Interview: Lara Pacillo
Chira Grasby, aka Poko Ono, has come a long way from DIY home job tattoos in her bedroom.
Seven years on in the industry professionally and four years since opening Adelaide’s first queer and POC owned tattoo studio Halfpace, Chira is now one of the most sought-after tattoo artists in Adelaide, as well as an emerging visual artist and curator.
Last year, she joined not-for-profit arts organisation Guildhouse as an Early Career Curator and Writer in Residence — one of many milestones in her career.
Chira’s journey has been a wandering path between people, places, and disciplines, incorporating what she learns along the way into her art and practice.
We met with Chira to chat about inspiration, self-expression, and carving her own space in the industry.
Can you tell me about your background and what led you to pursue a career in tattooing?
Even as a teenager I was already interested in tattooing, which wasn’t ideal for my parents and teachers. By year 12, I thought I should get an academic job, a “real job,” but I spent all these years interested in tattoo art and drawing. Art was the only subject in school I was passionate about and doing well in, so I think it was hard accepting that it was what I wanted to pursue.
I then studied a Bachelor of Visual Arts. Once I’d left that high school environment — where there is a lot of focus on ATARs and that steering of traditional job pathways — that caused more self-acceptance and experimentation.
Even then, I had anxieties and questioned if people would see arts as a legitimate job and if I could do it long term. But being around more creative people, I accepted tattooing as my path.
How did you learn to tattoo and when did your career kick off?
I did tattoos as a teenager, but eventually I moved on from doing home jobs on friends to needing a legitimate space. Initially, I thought an apprenticeship was the best path, but through conversations with tattoo artists, I realised how rare a hand poke apprenticeship was back then. I had to build a network instead, and learn through trial and error.
In 2019 while still at uni, after a few years of experience in shared artist spaces, I got my first job at a professional established studio which gave me a space to draw knowledge from others and helped me improve rapidly. The industry now offers more opportunities for hand poke tattooing, which is so good to see.
Did you have a mentor who helped guide you?
There was a lot of figuring out on my own, but Lazy Tattoos who currently works over in Melbourne was probably my biggest supporter and help because they were also quite early on in their journey. We spent a lot of time just talking about the industry and talking about what we wished we had access to, finding a lot of info together and sharing resources.
How did Halfpace studio come about?
My first studio experiences were positive in terms of learning quickly and making friends, but the working environments weren’t always great. Many studios operate on outdated mentalities, and artists often feel financially exploited. My partner, my friends and I wanted a space where we worked for ourselves, not giving large chunks of income to someone else. This gave us freedom to focus on our creative interests.
Halfpace opened in January 2021, during the pandemic which wasn’t ideal, but we’ve been successful for almost four years now. Our studio feels like a community. The artists pay rent and keep their income, which means they can work and save without feeling like a large portion of their earnings go elsewhere.
Can you describe your tattoo style and how it’s evolved over time?
It’s definitely changed over time, which I think is true for every tattoo artist and any artform, with the process of learning techniques and using tools. Initially, I preferred minimal linework designs, directly inspired by my time in uni with references like Renaissance paintings, Roman and Grecian sculptures, mythology, and history.
Post-uni, I started incorporating more of my own interests and pop culture, like Sanrio characters and 2000s imagery. I still have a minimal style but now experiment with different textures and contemporary influences.
What’s your creative process like for developing tattoo designs?
These days, my work is about 60 per cent machine and 40 per cent hand poke. I like experimenting with different textures and details, incorporating both methods into designs. I like that I can utilise both, because it is kind of the best of both worlds.
For customs, it’s a different realm, because you’re creating your own design, but for someone else’s vision. I’m very lucky that my clients have a good understanding of my style.
There’s a process of chatting back and forth understanding exactly what they want for size and scale. I draw a few options, the client is quite involved in the process.
Flash, however, is me presenting a piece in its final form, there’s a lot of reference image collecting I do for that from various sources — memes on Instagram or books. I save things that catch my eye and later sit down to draw, creating cohesive themes on the pages and just seeing where it goes.
What are the other artist mediums that you delve into, and how did you move into those spaces?
Studying visual art in uni exposed me to different art realms, like galleries and music. I’ve focused on oil painting, specifically miniature portraiture, and I often incorporate tattoo imagery into my paintings. It makes sense that my art worlds spill into each other.
I found art industry jobs enticing. I started curating exhibitions in 2017, applying for galleries with friends and self-initiating group exhibitions. In 2019, I did an emerging curator program with Carclew, working with an arts organisation and understanding the job better.
I then applied for the Guildhouse program, curating three exhibitions supporting local South Australian artists. This involved writing exhibition rationales, learning about artist contracts, invoicing, and the logistics of Adelaide’s art scene, giving me a deeper insight into the art industry.
I felt more involved in the arts community, getting support and networking opportunities not just with staff, but with artists I met, connecting me with the wider community. While I had been immersed in the tattoo industry, I realised I wasn’t giving myself similar opportunities in the broader arts world, so it was a nice excuse and opportunity to do that.
What are some challenges you’ve faced as a young female tattoo artist and how have you overcome them?
I think we’re seeing a phase-out of negative opinions, homophobia, misogyny, and racism in the industry, but they still exist in pockets. In a past workplace, these issues affected my co-workers and I. The challenge was choosing to leave a toxic environment and feeling lost afterwards.
The solution was carving out my own space with my partner and friends to create a happy workplace. That’s not to say that everyone that faces a challenge in the industry has to go and open their own studio, but it’s important to utilise your community and network to find a better space where you can thrive.
What advice do you have for aspiring tattoo artists, especially young women looking to enter the industry?
Creating a network and making friends from the start can be really helpful. I’ve built rapport with many young artists and aspiring tattoo artists. While I might not be able to offer apprenticeships, I’m happy to give advice, recommend safe spaces, help with networking, and vouch for them. Networking is essential, as it can help you find opportunities and make the industry less intimidating.
Can you tell me about your current exhibition, ‘A Life So Bountiful’?
It focuses on the internet era of my childhood, like Myspace, Tumblr, Neopets, and Club Penguin, highlighting the overwhelming amount of information we had access to during our formative years. The exhibition includes drawings, small paintings, and ceramic vases I’ve painted on which were created with Sideways Ceramics, who helped me with the production and glazing.
Do you have any plans for the future?
I would love to combine my curating and tattooing into a single space, like a hybridised gallery at the front and tattoo studio at the back. But I’m thinking that’s more of a 15-year plan, so it’s just slowly chipping away at that.
Chira Gatsby: Instagram // Website
Poko Ono: Instagram // Website
Halfpace: Instagram
Find out more about Guildhouse’s Early Career Curator and Writer in Residence program on the Guildhouse website
