So, what does it take to become a tattoo artist? Today’s guest, Victoria Ohman knows first hand. Born on Long Island 1984, Victoria (or Tori, as I’ve known her) began making art as soon as she could hold a crayon. She pursued an art sequence in high school (sachem class of 2002); Graduated with honors with a BFA in painting and drawing from SUNY New Paltz in 2006. Tori’s thesis consisted of oil paintings that were experimental, intuitive, process oriented, pattern based abstractions to create mood rather than represent objects or landscapes. Inspired by patterns in nature, ideas of the connections between microcosm and macrocosm. She has drawn influence from painters, like: Wasily Kandinsky, Mark Rothko, Picasso and Barbara Takenaga. Tori returned to LI to join the workforce and began a tattoo apprenticeship in Islip, NY in February, 2007. In October that year, she did her first tattoo. She has now been tattooing full-time since 2010. And works at Artful Ink in Bohemia, NY. And it’s fitting that her episode falls on the Canadian holiday, Victoria Day. (had to do it) Get the ink ready and enjoy my chat with Tori.