“I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face”: Right here’s how Laura turned a easy artistic ardour right into a profession.
An Emerald tattoo artist has turned a artistic ardour right into a profession, and has been recognised by the neighborhood as probably the greatest within the area.
Laura Dawson, 27, by no means thought she may make a residing from one thing she did to specific herself, however after a decade within the tattoo trade, she launched her personal studio with enterprise regularly rising.
“For me, when it comes tattoos, an image speaks a thousand phrases,” she mentioned.
“If I will help any individual categorical how they’re feeling, and particularly in in the present day’s society, that is my particular means of connecting with them.
“If I can take that feeling they’re holding on to and assist them put on it virtually as their defend of safety on the skin, that’s a present in itself.”
Ms Dawson has been drawn to artwork since she was a baby drawing wildflowers on water tanks along with her grandma on the household property.
“It’s my means of expressing myself,” she mentioned.
Initially from Gladstone, Ms Dawson moved to Emerald as a teen, which was the place she first acquired her begin within the trade.
“Mum was getting a tattoo and I used to be sitting there within the hallway drawing on my notepad killing a while and the artist noticed my drawings and requested if [tattooing] was one thing I’d be curious about doing,” she mentioned.
“He informed me to herald my drawings, gave me a shot and the remainder is historical past.
“I used to be simply in the appropriate place on the proper time.”
She had been serving purchasers at Emerald for about 10 years, in addition to a brief stint in Louisiana, earlier than branching out and opening her personal enterprise, Laura Ashlee Tattoos, in February this 12 months.
“One of many issues that drew me to tattooing is you’re always serving to individuals clarify how they really feel, give them a way of safety or to specific themselves,” Ms Dawson mentioned.
“It was yet another factor I used to be good at, my means of serving to individuals.
“I really like studying and taking in new info so it’s actually cool I’m in an trade the place I can by no means actually attain that restrict. There’s at all times room for enchancment.”
In August, Ms Dawson was voted one of the best tattoo artist throughout the Central Highlands and Coalfields by CQ Information readers.
She mentioned it was unbelievable to search out out individuals appreciated her time, effort and ability, reassuring her that going out on her personal was the appropriate factor to do.
“Once I noticed the checklist of finalists, I knew I used to be up towards some actually good artists and it was anybody’s selection as to who was going to win,” she mentioned.
“I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face [when I found out I won].
“It’s so warming to know individuals consider in me as a result of I am my very own worst critic.
“It was just a bit little bit of reassurance that what I believe I’m doing for my purchasers, that they’re feeling that as nicely.
“I really feel like I am doing the appropriate factor by them and so they’re appreciating all the pieces I can provide them. “
Ms Dawson has plans to additional increase the studio to allow her to cater to extra purchasers and finally convey on a trainee, providing another person the alternatives she was given.
“I wish to increase and tackle another person and mentor them and see if they’ll surpass me, as a result of to me, that’s what makes an awesome mentor,” she mentioned.
She additionally needed to thank her mum, mentors, purchasers and supporters for getting her to the place she was, as a result of “they’re those that make this doable”.
