“I create tattoos that truly reflect my clients’ individuality and personality, while maintaining the highest level of artistic integrity. Through a positive and collaborative process, my ultimate goal is to create tattoos that not only look amazing, but also have personal significance and meaning to the person wearing them.” — Jai Gilchrist
Jai grew up in rural Australia before moving to Sydney in 1989. She studied dance, theatre and art, finding her tribe in the roleplaying community. She worked in film and TV as a costume and set designer with a penchant for special effects.
In Sydney, Jai explored the subversive arts, working as an SM mistress with the roving performance group Twisted Narcissist. In 1994, Jai moved to Prague, where she worked with Black Box theatre as a producer and creative director while also studying mural art and interior decoration.
In 1996, Jai returned to Australia to give birth to her daughter before moving to the UK in 1997. Given her new circumstances, Jai pivoted away from film & TV to explore the artforms of murals and tattooing. As she developed her art and raised her child, Jai also worked in support of refugees and social housing.
From 2008 to 2011, Jai studied Fine Arts at Nottingham Trent University, graduating with an honours degree. She gained a residency at the Surface Gallery in Nottingham, creating the Curbar Ridge Association of Artist’s and Painters (C.R.A.A.P) to create multi-disciplinary artworks that provoke thought and reflection.
Wanting to bring her passion for art back into her life, Jai moved back to full time tattooing in 2014 under the loving mentorship of Theresa Gordon-Wade of Epona Tattoo Sanctuary. In 2018, having re-gained her deep expertise in a multitude of styles, Jai opened Vellum Tattoo where she continues to refine her artform to new heights.
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“I am dedicated to enabling individuals to express themselves through tattoos that are a true reflection of their unique identity. My collaborative and client-focused approach honours both my own artistic principles and the personal significance of each tattoo, ensuring I make every tattoo a meaningful and empowering expression of the wearer.” — Jai Gilchrist
2013 Jun
Intervention by Fairytale - Into the Woods, Byron Festival Hucknall, CRAAP represented by Jet Guthrie.
2013 Aug
Intervention by Fairytale -The Three Pips, Sydney Bienalle Festival Arts, CRAAP represented by Jet Guthrie.
2014 Nov
Breaking the Fourth Wall, Byron Cinema and Fresh Meat Collective, CRAAP represented by Jet Guthrie, James Gillert and Miss Diana Rex
2017 Aug
Intervention by Fairytale – Yorkshire Sculpture Park intervention , CRAAP represented by Jet Guthrie.
2018
Awarded 5 Star Hygiene and Safety Status for aTattoo Studio by Rushcliffe Borough Council
2022
Winner of Best Freelance Tattoo at Rites of Passage Tattoo Festival Sydney
“Jai is incredibly skilled and creative both in design and in application”
