Today we’d like to introduce you to Marli Mbaye.
Marli, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I always considered myself a creative and lover of all mediums of art. I have also seen the way the world is and have always been desperate to ameliorate it and find ways to serve my community, but I struggled with how to best express this passion as a career. One day my mom and I were discussing a news story where some women who had mastectomies were getting 3-D Breast Areola tattoos’ as an emotional piece of their recovery process. This really struck a cord with me as I have many survivors in my family and here was a way I could use my artistry skills to help others. From there I sought other ways to help people feel good about themselves, like Paramedical Tattooing, Scalp Micropigmentation, Lip Blushing and Brows. This was how InkCarnation was born and is reflected in my belief that it is “Where art meets healing”. I know the power of confidence and how if you feel better, you do better. I want to give back to the communities that have consistently given *me* the confidence to be myself and know that I have a place in this world. This is my thank you to women, especially black women, to queer people, to educators, and to everyone else working hard to make this world a better and safer place.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been about as smooth as these Houston roads, lol! but has definitely been a worthwhile journey. Like most entrepreneurs, there are the logistical and financial challenges related to opening up your own physical location. Honing your marketing skills to successfully reach your target market is also a masterclass in and of itself. But I would have to say that the biggest test is overcoming fear and self-doubt. It was crucial for me to have my support team to cheer me on when I wanted turn back and didn’t believe that I could get to where I am now. Nobody talks about how especially difficult it can be navigating entrepreneurship with neurodivergence. Ever since I was an outspoken and very passionate child, I knew I wasn’t built for a 9-5 and had to figure something else out more congruent to the way my brain works. Tattooing ticks off all my boxes when it comes to having creative input, getting to connect with people, and having that schedule flexibility, but there still has been the added challenge of navigating adulthood in a world that isn’t accomodating to neurodivergence. I left home (Senegal) when I was 18 during the pandemic and moved to the US alone, so it’s been quite a journey since then, adjusting to the current culture, learning more about myself, and trying to keep up with the fast pace and high stress of living in a hyper capitalist society without letting comparison be a thief of joy. At the end of the day, I have faith in who I am as a person and know that wherever I am in the world, there will always be a market for tattooing, there will always be people I can help, and I will always be able to make a life for myself and find community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
So the mission of InkCarnation is to use ink-art to aid the healing process. Whether that be SMP to camouflage the loss or thinning of hair due to alopecia; help rebuild one’s confidences after major breast reconstructive surgery, memorialize a memory via a tattoo or create those ideal brows and lips. I do consider myself and artist and this brand was born out of a merging of my love for art and helping others. I am meticulously with my work and attentive to my clients to achieve their goals. I am flexible in my scheduling and can also work in tandem with your current service provider such as a plastic surgeon or stylist.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how diverse our city is! I truly feel like just about anyone here can find community and I think that’s really important, especially when you’re trying to navigate adulthood post-pandemic and your family lives overseas. I have made great friends here that constantly remind me how happy I am to exist at the same time as them and I love them so much! I do feel though that our city prioritizes building new highways over perhaps bettering the education system, funding the arts, and solving the homelessness crisis, amongst other things. I could also do with a few less potholes and definitely few more trees. Trees help with flooding, the infernal summer heat, and they’re just important to have! More trees and sidewalks, less highways and potholes please!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inkcarnationhtx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkcarnationhtx
