"At 16, I remember wanting to be a tattoo artist, but I didn't think it was a viable career. I was scared and nervous about making the jump, unsure of the path I needed to follow to make it happen. I even remember telling my dad that maybe I would attend cosmetology school to work on hair instead. He looked at me and said, "You don't want to do hair. You want to tattoo. Don't give up.""
"He took a photo of it and posted it on Instagram. Whereas lots of kids hide tattoos from their parents, I had a dad who encouraged them because he knew how much I loved them. After going in to have my first tattoo, surrounded by a welcoming and creative environment, I decided to ask if I could be an apprentice to one of the artists in the same shop where I had my tattoo done."
Madi Ford, 28, is a tattoo artist in Missoula, Missouri. She loved art growing up and identified as "alternative" as a teenager. Her father encouraged art classes and supported making art a career. At 16 she wanted to become a tattoo artist but feared it wasn't viable. At 18 she got her first tattoo and her father celebrated it, posting a photo. A welcoming studio environment led her to apprentice with an artist there. After developing skills for three years she offered to tattoo her dad and stepmom, creating designs meaningful to each. She later gifted tattoos to more family members.
Read at Business Insider
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