What’s behind the creative mind
Alexandra Hauffe
Much to the dismay of her parents, Knowlton-based tattoo artist Alexandra Hauffe got her first introduction to the world of body art at 17. A realistic-looking butterfly was drawn onto her foot in black ink, and she was immediately hooked. In the years that followed, she poured over the rich history of tattoo art, learning as much as she could. Years later, it was inevitable that she finally picked up the tools herself and tattooed a tiny star on her ankle.
While she has always been fascinated by tattoos and body modifications, Hauffe only recently began the art of tattooing. A trained pastry chef and bread maker, Hauffe has worked in the restaurant business for almost a decade. While food remains one of her passions, Hauffe set up a tattoo studio at Le Loom in Knowlton this past March, where she is now accepting clients.
For the first six months of her foray into the world of tattoo art, Hauffe practiced on herself. She soon began to seek out new people to tattoo, and found her family, friends, and partner were open to letting her practice on them.
“At the beginning it’s hard to describe the pressure you put on yourself to give people something to decorate their bodies that they will be happy about forever,” she admits. “It can be challenging. But once you get past the learning curve and gain some confidence it becomes something I really take pride in doing.”
When getting a piece of body art that will stay with you forever, it’s understandably important to choose the right tattoo artist. Hauffe is very grateful to the people who were willing to let her practice tattooing on them as they have allowed her to get where she is today. She even found that some people like to know that they are getting a tattoo from someone just starting out. Yet, it’s no surprise that people put great faith into her hands, as it’s clear from her designs that she is a talented and meticulous artist.
Hauffe’s style consists of abstract blackwork, minimalist lines, and aesthetic dotwork. Her creative eye turns drawings of objects as simple as a chair with swirl-pattern print into beautiful designs to be inked on the body. These swirls are echoed elsewhere in her work, composing the twisting body of a snake and the contrasting contours of a waxing moon. Hauffe technique varies between machine and hand-poke tattoos, giving a wider range to the styles she’s capable of bringing to life.
Being a tattoo artist has given Hauffe a new creative outlet, which is something that has allowed her to forge new connections and have interesting conversations with strangers. She has called Knowlton home since 2019, where the area’s beautiful natural surroundings and diverse community of artists have allowed her to draw a new source of inspiration that she did not have when living in the city.
Whereas in the past, tattoos were sometimes looked down upon, Hauffe notices attitudes towards tattoos changing. Having a tattoo is more widely acceptable than ever, and she comes across many people who have at least one tattoo.
“It’s a great way to decorate your body with something that is important to you and I think people are starting to realize that,” she says.
The reasons for getting a tattoo can range from spiritual to aesthetic, which is what Hauffe finds most interesting about tattoos. Some chose to get tattoos that represent their cultural beliefs and traditions, whereas others want to display unique pieces of art on their bodies. Coming from a family where having a tattoo was frowned upon, Hauffe found that she never felt comfortable in her own skin until she had a tattoo, allowing herself to present her body as she liked.
To learn more about Hauffe’s work, you can find her on Facebook and Instagram at @willowtreetattoos. She can be reached by email at willowtreetattoo@gmail.com for any questions or inquiries.