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The man behind Red Right Hand : Samira Dunuwille

19 Jul 2020

By Mahika Panditha Some of you may already have tattoos. Some of you may want tattoos. Some of you may have been planning specific tattoos since you knew what tattoos were. I am here to tell you that Red Right Hand is here for you! Located in Mount Lavinia, this beautiful tattoo parlour is the one for you. It is known for its welcoming vibe with beautiful art and music in the parlour itself. The man behind Red Right Hand is Samira Dunuwille, fondly known as Sam. He studied the art at the Aliens Tattoo School in Mumbai and even received awards for his magnificent skill. Samira is super friendly and is a definite go-to person if you are looking to get a tattoo, be it your first one or 10th one. We had the chance to speak to him, and here is what this tattoo genius shared with Happinez! First of all, what made you want to start a tattoo parlour and what inspired the name? From the days of my school’s Interact Club and doodling temporary tattoos on friends’ arms with a pen, the passion for tattoos never left my heart, even though I chose a career in the financial industry almost 13 years ago. I always used to scribble and doodle in my office notebooks and even did a few pop-up temporary tattoo shops in hippie markets and Sri Lanka Comic Con under the name “NRT (No Regret Tattoos) by Sam”. On these occasions, I recognised the desire of people for tattoos, regardless of their age and gender, and how they use it to express themselves in particular. Being a tattoo collector from a young age, all my tattoos are very personal and special to me in different ways. Hence, with all these, after getting really bored and tired of doing a desk job as a banker for 11 years, I finally managed to make up my mind to follow my heart and chase my dream to be a tattoo artist. I think in today’s world of tattoos, the missing piece is passion. True artists see tattooing not just as a job, but also as both a form of art and a lifestyle; they are grateful to their clients for letting them live through their art. I think that’s what pushed me into this industry more than anything. So soon after I handed over my resignation, I enrolled in the Aliens Tattoo Art School in India for an advanced tattooing course through which I learnt everything about handling a needle and ink to polish up my inner artist again. I was lucky enough to learn from one of the best in the industry. I am really grateful for that. THIS is what I’m supposed to do! I picked the name Red Right Hand from the song Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, which was the theme song for British hit TV show Peaky Blinders. The song describes “a tall handsome man” who is “in a dusty black coat” as he arrives during a “gathering storm”. For me, being the red right hand is being a necessary evil. I might literally end up being the red right hand by getting my right hand inked in red! What is your favourite tattoo and why? Jeez! This is like trying to pick a favourite kid. I don't know if I have a favourite tattoo, but I definitely do not regret any of my tattoos and I value each of them very dearly. However, with that being said, the tattoo on the upper right arm is the one that changed my entire life path to become a tattoo artist. That tattoo is called “Rage of Shiva” and I got it done from my master Sunny Bhanushali. While doing that tattoo, he randomly mentioned something about his tattoo school and the rest is history! So thinking of a favourite piece I’ve done, I have to say that each tattoo has its own little challenge...but I think that’s the fun part. What is your opinion on youngsters getting tattoos? What advice do you have for any teens looking to get tattooed? Young people get tattoos for lots of reasons: As a fashion statement, to express their feelings and identity, to show love or connection towards someone as well as rebellion, etc. Your tattoos should not affect your career. So always get tattooed in body parts where you can cover with office wear. Share with us a bit about your teen years. I was always into art and drawing because of the comic books I read as a kid, and I think that manifested in my brain somehow. I was called by Tattoo Sam during my school days. When I saw a really good tattoo or even an art piece, I always told myself “WOW! I need to learn how to draw that well”. Also, I always believed that practising and studying tattooing the correct way from the start would help me to go a long way. Where do you hope to see Red Right Hand in the coming years? I work really late every day, sometimes until midnight. I think when you love doing something, you keep working on it. It doesn’t matter what it is. I love what I do, and obviously I always strive to do my best for my clients as well as for myself. I think the best way you do your best is to push your level. And to push your level, you have to work hard. That’s the key. I live in the moment right now; people are talking about my work, and that’s really nice, but I try not to get too comfy or lazy, or have an attitude. So I’m just going to live the dream. Photos Chiranjaya Samal


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