Hannah Nichols shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hannah, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I’ve recently been going on nature walks! It’s pretty hot so I do them early in the morning, but it’s truly one of my favorite parts of the day. I listen to a playlist full of music that boosts my creativity and walk around noticing the beauty of the world around me for however long I feel like walking. I highly recommend it!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! My name is Hannah (aka Baby Bear Tattoos) and I am a tattoo artist based in Fort Worth, TX specializing in fine line black and grey tattoos. Providing a safe and welcoming environment as well as quality work for clients is a top priority for me. I want every size, gender identity, and sexuality to feel comfortable, listened to, and celebrated in my chair!
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mom for sure. She is my number one fan and has been since the beginning. She has always believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I have always been creative and she always encouraged me to lean into that creativity in every aspect of my life. She knew art was in my soul and never tried to change that. When I told her I wanted to be a tattoo artist, she could not have been happier and couldn’t wait to get a tattoo from me. I am forever grateful for her and her unwavering love and support for me. I am incredibly lucky to have her in my life.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
“You are exactly who you are supposed to be”. When I was younger, I was bullied a lot for being different. I went to a small christian school in the suburbs where we were encouraged to have very specific interests, personalities, and life paths. I did not fall into any of those pre determined categories and was punished for it. It sent me into a deep depression where I never felt good enough. Once I graduated and stepped out into the real world, I saw that my differences were something to celebrate. I was free to express myself as creatively and freely as I wanted. I was able to be 100% authentically me.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
100%. I refuse to be anything other than myself. There’s a huge lack of authenticity in the world right now, especially on social media, and I will not contribute to that.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing?
I would love to travel more. One of my goals is to start doing guest spots at different tattoo shops/studios around the world. I want to meet and learn from others in my industry as well as explore places I’ve never been. There are so many talented tattoo artists out there that I would be honored to learn from as well as so many places I would be incredibly grateful to visit.
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