Métis artist Amy Malbeuf’s insatiable appetite for new creative outlets has led her to work in many artistic fields, including traditional Indigenous tattooing. Indigenous teachings and traditions are, for Amy, a foundation from which she can follow her boundless inspiration and innovation. When it comes to tattooing, however, Amy feels the need to practice the traditional methods developed by her ancestors, specifically the skin stitch technique of using a needle and thread to weave designs into the skin. Whereas Amy sees her work in the visual arts as deeply personal, she considers her work as a tattoo artist a “service to others,” and a direct contribution to the preservation of lived Indigenous culture in the contemporary world.
Exploring Indigenous tattooing traditions around the world. Each episode dives into a unique Indigenous culture to discover the tools and techniques, the symbols and traditions that shape their tattooing art.