T.U.K. x Kimber Fowler

We've been teaming up with tattoo artists all through social distancing to support artists. Kimber Fowler from Portland, Oregon is our featured artist of the week. Here's their take on our Tattoo Creepers project.

Read below for our interview with them:

Tell me about yourself:

My name is Kimber Fowler, I’m nonbinary (they/them) and I’m a tattoo artist living in Portland, OR.  I was born and raised in North Carolina.

How long have you been tattooing for?

I’ve been tattooing for around 4 years now.  I took on a traditional apprenticeship for a couple years with my mentor, Kerry Burke, in Asheville, NC and then moved to Oregon where I am now tattooing at Tigerlily Tattoo.

What made you want to become a tattoo artist?

I have a background in different types of illustration and animation.  I’m always interested in trying new stuff and tattooing is something that naturally came up for me. I got my first tattoo the day after my 18th birthday and I’ve been quickly getting covered since then.

Why did you decide to customize the shoes the way you did?

Kewpies have been one of my favorite images to tattoo since I first started out.  I want to clarify this, because a lot of folks think I invented the Kewpie baby, but I did not create the first Kewpie images.  Rosie O’Neill created the first Kewpie images in 1908 and coined the term “Kewpie” based on Cupid.

How was working on this project for you?

I loved getting to try to paint on TUKskin. This was my first time trying a medium like this and I loved it.  Gave me lots of inspiration to try painting on my own shoes and jackets.

Are you currently working on any other projects?

I’m hoping to start working more on large tattoos so I’ve been sketching on the floor of my apartment for some time since it’s the only surface large enough at the moment.  I’m very excited about a lot of the back piece concepts I’ve been working on.

How long have you been an artist for?

Ever since I can remember and in as many different mediums as I could get my hands on.  Even today, in addition to tattooing, I’ve been designing the cover to a zine, taking a lot of film photos of my partner and watercoloring flash almost daily.

What’s your favorite tattoo that you have & why?

I’m still obsessed with the Kewpie Doll Head I have tattooed just under my chin.  I love that cheeky little smile so close to my face.

How were you keeping busy during quarantine?

Lots of walks with my 10 pound, sassy chihuahua named Trout and working on large water colors of skys.  Its honestly hard to remember because the days really do blend together at some point.

To see more of their work head to their Instagram