craft, I didn't have any problems. I even received a lot of support, was it because I was a girl? I don't know, but in any case, I never felt denigrated, neither at the beginning nor afterwards. And I didn't understand the old gravelly jokes of some tattoo artists, so it didn't affect me... lol ;-)
What do you think about the evolution of the place of women in tattooing?
People are taking girls as apprentices more easily I think. In the conventions at the time there were four of us women. Now, fortunately, that has changed. It's about time people understood that we have more balls! ( ah ah ah )
We were talking about cinema, is it to it and to films like those of Tim Burton for example, that we owe your strong and melancholic dolls?
No, I really like his universe but it has never been one of my references. They are more on the side of Lowbrow or Surrealism Pop, even if everything started from comics with heroines who are a bit warlike like those born under the pencils of Didier Crisse or Alessandro Barbucci, among others.
Do you have a particular interest in fairy tales, in which there are characters of young girls?
I've always loved fairy tales, fairy tales and all kinds of other stories. I mean old tales like Grimm's Fairy Tales or Andersen's Fairy Tales. As I said before, I like dramatic and melancholic films. I like it when the main character is in a difficult situation at the beginning and she becomes a happy princess at the end.
When you talk about the female figures you tattoo, you refer to Italian painting and the Renaissance. Because this artistic movement features goddesses and heroines?
It's a whole. It's this image in which the woman is put in the centre of the painting. And I really like the aesthetics of the Renaissance, a period in which women are the main subject of paintings - at least the ones I admire - and where voluptuousness is put forward.
Do you have any heroines and if so which ones?
I rather like the life paths or careers of certain people. My art is quite representative of the strength of women.
In an interview you said you were quite a geek, can you tell us more?
I really like manga, which I devoured when I was younger. As far as game consoles are concerned, I'm an aficionado of Nintendo and particularly of the game Zelda. As I got older, I got a lot closer to fantasy, mainly in my reading, with a clear attraction for GOTH or Harry Potter figures.
Let's talk about television and the TV show "Tattoo Cover" which you participated in and left in Season 3. What memories do you have of this experience?
I loved shooting the show and I was really happy to meet Philippe Etchebest (famous French chef, ed.)!
I was recently talking to American tattoo artist Kelly Doty, who has been on the TV show 'Ink Master'. She said that this kind of programme has opened up the world and that tattooing has become an option for more people than before. Do you agree?
Democratizing I don't think so, but it has shown a different image of the tattoo artist in general. The artistic side has been put forward a lot more and has allowed to show what it was possible to do in tattoo. Thanks to these shows, the clientele understood that there were different styles, what it was possible to do or not to do. Quite simply, I think they understood what tattooing was all about.
For those who missed the show, can you cover everything with a tattoo?
Yes, basically you can cover everything with black! (Laughs) Then, some tattoos can be too big or too dark, etc. You really have to find out what's best for a cover. And depending on the case, some styles are better than others.
Tattoos are usually for life. Have you ever advised against an overlay?
No, because the mistake has already been made. But I have refused to retouch or cover a tattoo of Felix Leu (Swiss tattoo legend, father of Filip Leu, ed.). I advised him to keep it that way. There are things you don't touch. I have also refused tattoos where the theme didn't seem appropriate. People sometimes jump in too quickly and I prefer to let them think about it before coming back to me with a clearer idea of what they want. + IG : @amy_mymouse https://amymymouse.com/