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Yulia Cechir Chicago, IL

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YULIA CECHIR

I immigrated to the US from Moldova 22 years ago. Dedicating myself completely to art and tattooing from a very young age has helped me find my place in this world. I tattoo full time, and when I find time, I love to work on my oil paintings ⸺ Who/where do you get your inspiration from? Early on, a lot of my inspiration came from graffiti artists depicting female characters in a sexy, fantasy-type style, such as miss Van and Fafi. The other side was influenced by the Chicano style of black and gray tattooing. My favorite tattoo artists when I first started were mister cartoon and Jose Lopez. Now I try to come up with my own inspiration and try not to get influenced by other artists so I can continue to mold my own style. A lot of my inspiration now stems from the versatility of a woman, the dreaminess and fantasy, the attitude and the beauty ⸺ What did your family and friends think about you getting into the tattoo business? My friends were my biggest supporters, but my family didn’t take me seriously and were probably hoping I didn’t end up homeless ⸺ What was it that initially sparked your interest in tattooing? I never thought it would be possible until I watched a homemade tattoo being done in a basement at a party; it changed my world forever. I tattooed myself for the first time that same night at 14 years old ⸺ Who and what influences you to create your work? The main thing that influences me is simply the void I need to fill that can only be filled through creating. When I am tattooing or painting, I enter a different dimension in my mind, and it’s a constant drive that I hope will always be there ⸺ What do you think is in store for the future of tattooing? Since the beginning of times, tattooing has been evolving. The things some artists can create nowadays are simply amazing, and I can only see it progressing to the next level. It’s a great thing that should keep every artist on their toes. ✕

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