Name and recent state?
Kayla VanFleet aka
KeighlaNight. My current state is California, but I am only here about half the
month. My boyfriend Shawn O'Hare and I travel the U.S. attending tattoo
conventions.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up on central
Illinois in a very small town.
How was it growing up
there, would you say that it influenced you?
It was slow and quiet.
I was outside a lot since we owned a farm and had horses. I tend to be very
humble now because of it. I must say I wanted to stand out at a very young age.
Everyone where I grew up was either preppy or super country.
When did you start
getting tattoos?
I got interested in
tattoos at a very young age, I always had fake tattoos or I was drawing on
myself. My dad tried to find someone to tattoo me at the age of 13, I ended up
with one at the age of 16 from a color blind biker.
How would you describe
your style?
Honestly, it's always
changing and evolving. Part of my job is to be a chameleon, and I believe
that's reflected in my everyday life.
Do you consider
tattoos as a serious art form?
I do! I went through
my tattoo apprenticeship about 4 years ago. I haven't been tattooing for a
while now, BUT I do paint with oils. I must tell you there is far more pressure
involved when you tattoo someone. If you mess up, you can't just erase it and
start over. To me, that's about as serious as it gets.
How do you see the
tattoo culture right now?
It’s way more accepted
in society versus 10 years ago. It's growing and changing as it becomes more
mainstream. I see it more than most people since we travel with the industry.
Tattoo expos aren't like they used to be. Shawn's a body modifier, and watching
3D implants and tongue splitting’s take off has been amazing.
What has been your
inspiration for getting them?
To make myself feel
beautiful and portray how I feel inside, on the outside.
What’s your favorite
piece?
My favorite piece
would have to be a painting by Craola, that is on my outer thigh. It was
tattooed on me by an amazing tattoo artist named Ryan Burke of Forest Grove
Tattoo in Forest Grove, Oregon.
Do you catch people
starring at you because of your ink?
All the time! It’s
part of my job! I model and I run the booth for Shawn at expos. People are always
stopping me to take pics.
In your opinion, do
your tattoos change your mood often?
Yeah, I had a habit of
getting a tattoo when I was super pissed off. Now I tend to just look at my
tattoos when I'm angry and remember the pain, then I feel better. I find that I
don't cover myself with random’s this way. Tattoos sooth me, it's just another
addiction.
What’s your most
significant tattoo and why?
Hmm... That one is
difficult to answer. I would have to say my hand tattoo. My entire hand is
covered and I can't hide it. When I chose to do that, I chose to stand out for
life. They always call hand and neck tattoos the deal breakers when it comes to
normal life. It's a bit easier in cities like Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles,
but in small towns, it's still game over.
What advice would you
give to someone wanting to get their first tattoo?
WAIT!!! And think
about a design for a year. Tack it up on the wall and stare at it every day.
Then if you still want it, get it. Oh how I wish I would have done that. I'm
working on so many cover ups, and I now suffer from "piercer arm".
For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a massive black out
cover-up.
Will you be getting
anymore?
Till the day I die.
What’s your biggest
inspiration, what keeps you going?
I want to inspire
others. I want everyone around me to feel free to break the mold.
What is one thing that
life has taught you?
Never give up! If one
door closes, another one is always flying open somewhere. You just have to have
the courage to go find it.
Do you have a favorite
quote?
"You laugh at me
because I am different, I laugh at you because you are all the same."
Anything else you
would like to add?
I can't wait to see what
else life throws at me. My journey so far has been super intense, but I
wouldn't trade it for the world. Hope to see you all out there, and if you see
me say hello! Shawn and I have our own clothing line called Mod Whore Clothing,
check it out at MWClothingCO