Meet Nikol Sedef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nikol Sedef and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nikol, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Balance is something that most of us search for and strive to maintain throughout our lives. In my work, I draw inspiration from chaos and use balance for the final touches, leading to a completed piece. Just as too much chaos in my art can feel overwhelming and lost, I find myself feeling lost when my work routine becomes too chaotic.

When I started my tattoo career in October 2017, balance was just a tool I used to stabilize the chaos in my work. It didn’t matter how many tattoos I did in a day, how many days I worked a week, or what hours I worked. However, something like enjoying breakfast while watching a show I love has always been a balance in my life. Yet, at the beginning of my career, my work and rest balance was definitely not like my breakfast routine. I would work every day of the week, sometimes until dawn, as an assistant in a studio. Looking back, I remember feeling as if I never got tired, probably due to the excitement of starting something new. But now I realize that the more I loaded myself with work in those early years, the more I needed rest in the years that followed.

It took time to bring this balance into my work, but I had to get very tired to understand how exhausting and uninspiring it can be to work without balance. After 7 years, I believe I’m just now starting to achieve a balance between work and rest. I’ve also come to see its importance more clearly over time. The more time I spend resting during a week, the better I can create during that period.

I’ve also experienced the opposite, especially during the COVID lockdown when I lost the balance between work and rest and ended up dedicating too much time to resting, which made returning to work difficult.

I believe everyone needs to listen to themselves to achieve balance. Everyone is different, and what works for someone else might not work for us. But one thing I’ve learned for sure is that if we need balance in our minds, we must be careful and plan the time we allocate to everything. The more aware we are of the time we spend on one thing, the more we can keep up with other things. For example, when I finish a week of overwork, I find myself wanting to work less the following week, even if unconsciously, or vice versa.

In short, no matter how attractive and inspiring chaos can be, I become more productive and happy when I combine chaos with balance. To achieve this, I try to stay aware, plan, and avoid things that keep me stuck in one place longer than I should be.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
There are thousands of artists in the world, but I believe that my life experiences and the way I channel them into my art make my work truly unique. I have an Armenian father and a Russian mother. My grandmother is a nun, and my grandfather is a Muslim. I’m a Christian, raised and brought up in a Muslim country. I have a Turkish passport, yet my name is Nikol. I’m an artist, but I received almost no formal art education until university, aside from a few courses. I tattoo, yet I graduated in Fashion and Textile Design.

My life is very colorful, and I believe I carry all those colors within me. Tattooing is my primary profession, but there are many other things I enjoy in life, like cooking and gaming. All these aspects of who I am translate into my art. I draw inspiration from the places I’ve traveled, the things I’ve watched, the music I’ve listened to, and the food I’ve tasted. I feed my worldview and experiences into my work. My versatility plays a significant role in my career as well.

While I predominantly work in black, I’m also capable of creating colorful tattoos. Even though I share large, bold pieces, I can also do very delicate work. When I first started tattooing, I dedicated a lot of time to learning every technique and skill, which has prepared me for whatever might come my way.

Of course, I’ve faced many challenges—difficult moments have accompanied all the wonderful things I’ve mentioned. I’ve experienced difficulties both in my personal and professional life, and at times, these challenges have profoundly affected me. I’ve faced both physical and psychological struggles. There were times when I hated myself, and times when I didn’t know what I would do if I wasn’t myself. I’ve had breaking points in my career too, and these moments have shaped who I am today. I believed I wasn’t alone and clung even more strongly to my profession whenever someone tried to trip me up. I always continued working, no matter what, no matter how long the breaks were or how long I took between them. Every new person I met helped me distance myself a little more from the struggles I left behind. When I left the studio where I started as an assistant, I was instilled with the fear that I would never work again. Yet, amidst threats, I started my own business with my family’s support. Despite Turkey’s declining economy, I kept working and made an effort to travel abroad as often as possible. Every time I stepped out of my comfort zone, I made sure to add something new to myself.

Throughout my 29 years of life, I’ve strived to create art that reflects my unique experiences and perspective. My work is special because it embodies who I am and what I’ve been through. This is why I always aim to create unique pieces—my art is a reflection of the singular journey that has shaped me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My partner and I love cooking and eating at home, so when we do eat out, we prefer something special. One of our favorite things is sandwiches, and if you’re up for trying something different, I highly recommend visiting The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills. You can try a La Zucca sandwich or one of their many other delicious options while sampling some of the best cheeses in the world.

After that, you can burn off those calories by heading to Larchmont Village, one of the most enjoyable places to explore. You’ll find charming bookstores, restaurants, shops, and maybe even stumble upon talented street musicians or a Farmers Market.

If you prefer staying closer to the city center, Griffith Observatory is a must. It’s the best place to take in Los Angeles, especially around sunset, when you can be close to the Hollywood sign and have the city spread out beneath you.

Once evening falls, head over to the Roosevelt Hotel in West Hollywood for a Cabaret experience. It’s a short, fun, and intimate show that offers a unique vibe.

For dinner, there are countless great options, but we are particularly fond of East Asian cuisine. The large portions, affordable prices, and shareable dishes are perfect for us. I’d recommend a Thai restaurant like Ruen Pair or an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ spot like Hae Jang Chon.

If you’re in town on a Friday and on a budget, definitely check out LACMA’s free jazz concerts. As for bars, Sunset & Vinyl and No Vacancy are both excellent choices.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would happily like to dedicate my shoutout to my family and my husband. Thank you to my family for giving me everything while I was growing up. They tried to show me the whole world and made me aware of all its colors. I was born and raised in a special country like Turkey. It’s special because I’m from Istanbul—a city where two continents meet, where people of various religions and races live, where both conservatives and aristocrats reside. It’s a place where some people sail around the islands on their yachts, while others struggle to stay warm during winter due to poverty. It’s a city with a street for trans people, yet where wearing a skirt on public transport might get you assaulted. In short, I was born and raised in one of the most chaotic, inspiring, terrifying, and beautiful places in the world.

In such an environment, I’m immensely grateful to my family for ensuring I went to the best schools, frequently taking me abroad, helping me develop hobbies through various special lessons, and shaping my worldview—essentially making me the person I am today. They have always supported and protected me in every decision I made.

The biggest thanks also go to my partner, Deniz. No matter how far I travel across the world, he never lets go of my hand. No matter what decisions I make, he’s always with me, inspiring me, teaching me, treating me kindly, and showing me what it means to love and be loved. Deniz is also an artist, and witnessing how much we nurture each other excites me for the future and the things we’ll create together.

Of course, I’d love to thank everyone and everything that made me who I am, but I believe my biggest thanks go to my mom, dad, aunt, and partner.

Website: www.nikolsedef.com

Instagram: instagram.com/nicolesedef

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolesedeftattoo?mibextid=LQQJ4d