Although tattooing fruit might not seem like the most conventional starting point for becoming a fully-fledged tattoo artist, it’s more common than you might think! This was the road that Sabrina Summers of Fantality Art took when she realized that tattooing was the best avenue for her artistic skills. Originally her drive was to earn money to pay her way through school to become a registered massage therapist. She explained that she “biked down to a tattoo supply shop, bought a dusty old kit, and started practicing on oranges.” This eventually lead to an apprenticeship, and then her own position as a tattoo artist at Fantality Art on 306 George street.

The Uxbridge artist recently moved to Peterborough to settle in with her fiancé, and brought her talent for stunning tattoos with her. She’s found Peterborough to be a bit more lively than her hometown, where she says that the headline of the year was once “Cow, Hit By Tractor.” Sabrina herself has roughly 15 tattoos, but says that by this point they are all blending together. Her favourite spot to tattoo on others is the forearm, which she says bring a “striking” appearance to the body. The strangest tattoo she’s done so far was a design of a cockroach in a “private place.” Interesting choice, patron, but no judgements!

Sabrina hopes that by tattooing the people of Peterborough, she will be using this intimate act to both beautify the city, as well as bring awareness to people to help them connect to their bodies. It can be difficult to love yourself 24/7, but glamourous and tenacious art etched onto your skin can help lift those bad feelings.

And for those who are thinking about getting inked, but aren’t completely sure, Sabrina says that you should really look at why you’re hesitating. If you’re unsure of a design, keep looking for the right artist; someone who will put in the time to make your design perfect. If you’re nervous about what society will think, don’t be. More and more people are getting inked these days, and it is completely a personal choice that Sabrina assures, “so many lovely, intelligent, good-hearted people” make.

Or if you’re worried that you won’t get hired because you have tattoos, Sabrina says that in that case, you’re probably dodging a bullet. Who wants to work for someone who judges you based on your physical appearance?

As for the process of getting inked, if you’re worried about the pain, embrace it. Sabrina treats every tattoo like a rite of passage into the world of the tattooed. Plus, at the end of it you’re left with a “neat momento” of the moment. She says most people expect the pain to be worse, but if you’re really worried about the stinging of the needles, getting a forearm tattoo is the best possible place to avoid pain.

Want to meet Sabrina, see her work, or have her work inked onto your skin? She’s looking to meet new people and build up a clientele here in Peterborough, so don’t be shy if you’ve got an awesome tattoo idea for yourself! To get in touch with her, you can stop by the shop, call 705-741-2880, email her at sabrinasummerstattoos@gmail.com, or follow her Instagram account @sabrinasummers.to.